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Challenger II as motor glider to fly w/denied medical?
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leithalweapon



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 28
Location: DeKalb Illinois

Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2011 7:55 pm    Post subject: Challenger II as motor glider to fly w/denied medical?  

Just saw this on Barnstormers. A Challenger II registered as a motor glider. So I looked up the N# (N28CH) on the FAA website and it does show it as a glider.
It looks like this may be legal. Anybody ever heard of this?
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bryancobb



Joined: 02 Jun 2009
Posts: 346
Location: Cartersville Georgia

Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2011 8:24 pm    Post subject: Stretch  

That's a real stretch for the FAR's but in real practical terms, no-one will ever ask any questions if you land and taxi up to an FAA guy in your N-Numbered Challenger and get out with a T-Shirt on that says

"I flunked my last FAA Medical and this Aircraft Is Registered as a Glider!"
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mcjon77



Joined: 20 Aug 2007
Posts: 36
Location: Chicago

Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 11:11 pm    Post subject:  

If it is a legitimately registered motorglider, and you have a glider rating with a self launch endorsement, you should be OK.

The absolute worst that I could see happening is if you rub some FAA guy the wrong way and they try to get the motorglider airworthiness certificate revoked. Not likely, but possible. Even then, I cannot see the FAA penalizing you for flying it before the AC was revoked.
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Hambone



Joined: 07 Jan 2011
Posts: 67
Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 1:14 pm    Post subject:  

A lightweight long-wing Challenger II could meet the FAA span-loading definition of a motorglider.

With a 31.5' span, the max allowable gross weight would be about 600 lb. It's possible, as the Challenger II's stated empty weight is 300 lb.
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N918KT



Joined: 23 Jan 2010
Posts: 209
Location: Northern NJ in NYC metro area

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 11:44 am    Post subject:  

Just curious, and in no way am I gonna do this right now, but how hard is it to find a CFI who teaches gliders with the self-launch endorsement? If a glider flight instructor only teaches to fly unpowered gliders, can he also give a self-launch endorsement to a glider student pilot, even though he is only an unpowered glider CFI?

And which is harder to find? a motorglider for glider training, or a motorglider instructor? Or both? If it is both, then I can see the problem with motorglider training.
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drseti



Joined: 28 Nov 2009
Posts: 1387
Location: Lock Haven PA

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:39 pm    Post subject:  

N918KT wrote: how hard is it to find a CFI who teaches gliders with the self-launch endorsement?

Depends on where you are. In Julian PA (near State College), Tom Knauff and Doris Grove run Ridge Soaring Gliderport, one of the best sailplane schools in the country. I believe they have motorgliders, and are both qualified to instruct in them. Their Wikipedia page is at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ridge_Soaring_Gliderport.
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jnmeade



Joined: 30 Nov 2010
Posts: 144
Location: Iowa

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 8:04 pm    Post subject:  

The Soaring Safety Organization has a nice, short article that explains what constitutes a motor glider (powered glider) and what endorsements are required (and how to get them).

http://www.soaringsafety.org/ssf-06/MG-certs.pdf
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