Utility airplanes occupy an interesting market niche. Like any other airplane, they take off and land, cruise at altitude, carry a payload and offer some creature comforts. Naturally, just about any spam-can does that and probably can do it faster, more economically and with more pampering of the pilot and passengers. But unlike most other airplanes, utility airplanes are optimized to use short, unimproved fields without drama or damage, carry lots, require little maintenance and be field-repairable, just a few of the features with which the typical tricycle-gear, all-metal single has trouble. Over the years, types like Pipers Super Cub, the Maule series and the American Champion Scout have come to exemplify a utility airplane. All three were originally designed decades ago and have changed little since, fully depreciating their design and engineering costs. Too, there’s little “wrong” with these models: They aint broke, so they don’t need fixin. Put another way, the basic piston-powered utility airplane is mature technology. Into this niche came the Aviat (formerly Christen) Husky, unapologetically designed with the Super Cub firmly in mind. The result is a Part 23-certificated, well-built and good-performing airplane successfully competing against its forebears. In fact, its success is all the more remarkable since it was designed and certificated in the 1980s, something of a dark age for new general aviation designs. Utility airplanes, of course, are put to many different uses, including romantic bush flying, plus more mundane pursuits like pipeline patrol, ranching and even training. By all accounts, the Aviat Husky tackles all these challenges with equal aplomb, making it worth consideration by anyone looking into buying a utility airplane.
Aviat, Inc. started life as Christen Industries in the early 1970s, making specialized accessories- inverted oil systems, fuel pumps and restraint systems-for aerobatic airplanes. The companys products have been of uniformly high quality; Lycoming liked the inverted oil system so much it bought the system and offered it as a factory part. Christen is still in this business, operating out of a plant in Afton, Wyoming. But building aerobatic airplane components wasnt enough; Christen branched out into the homebuilt market with the Christen Eagle, a highly capable kit-built aerobatic biplane in the mold of the Pitts Special. The Eagle was significant in many ways, not least for its highly professional, complete and detail-oriented kit packaging, complete with an extensive, step-by-step manual. This approach to building airplanes-packaging them as extensive kits-is now commonplace. At the time, however, homebuilding was generally a matter of buying plans, renting a hangar, ordering materials and figuring it out yourself. In 1982, Frank Christensen purchased the Pitts type certificates, along with the factory, effectively cornering the contemporary market for aerobatic biplanes. Thanks to better-performing monoplane designs from builders like Extra and Sukhoi, the Pitts/Eagle domination of aerobatic competitions upper end is no more. But, the Pitts was star of the show for a time; it remains viable and continues in production, as does the Eagle kit. Recognizing the market for aerobatic airplanes is small, Christensen nonetheless had a factory, a workforce skilled in building tube-and-fabric airplanes, and a family of solid, proven products. But, he needed a new product and saw opportunity in the bush plane market. At the time, the only competitor being manufactured was the Maule and-despite that companys seeming immunity to the ills plaguing the rest of the industry from time to time-precious few of them were rolling out the doors. After trying to buy rights to the Super Cub, the Champion line and the Interstate/Arctic Tern, Christensen reportedly considered the asking prices (including the assumption of product liability for previously produced airplanes) unrealistic. The answer? Build an all-new airplane. Christensen and designer/engineer E. H. “Herb” Andersen, Jr., determined they could develop and certify their own design at lower cost and in less time than buying and producing an existing product. So thats what they did, bringing the initial A-1 Husky from conception to FAA certification in 18 months. Since the costs of development and certification have stopped many would-be aircraft manufacturers dead in their tracks, this tale says something about the companys management. Equally revealing is the amazingly short time it took to bring the Husky to market. Even so, the Husky didnt set the world on fire: Only 68 were produced the first year and an average of 30 to 40 annually since. The initial 1800-pound A-1 model was replaced by the A-1A and A-1B in 1999. The Husky A-1A featured a 90-pound gross weight boost, to 1890 pounds, while the A-1Bs gross was 2000 pounds. To this point, all three models mounted a carbureted 180-HP Lycoming O-360 engine, turning a Hartzell constant-speed prop. Thats in contrast to an unmodified Super Cub, with its 150 HP and a fixed-pitch prop. Both the A-1A and A-1B were produced until the 2002 model year, when the A-1A was discontinued. In 2007, Aviat obtained FAA certification of the A-1C Husky, which features a 2200-pound gross weight, an increase of 200 pounds over the A-1B. Structural modifications included new landing gear, a five-leaf tail spring, a new wing with extended flaps and spade-less ailerons, plus a new wing-flap control handle. Additionally, according to the FAA type certificate, the new models CG envelope was “reduced forward and expanded aft.” The A-1C comes with a choice of the standard 180-HP O-360 or a fuel-injected IO-360 Lycoming pumping out 200 HP. The A-1B has been discontinued as of the 2008 model year.
When designing their new airplane, Christensen and Andersen kept one eye focused sharply on the Super Cub. The pairs design objectives included good short- and rough-field performance; ruggedness, accessibility and serviceability to simplify support in primitive conditions; outstanding slow-speed handling coupled with docile stall characteristics; good endurance and reasonable cruise capability. By all accounts, they succeeded: The Husky is a conventional two-tandem-seat taildragger that, frankly, looks just like a Super Cub. Thats not a bad thing: The Super Cub has remained popular for decades, for good reason. In terms of materials and struc- ture also, the Husky is straightforward. The fuselage is welded 4130 chrome/moly tubular steel with a full-depth aft fuselage for greater strength. Except for the A-1C-200, the aircraft is powered by either a Lycoming O-360-C1G (early models) or an O-360-A1P (1993 and later models). This Lycoming is widely acknowledged to be almost indestructible. The engine cowling and forward fuselage are skinned with aluminum. The aft fuselage and flying surfaces are covered with polyester; the seams are taped with cotton and fastened to the structure by oversized pop rivets.
One clear advantage new-airplane designers have is the ability to examine similar designs and correct any shortcomings cropping up over time. For example, rather than the problematic wood spars Champion used, the Huskys wings employ dual aluminum spars and aluminum ribs. They are supported by fore and aft struts, which were designed to eliminate corrosion and other problems encountered over the years in a large number of strut-braced airplanes, including certain Piper and Taylorcraft models, for example.
To facilitate maintenance, a Huskys nose bowl is split to permit its removal without touching the propeller; the cowl has large doors on either side for easy engine compartment access (good for preflights). Moving aft, the fuselage is metal-clad to the end of the cabin and features several removable panels. The aft fuselage, which includes the battery bay, is accessible through a large panel on the port side. (A baggage door was optional, so not all have one.)
The landing gear is conventional in more ways than one: It uses reliable, proven bungees for shock absorption, and mounts them inside the fuselage to reduce drag. The brakes are good and the track wide, which helps ground handling. Tundra tires
are a popular add-on, making soft- and rough-country operations much simpler.
For other terrain, all A-1s are built with float attach fittings installed. The only additions required for straight or amphibious float operations are lifting rings and a ventral fin. For the same reason, dual-puck brakes-required for the tundra tires-are standard on all aircraft. These brakes are quite good and offer plenty of stopping power. Meanwhile, the Husky is approved for both retractable and wheel-replacement skis, as we’ll as for banner or glider tow hook installation.
Changes made to the line since the first A-1 rolled out the door have been incremental improvements, largely as a result of real-life service experience. To its credit, Aviat has designed all improvements to be field-retrofittable to existing airplanes. Since early models can be updated with the later improvements, there is no better or worse model year. As a result, one of the keys for any prospective buyer is ensuring all desired mods and any mandated changes have been performed, and to be careful of overall condition.
The Huskys non-tapered wing comes with Fowler-type, slotted flaps hinged to move aft as they are deployed. Even at full-30 degree-deflection, they provide more lift than drag, making for good short-field performance. Elsewhere on the wing, attention has been paid to the ailerons, as well. They are symmetrical in section, and the leading edge has a larger radius than the wing trailing edge it abuts to maintain attached air flow during low-speed and high angle of attack flight. Counterbalanced aerodynamic spades hang from the bottom of the aileron leading edge on models through the A-1B; they were eliminated on the A-1C. Borrowed directly from the four-aileron Pitts, the design permits full roll authority we’ll into the stall. Of course, any airplane designed for utilitarian purposes should be a straightforward, forgiving airplane to fly. Although it can demand some extra effort to extract all its performance, the Husky meets these objectives by all accounts. Thanks to the good aileron and rudder authority, combined with the Fowler flaps, the pilot really has to provoke the Husky to get it to bite. Anything resembling proper stall technique results in very mild stalls and near-instant recovery. Spins are virtually impossible to get into with flaps deployed. But, when flaps are retracted, it will reward uncoordinated control input with a snap over the top in power-on stalls. It wont spin, but the resulting spiral or corkscrew maneuver can be alarming. Speed builds very quickly during this exercise, and must be attended to immediately. However, almost any reaction leads to recovery. Also, during cruise in turbulent air, speed control is important at most altitudes since indicated airspeed is fairly close to the VNO of 103 knot indicate. (VNE is 132 knots.) After exploring stalls, a new Husky pilot will find slow flight and STOL performance are areas where the Husky really shines. Takeoff distance with full flaps is 200 feet; landings require only 350 feet. Figure about 500 feet total over an obstacle. Even at high density altitude, liftoff speed is reached quickly and the effective brakes help make short stops easier. The best technique for assuring the airplane will stay on the ground is to retract the flaps during the brief landing roll. Even maximum performance takeoffs result in continuous climb. There is no sagging-off even while flaps are retracted. It is a credit to the airplane that, once a pilot is familiar with it, such performance does not require superior technique. One owner told us its not necessary to lift the tail during takeoffs: The airplane simply doesnt need it. No-flap takeoffs require more ground run, naturally, but taking off in the three-point attitude produces a short run and healthy climbout (1500 FPM at sea level at the best rate of climb speed of 63 knots). Wing loading is light at 9.8 pounds per square foot, so the ride in turbulence can be bumpy. Its an inevitable trade-off for STOL performance. On approach, precise control of airspeed and vertical speed are important to achieve this kind of performance. Just as when flying any airplane close to its performance limits, the correct combination of alignment, sink, airspeed and attitude can be elusive at first, but once mastered results in truly impressive STOL performance. In the hands of a qualified pilot, the Husky can be a good neighbor even at busy airports with a mix of traffic. Recommended approach speeds are very low (52 knots), which would give your typical Westchester County controller fits. But it can be flown at an indicated 100 knots right to the threshold and slowed easily to proper touchdown speed. The best recovery technique for bounced, poorly aligned or otherwise botched approaches, at least initially, is to add power and go around. The Husky will bounce mightily and can easily get sideways-not a good way to re-contact the ground. With full power, the airplane leaps back into the air; with just a touch, it still flies. Otherwise, handling is typical for this class of airplane: It likes lots of rudder input, and its not overly twitchy. Transitioning pilots are at risk of groundloops until they have some taildragger experience. Control harmony is fairly good, which is sadly uncommon in this class of airplane. Rudder and aileron forces are linear in relation to airspeed. Because of the bungee trim system, elevator deflection forces are fairly high, even at low speed. In fact, it trims like a heavy airplane-a little bit at a time and almost always in response to any power or attitude change. Rudder authority is good right down through low-speed flight, and the aileron spades to work to maintain control at low speeds. For a lightly wing-loaded airplane, the Husky is quite we’ll mannered in cruise. Properly trimmed, it does not require a lot of attention to maintain course. This makes it a better instrument platform than many of its peers and some owners fly Huskies in IMC. However, thats not the Huskys primary mission. The big virtue of the Husky is that even during slow flight, properly configured, the attitude of the aircraft is flat; it is flying on the wing rather than hanging on the prop. This is a big safety advantage for spotting, patrol and other low-altitude, low-speed operations, since at these speeds the Husky is not flying on the edge of a stall and the airplane very largely takes care of itself so that the pilot can safely look elsewhere. Power-on stall speed is only 33 MPH with flaps. 
Tailwheel steering authority on the Husky is good, which makes ground handling simple except in high winds. A touch of differential brake swings the aircraft around briskly. The brakes are powerful: At slow taxi speeds, their over-enthusiastic application will bring the tail off the ground.
Ground handling, by the way, is aided by convenient handles on both the aft fuselage and elevator. These give line personnel little excuse to mishandle the airplane when moving it around on the ramp.
As already mentioned, slow flight is the Huskys strong suit. It was not designed as a cross-country hauler. But the airplane also has a reasonable cruise speed, quite competitive with fixed-gear airplanes of similar power. Cruising at 55 percent power should yield 113 knots true; at 75 percent, 121 knots. Top speed at sea level is 126 knots. Listed fuel consumption at 55 percent is 7.7 GPH; at 75 percent it is 9.3 GPH. Still-air range at 55 percent is 695 miles. With power set for an airspeed of 96 knots indicated, endurance is seven hours. Of course, going slower boosts endurance. Just ask Kris Maynard, an A-1A Husky owner. On March 1, 2008, Maynard took off from Indianapolis, Indiana and flew his Husky along a triangular course of 753 miles, burning only 190 pounds of fuel (30 gallons) in the process and setting an internationally recognized record in a new efficiency category. Then, earlier this year, Maynard flew the Husky 15 hours, three minutes and 20 seconds without refueling, covering more than 1200 statute miles. On this flight, he burned only 3.156 GPH-for 25.26 MPG-and landed with 90 minutes of fuel remaining. But after a long flight, you still have to land. With some practice, you can operate a Husky from a football field. Factory numbers for ground runs at sea level are: maximum performance takeoff, 150 feet; landing 250 feet. Even in high density altitude conditions (for instance, at 7000 to 8000 feet) and at full gross weight, the Huskys performance is impressive. And it performs we’ll on floats. Part of this is attributed to close attention to the relative angle of incidence between the floats and the wing. Float-equipped cruise at 5000 feet is a quite respectable 106 knots true. When loading a Husky, center of gravity is rarely an issue, since the bias is toward the front end of the range with just one aboard due to the relatively large engine and constant-speed prop. Standard useful load is 610 pounds. A full load of fuel-50 gallons usable, or 300 pounds-leaves 310 pounds of payload available. The baggage compartment behind the rear seat- reached by folding the rear seat back forward-is rated at 50 pounds. An access door is a factory option on new aircraft.
Like many of its peers, getting into a Husky is hard to do elegantly. Of course, if youre not willing to mount up properly, you shouldnt be flying an airplane like this. Rather than sliding in like a car, the pilot and passenger more or less hoist themselves aboard. For a conventional-gear airplane, forward visibility is very good for pilots of average-to-tall height, despite the large, high wing (shorter pilots can adjust the view by using thicker seat cushions). A skylight in the overhead helps spotting traffic in turns. Long missions in other light utility aircraft can be fatiguing, both because of the constant need to keep the airplane right side up during low-speed operation, and also because control forces-especially roll control-are high and therefore fatiguing. The Husky ranks favorably in this category, especially after pilots learn to adjust pitch forces by anticipating trim input. One of the biggest shortcomings of the Husky, at least for tall pilots, is the front seat. It is a fixed part of the structure. All adjustments are made by changing cushions. But after an hour or two, discomfort becomes the most noticeable element of flight, overwhelming the good performance, fine visibility and relatively low control effort. Visibility and comfort is best in the rear seat. The seat is wider, the angle of the back rest is better, and there is more leg room fore and aft. One shortcoming is the lack of heat for the back-seater. With relatively little soundproofing the noise level is high, but not so much so that owners complain about it. Headsets are, of course, a must.
The Airworthiness Directive picture for the Husky is a good one. Only two ADs are specific to the airframe, with the remainder targeting either the engine or the prop. One, 90-20-5, applies to 1988 to 1990 models and calls for inspection of welds on the seat back and addition of reinforcements if needed. The other AD, 91-23-2, applies only to 1988 models and calls for the replacement of the carburetor air box. There havent been too many squawks on the airplane, but it would be a good idea to check the stainless steel control cables for wear and look for any vibration-related problems in the baffles and cowling that might be related to the relatively rigid engine mounting. Were not aware of a formal type club covering the Husky; a listing on the AOPA Web site for the Aviat Husky Owners Group leads to dead e-mail and Web site addresses. Informal support groups include an e-mail list with 154 subscribers (tinyurl.com/mte7h6) and a well-done Web site, FlyHusky.com. For its mission, its hard to find fault with the Husky. It does its thing remarkably well, and owners are very happy with it and with the manufacturer. If youre in the market for a working airplane, the Husky is definitely worth a look.
We bought a 2003 A1-B model new from Aero Sport in St. Augustine, Florida, in 2004. We were attracted to the Husky for a variety of reasons including; comfort, operating economy, performance, safety, and fit and finish. Nothing else we looked at excelled in all of these areas. Our Husky is used for business trips; normally within a 500-mile radius where the travel time compares favorably to the total elapsed time using commercial airlines. As a director of the Recreational Aviation Foundation, we also spend time flying throughout the U.S.-primarily to back country destinations-where the Husky was designed to perform. At 100 hours, there was a cam lobe failure covered by Lycomings warranty. The plane now has over 600 hours total time and has had no other maintenance issues. It takes about 15 hours to perform a thorough annual. We are getting ready to do our fifth one and we have yet to find a problem-its still on the original brake pads. There are just a few aftermarket add-ons that are available. First and foremost is the MT Prop: less weight and improved performance; this mod requires moving from the standard 6.00 tires to a minimum of 8.50 tires. Regarding tires, the Alaskan Bushwheel 31-inch model is popular. There are at least three float/amphib manufacturers offering options and two or three companies with skis certified for the Husky. Also, there is a manufacturer that has produced landing gear that is stronger and facilitates easier transition from floats to tires. Complaints: I have none! The common one that I hear is that the Husky is hard to land, but in my opinion the Clark Y wing just wants to keep flying. Most pilots new to the Husky have difficulty stabilizing their approach on final at a slow enough speed. Excess airspeed results in lift that in turn results in bounced landings as they try to put it on the ground while it still wants to fly. New owners should invest in some training from an instructor with lots of Husky experience. The MT prop helps in that the prop has a profile that acts as a speed brake at low pitch. Factory support seems to be a mixed bag. I get good response when I have a question or need something. Parts prices seem high on some things and low on others-if you need it, you need it! Aviat, of course, is owned by Stu Horn, who is actively involved, is a pilot and seems to genuinely want to continue improving the product. One of his current projects is to offer a belly pod. Tim Clifford, I bought my 1989 Christen Husky A-1 new from Bob Hoff of Aeromark Aviation in Idaho Falls in early 1990, and have put over 2300 hours on this stout and dependable aircraft. I recently had a complete engine and airframe overhaul and inspection with no outstanding problems. When the Afton, Wyoming, factory changed ownership a couple of times and the name changed to Aviat, I had some reservations as to my planes future. I neednt have worried as factory support, parts availability, upgrading of systems and attention to requests have been excellent. I have added a number of STCd parts and systems as time has gone by and my flying requirements have dictated. These include: vortex generators on the wings and horizontal tail, MT prop, 26-inch Goodyear tires, eight-inch Bushwheel tailwheel, oil filter, JPI engine and fuel monitors (which I will not fly without), digital tach, lightweight starter and rear-seat heat. Electronics are simple and straightforward: King radios (KX197, KX155), KT76 transponder, KLN 94 GPS, PS Engineering audio panel, David Clark headsets. No problem installing or maintaining any of these units. Thirty-two years ago, I bought an almost-new PA-18-150 Super Cub, flew it for 12 years and made seven trips from Salt Lake City to Alaska and to Western Canada in this fine airplane. Enjoyed them all, but it needed a few things improved for this type of flying: longer range, more speed, more space. I needed these increases without sacrificing slow flight, short takeoffs/landings, carrying capacity, toughness, reliability and simplicity. The Husky with its 180 HP, 50-gallon fuel capacity and two-inch wider cabin was my answer, and I have been rewarded many times-seven more times above the Arctic Circle with sons, friends and a brave wife, and many hours of aerial photography in the desert Southwest. The Lycoming O-360 engine has been good (12 to 14 hours per quart of oil, 8.5 gallons per hour at 21 inches/2400 RPM at 7000 feet), but not perfect. I lost the number 2 cylinders exhaust valve at 1200 hours and again just before overhaul. Annuals have averaged $1400 to $1800. Original paint was below average and early factory tailwheel springs were not tough enough. Thats not much to complain about. Some personal comments include: The trim system becomes natural very quickly, rigging is easy and with both tanks feeding (your only choice), no trim changes are needed in four or five hours of flying. I always top tanks at fuel stops and have had no fuel management problems. I have never found the airplane nose heavy, as some said early on. The oil temperature must be watched in summer desert flying. My biggest disappointment has been that I didnt store a set of floats years ago at one of my favorite lakes for summer trips. Ill keep this early little beauty until I stop flying. Bill Browning, I have owned an Aviat Husky A-1A since 1999. I flew it on wheels for about 35 hours awaiting arrival of my straight floats. I now have over 800 hours with the Husky on floats. I am a recreational VFR pilot (about 1100 hours). I fly locally and often throttle back because I am not anxious to get someplace. Slow is fine with me. I have almost no experience flying other float planes (trained on a Cessna 172 at Kenmore), but it is hard to imagine a better float plane for a recreational pilot who flies solo most of the time and is not in a hurry. The combination of bush plane and light floats (Baumann 2100s) makes a wonderful combination. For me, at my skill level, the Husky is an ideal airplane. So many things are simple: Full flaps on takeoff and landing. Sight gauges give you a visual understanding of fuel status. It is off the water is about six seconds. It climbs like a homesick angel. The low stall speed means that there is an extra margin of safety. When I train, I have trouble getting it to stall with any kind of a break because it just wants to float down. The engine is bulletproof: In eight years, and hundreds of starts, it has never failed to start the first time. Wonderful visibility on both sides out the co*ckpit. Huge wings give it remarkable control in ground effect. And I love flying with a stick. The minor deficiencies have to do with its size (and perhaps weight). It is a light aircraft. It does not like rough water and I avoid it. It is rather sensitive to gusts and updrafts. When I look at the small support structures for the large elevators, I wonder if they will ever fall off (not been a problem for the Husky). I would prefer to have my passenger or co-pilot on my shoulder (rather than a tandem) but then you would give up the visibility out both sides. Getting in and out of the Husky is awkward and not something I will want to do if I ever get arthritis. All in all, I would choose the same airplane again. Tim Farris,
Via e-mail
Bluff, Utah
Bellingham, Washington
