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1. 10:32 AM - CHALLENGER BELT FAILURE (Michael & Donna Heit)
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| Subject: | CHALLENGER BELT FAILURE |
--> Stratus-List message posted by: "Michael & Donna Heit" <rmrlpfm@centurytel.net>
Here is one link to a website detailing belt failures on the Challenger. As
an A&P I have flown, built, and inspected, hundreds of belt drive engine
powered aircraft. I inspected a belt for a fellow one time, and told him it
was about to fail but he chose to ignore my warnings and flew the aircraft
anyway. The belt failed on landing approach, and he ended up landing in a
oat field.
From what I have experienced and read over the years, my gut feeling is that
the largest percentages of belt failures were due to lack of proper
installation, poor or non existent proper inspection technique, and just
plain old fashion lack of knowledge.
The Challenger has been a very safe competent aircraft; many have flown some
amazing cross country flights, and I personally have flown several with
complete confidence in the design. I also do a very thorough pre flight
before I fly any aircraft, and if there are any doubts in what I see, I
don't fly.
I once turned down a flight in a Kitfox that I had built, but I knew the
owner, his habits, and how he flew the aircraft, and simply did not trust
what I felt he had done to the bird by his abusive traits. He crash landed
it about a month after I turned down his offer to fly with him. Cause? Lack
of proper preflight inspection.
http://www.ultralightnews.com/quadcitychallenger/redrive.html
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