On 10/15/2020 5:06 PM, Dave Ferguson via KRnet wrote:
Why are you going backwards instead of forward. Most of us started out
ultralights and 2 strokes because we couldn't afford a airplane and then
worked ourselves up to a real plane.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
To eliminate confusion I'll pull a Paul Harvey and tell the rest of the
story.
I'm not going backwards I downsizing and moving in to another phase of
my 50+ year aviation adventure. I'll turn 76 next February and I'm
starting to feel my age. I hope to get in some low but not too slow
flight in the form of a Challenger ll with the doors off and waving at
the ground pounders from just above the tree tops. Well, maybe a bit
higher but not much.
I recently got a deal on a Challenger ll that was built 20 years ago,
suffered a hangar collapse about 10 years ago and in need of finishing
up repairs. It has been dormant in a hangar for 10 years with some work
finished but a fair amount of work yet needed to get airborne. Biggest
task right now is to recover the wings. I opened up the Rotax 503 and it
looks good inside so I'll reassemble. I've clean up the rusty brakes
and rebuilt with new ":O" rings. Other minor tasks due to setting so
long. Hope to have it flying by next summer. At some point between now
and then, or maybe then, I'll part with the KR and putter off in to the
sunset at 75 mph waving at the ground pounders.
Here are a couple of photos. First one when it was new. I know the
airplane and helped build a bit. First flight was on 9/11/2001 at the
same time in the morning that the terrorist hit the Twin Towers.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lhhzw4zheop62nk/Challenger.webp?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jukv7yfw17ztvsa/challenger%20side%20view.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/19yz88vc9j5ndj4/challenger%20panel.jpg?dl=0
Over the years I got a commercial license, flew sky divers, made a few
trips on pipeline patrol, took an aerobatic course, made the first
flight on three different types of aircraft and the first "successful"
flight on a fourth, 750 hours in an awesome KR 2,. After a solo flight
on a ultralight and several rides on a two place Quicksilver skimming
the bean fields and up and over the fence lines, I hope to finish out
flying with the doors off and enjoying the view. It will be tough
parting with the KR as it has been a part of my life for 30 years now
but the world keeps turning and I have to keep up or quit.
I'm looking forward to many new adventures.............
Larry Flesner
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