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N111KX (Kip)
Joined: 27 Jan 2006
Posts: 96
Location: Atlanta, GA
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 Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:38 pm Post subject: Thank you, Homer |
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A friend asked me to fly his newly acquired light-plane yesterday. I flew the Firestar 30 miles to his grass strip to check out his pride and joy. It is a Quad City Challenger single place. During the preflight, I was amazed to see an aluminum skeleton structure with very primitive gusset arrangements and a very complicated control system, landing gear double-braced by cables, control attachments of steel on aluminum, inverted engine, small tube aluminum bracing of tail and wing structure and dozens of other details that were either too complex or weak in appearance. The tail was as flexible as a garden hose. And, it was ugly as sin.
As for flying the only axis that was pleasant was pitch. But how hard is that to screw up? With feet flat on the floor, the airplane wanted to severely yaw left on the first flight. It had ZERO directional stability! It would enter it's own flat turn with me nearly thrown out the side and wind blasting in. So, on the second flight we bent the large rudder trim tab to try to compensate. I believe that I got it to near neutral but with any bump from turbulence it would yaw either direction and maintain an extreme yaw angle until kicked out. Ailerons alone would not turn the plane to the left. To the right was marginal.
I could go on but to each his own. I know that he Challenger is a popular plane and many here have flown and loved them. But, after getting in my Kolb and flying off in a steel cage, aircraft grade control system, and no trim tabs, I just don't see any real comparison to such a "successful" design.
At 500 feet and 55 mph I thought "thank you, Homer!"
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_________________
Kip
Firestar II, N111KX
Waiex, N111YX
Quickie 1, N111QX
Atlanta |
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grantr
Joined: 12 Sep 2007
Posts: 217
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pj.ladd(at)btinternet.com
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| Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 8:37 am Post subject: Thank you, Homer |
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This about sums it up>>
Hi Grant,
re Challenger. What a load of rubbish that report is. Yes, they are not too
generous as far as room is concerned and you have to be reasonably athletic
to get in and out but criticisng a plane on those grounds is like
condemning a Mini because it is too small. If you cant get into it. Dont buy
one.
Yes, it is a thick airofoil section. So are most microlights until you move
up to the high end where their speeds verge on light aircraft performance.
You need a bootful of rudder to start a turn. Of course. Thats is why planes
have rudder pedals and you were taught `coordinated turns` when you were
learning. The pilot took a door off and was surprised that this changed the
sideslipping characteristics. Not surprising at all I would have thought. I
never fitted doors on mine at all ans she sideslipped like a dream.
The pilot took off before he was up to flying speed and it was difficult to
control and then reduced the throttle and things got worse. Really? Has
this guy actually flown anything.
The plane seems has a reputation for not maintaining an accurate course. I
never noticed it myself but Challengers in the UK have a little filet fitted
to the leading edge of the rudder, rather like a B17. Perhaps that is why as
it does not seem to be fitted to the one in the picture.
It won`t soar. Oh come on. it is merely sold as a `long wing` version not as
a sailplane.
There are always some in the `For Sale` adverts. Seeing the thousands that
have been sold it would be surprising if there was not a healthy secondhand
market.
I had better shut up before someone reminds me that this is a Kolb list but
I couldn`t let such nonsense go un`challenged`. I would have posted it on
the page on which the original was published but coukldn`t be bothered to go
through the registration process.
Cheers
Pat
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