This was the last place I landed before moving off the mountain and back to town for the winter season. It was 20 degrees and blowing 25 mph. It was my first exposure to cold air for this winter season, and it’s always surprising just how shocking these temperatures are.
The good thing about cold air is that it’s the cheapest performance enhancer available for the Cub. When the air is cold it is so much more dense that the wings, prop, and engine all have more air molecules to work with. The combination of increased engine output, and available lift, is easily recognized as soon as the power is applied. With the temperatures and winds pictured above my takeoff ground roll was about 30 feet and then I climbed out at 2000′ per minute at a nearly 6000′ elevation. That would not be possible if it was 30 degrees warmer. So, rather than spending all that money on mods … just wait for cold air and gale force winds.