True - it would be nice for the design to move away from the wood formers and stringers. I think there are several reasons why the design differs from a Cub. The fuselage truss shape does not lend itself to using Piper type formers; to keep current stringer locations and use Piper channel you would end up with a very intricate arrangement for the gingerbread (something more resembling a spiderweb). Another aspect to consider are the air loads on the fuselage. Given aerobatic nature of the Citabria and Decathlon our airplanes endure slipping and buffeting at high speeds - the Cub does not see the same type load.
True - it would be nice for the design to move away from the wood formers and stringers. I think there are several reasons why the design differs from a Cub. The fuselage truss shape does not lend itself to using Piper type formers; to keep current stringer locations and use Piper channel you would end up with a very intricate arrangement for the gingerbread (something more resembling a spiderweb). Another aspect to consider are the air loads on the fuselage. Given aerobatic nature of the Citabria and Decathlon our airplanes endure slipping and buffeting at high speeds - the Cub does not see the same type load.