Challenger 2 Aircraft Construction Cost Estimate

People have often surprised, when buying a completed plane or having it built for them, when the price quoted is much more than the price of the kit from the factory. Here is why: The aircraft kit supplied by the manufacturer does not include many of the things that are needed to complete the airplane. The manufacturer can never include everything that each different owner/pilot wants to have in his particular plane. Requirements for completed aircraft vary geographically according to national and local airspace regulations. Each individual pilots requirements and goals in flying the plane are different and require a different equipment and option layout that affects the overall cost of the plane.

It must be clearly understood by the prospective builder that the price of the aircraft kit is not the full cost of building the aircraft. It can be close, but it is not the same.

For example, the Challenger kit does not include the cost of the paint. This is an expensive part of the Challenger construction project. The radio, the intercom system and a pair of headsets are also not included in the kit. These are, however, necessary for most flying done today and are also expensive. These are just some of items that must be included in your project cost estimate.

This article will help you to carefully count the cost of your Challenger project.

Some of the additional items can be purchased from builders who are finished with their project and no longer need them. Cleco fasteners are a good example of this. Other tools may already be in your tool kit. Some can be borrowed from friends or another nearby builder.

So then, what are the additional costs associated with building your Challenger Ultralight above and beyond the cost of the aircraft kit? These additional costs come basically in four areas including:

the aircraft parts that are not included in the kit
the tools needed to build the kit
the cost of a warm and roomy space needed to build an airplane
the cost of builder courses, flight and maintenance training

Oh yes, there is the cost of your labour, but you already knew that. That’s free if you are doing the building work yourself.

Aircraft Parts not in the Kit

Keep in mind that your geographical location and the type of flying that you plan to do will also affect the equipment layout of your aircraft and thus also affect the final completion cost. For example, if you live in a remote area or plan to fly over remote areas, your equipment layout will no doubt also include a GPS and an ELT. If you will be flying from a busy airport or in a positive control zone you may need a transponder, an altitude encoder and a full suite of position lights and strobes lights. If you live in the northern United States or Canada, the equipment layout will reflect the requirements of cold weather flying including a fuel filter suited to cold weather, a primer pump, a heavy duty battery and a cockpit heater. Almost all aircraft being built and flown in our modern times include a radio and intercom especially if you plan to fly into licensed aerodromes or go to any fly- ins at licensed airports with a mandatory aerodrome frequency.

Tools Needed for Aircraft Assembly

Many of the tools that you will be using in the Challenger Construction Build may already be in your toolbox or in your workshop. Others may not. Some of the tools are specific to aircraft assembly and Rotax engines. Many tools required are used specifically for sheet metal working, spray painting and applying aircraft fabric. Some can be purchased at the hardware store, others at industrial suppliers, and others at aircraft supply companies. Try the hardware store and industrial suppliers first as these are usually less expensive than the aircraft specialty suppliers.

Your Aircraft Assembly Shop

You may already have a work shop, a basement or a garage that you feel is perfect for building your aircraft. Check first that it is suitable for all the different stages of construction. Will you need to add a heater or some insulation for working on the project during the cold winter months? Will you need to make modifications to permit paint spraying? Will the smell of glue or the noise of an air compressor or a pneumatic rivet gun bother other family members? If so, you may need to add ventilation or some sound proofing. Do you have room for storing all the major components? The wings and fuselage are quite large. You will need a place to store them when you are paint spraying so they will not be affected by overspray.

Builder Assistance and Training Expenses

Also to be included in your cost estimate is training. For instance, you may need to take some aircraft builder courses to learn the various skills involved in building a complete airplane from parts. You may need to learn how to operate riveting tools, how to cover an airframe with fabric, and how to assemble the engine and set the carburetors.

If you are not confident in certain areas of the aircraft construction project such as the engine installation, the aileron mounting, cutting the instrument panel or connecting the electrical wiring, you may wish to hire a professional builder to help you through that phase of the build. You will have to budget for that. Find the nearest professional builder and get an estimate for these tasks.

Even if you already have your pilot license, you will need cross training to learn to fly the new aircraft. Do not attempt to fly a new aircraft type without type training. Many aircraft builders have done just that with tragic results. This is especially true if the plane you are building is quite different from any other that you have flown before. If you are a GA (general aviation) pilot now converting to ultralights, get cross training on ultralights. They fly quite different from Cessnas, Pipers and the like.

You will also need maintenance training to keep the Rotax engine and other systems in good condition and to perform routine maintenance including the annual inspection and the 50 hour inspection. It is especially important to get engine maintenance training as most problems occur in the engine area on new homebuilt aircraft. You may have to travel and stay out of town a few days to get this factory authorized training. Plan for it. Budget for it.

With all of the above factors in mind, you are now ready to do a realistic cost analysis of your Challenger Ultralight Aircraft Construction Project using the list of items shown below.

The Comprehensive Challenger Ultralight List for Cost Estimating

Challenger Kit Base Price Plus These Options as Desired:

Rotax 503 or 582 engine
Electric Start
17 Gallon Aluminum Fuel Tank or 20 Gallon Wing Tanks
Fibreglass Wing Tips
Lexan Doors
Fibreglass Nose
Mid Wing Gap Cover
Streamlined Strut Covers
Flaperons
6″ Wheels
Brakes
Wheel Pants

Note: The new XS-50 and XL-65 Challenger models marketed in Canada include the above options as standard with the exception of the fuel tanks. The Rotax 503 powered XS-50 comes standard with a 10 gallon fuselage tank with 2 x 10 gallons wing tanks optional. The Rotax 582 powered XL-65 comes standard with the 2 x 10 gallon wing tanks.

Total Fly Away Cost = The Manufacturers Kit Cost Total above including desired options plus the following (Note: some are required, some are optional):

Paint and Covering:

Paints – various are required including fabric paint, metal paint, and fibreglass paint
Primers – various may be required including fabric, aluminum, and fibreglass
UV Protective Coating – in some cases this may be incorporated into the fabric primer
Paint Thinner
Aircraft Glue
MEK
Extra Fabric Tape 50 feet of 2”, 50 feet of 3”, 50 feet of 4”
Bias Tape 50 feet of 2”
Lumber, screws and bolts for building wing stands
Lumber, screws and poly sheet to build a paint booth

Instrumentation:

VSI (Verticle Speed Indicator)
Turn Coordinator
Additional Engine Monitoring Instruments
EGTs – exhaust gas temperature gauges and senders for both cylinders
CHTs – cylinder head temperature gauges and senders for both cylinders
Hour meter
Voltmeter
Ammeter
EIS (electronic engine instrumentation system)

Note: The Challenger kit includes ASI, Altimeter, Magnetic Compass, Digital Tachometer and Hourmeter, Fuel Level Gauge, CHT gauge, and, with the 582 engine, a water temperature gauge.

Avionics:

EFIS (electronic flight information system)
Radio
Intercom
Headsets
PTT (push to talk) Switches
ELT
GPS
Transponder
Antennas
RAM mounts (for radio and/or GPS)

Electrical Components:

Electrical Switches
Fuse Block or Circuit Breakers
Electrical Terminal Strips
12 volt Accessory Outlet
Battery
Electrical Wire
Electrical Connectors
Tie Wraps
Rubber Grommets
Heat Shrink Tubing

Fuel System:

Throttle Quadrant
Manual Fuel Primer
3/8″ OD x 1/4″ ID Fuel Line (10 feet)
1/4″ OD Fuel Primer Line (25 feet)
Cold Weather Fuel Filter (Bosch 4077)
Fuel Tank Drain Valve
Fuel Line Fittings

Lighting:

Anti-Collision Strobe Lights
Position Lights
Landing Light

Miscellaneous Parts:

Engraved Stainless Steel Aircraft Data Plate
Additional aircraft fasteners
Additional sheet metal, aluminum tube and aluminum angle for making fabric flanges and mounting brackets, for electrical equipment shelf, for streamlined fuselage mod and storage compartment.
Aluminum sheet (.090″) for metal instrument panel.
Anti-Vibration Mounts for Instrument Panel and Avionics
Wing Strut Tie Down Rings

Optional Modifications and After Market Add-Ons:

Throttle Quadrant
Amphibious Floats
Skis
3 Door Mod
Flip Up Nose Cone
Oil Injection
Hydraulic Brakes
Fibreglass Gear Legs
Aftermarket Seat Cushions
Cockpit Heater
This list is nearly endless so I’ll stop here

Finishing Touches:

Additional Black Plastic Edging
Pinstriping and Art Work
Upholstery
Wing Covers and Protective Tarps

Other Costs:

Aircraft Inspection Fee for Certificate of Conformance (Canada)
Registration Fee
Fee for Custom Registration Letters
Registration Lettering
Aircraft Journey Log Book, Airframe and Engine Maintenance Log Books
Insurance
Hangar Rent
Aviation Ground School
Flight Training
Maintenance Training

The Comprehensive List of Tools Needed for Building a Challenger Ultralight

Metal Working Tools:

Sheet Metal Snips
Hack Saw
Flat File
Half Round File
Round File
Bench Mounted Vise
Drill Press
Drill Bits 1/16″ up to 3/4″
Machinists Numbered Drill Bits
6 each high quality 1/8″ drill bits for metal ie titanium coated
3 each high quality 3/16″ drill bits for metal ie titanium coated
Hole Saws for Aluminum – 3-1/8″, 2-1/4″, 7/8″
Manual Rivet Gun (for pull type rivets)
Pneumatic Rivet Gun (for pull type rivets)
Cleco Fasteners – 75 of 1/8″ and 25 of 3/16″ sizes
Cleco Pliers
Safety Wire Pliers
Sheet Metal Dimpling Punch
Jig Saw with Metal Cutting Blades
Benchtop Grinder
Compressed Air Blow Gun

Painting Equipment:

Air Compressor (at least 20 gallon tank 1.5 hp motor – bigger is better)
Paint Spray Gun
Compressed Air Filters including Oil Removal Filter
Compressed Air Pressure Regulator
Compressed Air Dryer
Paint Mixing and Measuring Equipment
Rubber Gloves
Breathing Mask
Sand Paper 220 grit and 400 grit
Masking Tape
2″ and 4″ Natural Bristle Brushes

General Mechanics Tools:

Torque Wrench
Cordless Drill
Ratchet Set Imperial to 7/8″
Ratchet Set Metric to 18mm
Spark Plug Socket
Box Wrenches SAE (including 11/32″ size)
Box Wrenches Metric
Large Adjustable Wrench for 1-1/2 size
Allen Wrenches SAE
Allen Wrenches Metric
Screw Drivers Phillips and Slotted Head
Extra long screw drivers Phillips and Slotted Head
Needle Nose Pliers
Standard Pliers
Side Cutters
Tape Measure
Various Sized C-Clamps
Work Bench
Saw Horses
Utility Knife

Electrical Tools:

Electrical Wire Stripper
Electric Terminal Crimper
Multi-Meter
Soldering Gun

Fabric Working Tools:

Scizzors
Pinking Shears
1100 Watt Clothes Iron
Thermometer 400 degrees F

Safety Equipment:

Ear Protection Muffs
Safety Goggles
Breathing Mask for Dust
Disposable Gloves

Other Items:

Blue Locktite
LPS3 Lubricant
Copper Anti Seize Stick
High Temperature Silicone Sealant
Sharpie Markers
Large Spares Kit from Quad City
Goodyear V-Belt Tension Force Tester

Now add up the costs for the above items as you require them and add to the cost of the kit from Quad City Ultralight. This will give you a better idea of the true cost of the aircraft.

But know this: It is worth every dime. Just wait til your first flight!