Got the Challenger back in the air

[GyroRon]

Here is a few shots of my friend Daves nice Clipped Wing Challenger ultralight. He never flys it - hasn't even been to the airport in over a year to see it! - but he keeps it in my hangar and I got permission to fly it whenever I want. I talked him into buying a new engine for it and some new hardware for strut attachment points and so on, and I swapped out the engine and hardware earlier this week. The plane hasn't flown in months and I finally got it all together today and pulled it out for the 1st flight on the new engine.


It is a great little ultralight, fun to fly, good view out the windshield and fast! It will do nearly 100 mph, and that is with just a little 40 horse Rotax 447. Anyway here is some pics

[StanFoster]

Ron: I love those Challengers....I almost bought one before I bought my Air Command.

Stan

[KDOG]

How in the world could someone have one of those and never fly it! I have always liked them as well. It will do 100mph? Isn't that illegal? ;) As if I would mind if I had it!!!

[gyromike]

Ron,

What does that thing stall at?

[GyroRon]

Faa is not sitting on clouds with Radar guns! It will flat out scoot for a ultralight with 40 ponies!

And why doesn't he fly it more often? good question, but go to any airport and there is bound to be a few planes sitting in hangars or out on the ramp rotting. Out at Goose Creek there is a 60-100 grand Bellanca that has sat so long the wooden wings are about rotted completely off. It hasn't moved in over 8 years!!!! Not touched for 8 years!!!! can you believe it...... It is worthless now, the airframe is rotted and the engine is rusty inside from sitting. Garbage.

mike it will stall, but you have to try to make it stall! It will go fast enough to flutter some of the control surfaces over 100.