Single-engine piston

N51538

1945 Piper J-3 Cub

Registered No accidents on file
Built
1945
Serial
10480
Class
Single-engine piston
Engines
Continental A&C65 series
Status
Current as of October 2026
Registered owner
Sky Cruisers Inc (Corporation)
Based
South Barrington, IL
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Registration record

N51538 on the FAA register

Type
1945 Piper J-3 Cub (FAA: Piper J3C-65)
Serial
10480
Engines
Continental A&C65 series
Registered owner
Sky Cruisers Inc
South Barrington, IL
Certificate issued
2004-05-18
Airworthiness date
1958-05-09
Registration expires
2027-07-31
Airworthiness class
Standard
Mode S (hex)
A676E4
Mode S (octal)
51473344
Seats (type)
2
Weight class
up to 12,499 lb
Range (type)
146 nm
Cruise (type)
65 kt
Status
Current as of October 2026
Registry history

Timeline

  • 2027-07-31
    Registration expires (renewal due).
  • 2004-05-18
    Certificate of registration issued as N51538.
  • 1958-05-09
    Airworthiness date on the current FAA record (standard category).
  • 1945
    Manufactured (1945).
Overview

About N51538

N51538 is a 1945 Piper J-3 Cub (FAA model J3C-65), serial number 10480. The FAA register lists Sky Cruisers Inc as the registrant in South Barrington, Illinois. The current certificate of registration was issued on May 18, 2004 and expires on July 31, 2027.

The FAA aircraft reference file describes the type as a single-engine piston, one Continental A&C65 series engine and 2 seats. Published figures for the type give a cruise speed of about 65 knots and a range of about 146 nm; actual performance depends on configuration, load and conditions. Its airworthiness certificate is standard category, dated May 9, 1958.

No NTSB accident or incident reports and no FAA preliminary notices are on file for this airframe as N51538. 1 earlier record involves a different aircraft that carried the same N-number.

Cruise
65 kt
Range
146 nm
Power / thrust (each)
65
Takeoff over 50 ft
730 ft
Landing over 50 ft
470 ft
Fuel burn
4 gph

Published figures for the Piper J-3 Cub type. They describe the model, not this airframe's equipment or condition.

Safety record

Accident & incident history

1969-09-06 Accident · Scottsdale,Ariz, 03 Damage: Substantial NTSB · 3 3943
Reported aircraft: Cessna 150G — a different aircraft that carried the N51538 registration before this airframe.

Sources: NTSB aviation accident database and CAROL case system, FAA preliminary accident & incident notices. Search accident records

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Data: FAA Aircraft Registry (October 2026), including deregistered aircraft; NTSB and FAA accident data; fyiAero listing history. Individual owners' names are shown to signed-in users and street addresses are never shown. Type figures are published specifications, not this aircraft's.