Quad City Challenger
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| Quad City Challenger | |
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| Type | ultralight aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Quad City Aircraft Corporation |
| Maiden flight | 1983 |
| Produced | 1983-present |
| Number built | 3302 (2007)[1] |
| Unit cost | USD$18,000 - $22,000 (2007)[1] |
The Quad City Challenger is an ultralight aircraft designed and produced by the Quad City Aircraft Corporation of Quad Cities, Illinois and first introduced in 1983.[2]
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[edit] Design
The Challenger ultralight is a high wing, fabric covered, tricycle gear monoplane with a frame structure built from aluminum tubes fastened with aircraft grade AN bolts and rivets installed. Unlike most small aircraft that have the engine in the front of the cockpit in a tractor or pull configuration, the Challenger features the engine mounted in the middle of the aircraft above and behind the cockpit.
The engine turns the propeller in a pusher configuration resulting in a high thrust line above the longitudinal centerline of the aircraft. The engine drives the propeller through a reduction drive that uses a cogged tooth rubber belt.[citation needed]
The Challenger is sold as a kit from the factory. This means that the majority of the construction, over 51%, is to be completed by the buyer.
The kit can be purchased in 4 major sub-kits: the Tail Assembly, Fuselage, Wings, and Engine. The factory kit is supplied with the most difficult mechanical work already completed. This includes the primary fuselage framework along with the controls and the basic wing structures assembled at the factory. The kit builder is required to finish the smaller structural components, cover the aluminum frames with fabric, seal and paint the fabric, and do the final assembly.[citation needed]
[edit] Variants
The Challenger is produced in a number of versions differing by number of seats and length of wings. A single seat version is produced as well as a two seat version with the seats in tandem configuration, one behind the other.[citation needed]
The kits have also been produced with two general wing length options, a long wing with a 31.5 foot wingspan, and clipped or short wing with a 26 foot wingspan. The clipped wing offers a faster roll rate and higher cruise and maximum speeds.[citation needed]
The long wing version enables lower stall speeds, shorter take-off distances, higher gross weights, and the option of being equipped with seaplane floats. More recently, an option was introduced for fiberglass Hoerner wingtips with an intermediate 29.5 foot wingspan. These Hoerner wingtips are more attractive and enable higher cruise speeds while retaining the ability to equip the aircraft with seaplane floats.[citation needed]
There are a number of other manufacturers producing copies of the Challenger featuring minor changes in construction but keeping the basic shape and layout.[citation needed]
[edit] Accessories
In recent years, a number of additional features and optional accessories have been offered by the Challenger factory and after market suppliers. These include wheel pants, doors, brakes, larger fuel tanks, cockpit heaters, skis and floats.[citation needed]
[edit] Capabilities
The aircraft has the ability to soar with its motor switched off.[citation needed]
[edit] Production
By the fall of 2007 3302 Challengers of all types had been completed and were flying.[1]
This included:
- Challenger UL 700[1]
- Challenger Special 101[1]
- Challenger II 2000[1]
- Challenger II Special 500[1]
- Challenger IICW LSS 1[1]
[edit] Specifications
This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.The standard two-seat version of the aircraft is the most popular.[3] Its specifications are:
- 31.5 ft (9.69 m) wingspan
- 500 lb (227 kg) payload
- 700/1,200 fpm climb (215/369 m/min) (dual/solo)
- 20 mph (32 km) cross-wind capability
- 65-85 mph (104/136 km/h or 56/73 kts) cruise speed
- Can be used on floats
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Kitplanes Staff: 2008 Kit Aircraft Directory, page 67, Kitplanes Magazine December 2007 Volume 24, Number 12, Belvior Publications, Aviation Publishing Group LLC.
- ^ Challenger Advanced Ultralight & Light Sport Aircraft - National Ultralight Canada & Quad City U.S
- ^ Challenger Advanced Ultralight & Light Sport Aircraft - National Ultralight Canada & Quad City U.S
