Now, three years later

The FAA inspection was done, passed the first time with no unusual discrepancies.

Taxi tests were completed.

Then, the scary first flight. New airplane, new to me handling characteristics, and yet the first flight was successful!

Now, three and a half years later, 135 hours on the plane, flown on floats for two summers, I can say that the Challenger II is a truly capable and especially fun airplane.

My wife and I have flown to places that we never expected to be able to explore. I have landed at small turf strips, lakes, rivers, large airports, and back-country areas normally not accessible to humans.

One of our favorite trips was when we departed Princeton airport, flew to a remote Maine lake, picked a tub of blueberries, and flew home watching the eagles and moose as we traveled. What an adventure!

We have found the Quad City Challenger, equipped with a Rotax 503 DCDI, Puddlejumper floats and Tennessee wooden prop to be quite adequate for our needs.

Final post

Challenger II – N142JD – Built by David & Jean Herrick

When someone embarks on a journey such as building an airplane, one hopes that the trail is well marked for the journey so that you do not get lost. The Quad City factory has done a fine job building a kit, a fantastic job actually. The components are well made and the factory support is great. However the construction manual that comes with the kit, the “road map” if you will, is a little outdated. Enter the FlyChallenger: Files, an effort worthy of praise. A lifesaver at times for a builder that is hours away from any fellow Challenger builders. Although designed for the LSS, still useful for our purposes.

The second valuable resource has been what I call “Challenger Chat” , actually YAHOO! GROUPS. What a great bunch of fellow builders and fliers! I have listened in on conversations, searched the archives for information, and generally enjoyed the camaraderie.

 I would like to thank my dealer Mike Watson from China,Maine for talking things over with me at any time of day, whatever else he has going on at the time. His wisdom has been a lifesaver and his encouragement has been pivotal in bringing this project to completion.

My wife, my patient long-suffering wife, has been my rock in this first time builder’s endeavor.   She willingly(?) gave up her family room, her extra spending money, her husband’s time, her garage space and even her favorite iron to the airplane. Her help, her joy at small steps in the process of building, her unfailing support has been the key to the success of the project. Thank you my love.

While there is still a FAA airworthiness inspection, taxi tests, then first flight to go, I feel that the construction phase is done. Thus ends the “construction log”, this blog.

                      It has been fun!

Link to “Challenger Chat”: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FlyChallenger/    

Link to FlyChallenger: FIles: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FlyChallenger/files/

Presenting…..A new Challenger II !!!

The windshield was an “almost all day” project. First I used 4 sheets of poster paper to make a template.Then the pattern was used to cut the Polycarbonate sheet. Just one try, that is all I had. If a wrong cut was made the whole piece was trash.

Then the windshield was carefully riveted in place, trimmed where necessary, and cleaned.

Then the airplane was essentially built, yipee! Now on to the punch list.Weight & Balance. Weight three wheels seperately, keeping the plane level at all times. Plug these weights into the formula and we have an airplane with an empty weight of 493 pounds and the center of gravity well within limits. Things are looking good!

Presenting ……. A new Challenger II !!!

punch list

It is finally time for a punch list.

Tomorrow I expect to install the windshield in the morning and that will be the final part to install on our Challenger. Both Jean and I are pretty excited!

The punch list as I see it right now is: 1. Weight and balance 2. Check tire pressures 3. Final overall check for cotter pins, safety wire and tightness of bolts 4. FAA airworthiness inspection 5. Look-over by Mike Watson, the Challenger dealer and builder 6. Taxi testing.

getting there!

The airplane is getting there, getting closer to completion every day!

With both doors now installed, it is getting quite cozy looking.

The front and middle fiberglass fairings on top of the wings were installed today and the rearward one was fitted. Once the aeleron pushrods are fastened to the bellcrank, the rear fiberglass piece will be fastened.

Next time, nose cone and if enough time and energy, windshield.

doors

Tuesday the left door got all installed; hinges, latch, and “holder-open support”.

Then I got the right door all assembled except for the rear “wing” before the cold and dark got the best of me. I hopefully have this weekend to finish the door and move on to more pieces.

Counting down the weeks and days until completion!

door building

In the last post I mentioned “fitting” the doors when I more accurately should have said “making” the doors. After all, this is a kit plane and a kit includes pieces that need to be assembled. Saturday was a good day to work on the plane and I got to assemble the left door to the Challenger. Here it is in the preliminary stages. After clecoing it together I brought it home where it could be riveted in the warmth of the basement. Now it is done and when the time is available only has to be installed.

right wing done

Back at building after a short break for visits with family and household chores.

Both wings are now completely installed, including the ailerons. Next chance I get, probably after the election, it is on to adjusting the ailerons. After that, fitting the doors, putting on the top fiberglass panels, and then a windshield.

jury strut

After a short break to finish up the screen doors I am back to the airplane building.

Given a bundle of aluminum tubing, some brackets and a pile of rivets, look at what I created today!

lunch break

There has been an opportunity to work on our airplane; lunch break. It is only 45 minutes minus travel time from the office to the airport but, believe it or not, I can get some work done.

As you can see, the tail feathers are all done.

On to the wings!