Overview
- Flight instructor Jon Kotwicki departed San Luis Obispo at about 9:55 a.m. local time and reached peak altitude after roughly 62 minutes.
- FlightAware data and company confirmations verified the achievement, which was cleared with special FAA approval and managed by Los Angeles ARTCC for traffic separation in the flight levels.
- The Carbon Cub UL was factory‑stock and powered by a turbocharged 160‑hp Rotax 916iS, with support from CubCrafters, Rotax, Mountain High, Aerocrafted, and Cal Poly’s Paulo Iscold.
- The climb surpassed Caro Bayley’s 30,203‑foot Cub‑type benchmark from 1951 and appears to exceed the 35,062‑foot ultralight record from 1996.
- At roughly minus 51°F, Kotwicki used supplemental oxygen and wore a parachute, reported stable handling while hand‑flying, and the flight’s data await FAI validation for record status.