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Challenger Light Sports - The Ultimate Challengers

Challenger Bespoke Power Packs
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Challenger power packs consist of carefully matched components optimized for the missions we fly. The result is industry leading power to weight ratios at industry leading low price points. Purpose built mounts for engine, fuel pump and exhaust absorb vibration. The engines have proven high reliability and low maintenance. Ancillary subsystems from cooling to cabin heat function in extremes of four season climates. Fuel and oil subsystems maximize range, endurance and flexibility. Reduction drive and prop convert horsepower and torque to thrust. Together the components maximize performance, economy and reliability in real world operations over varied conditions and terrain.

Overview | Rotax 582 Engine | 2.6-to-1 Reduction Drive | 60 Inch Prop

582 & 503 Comparison | 582 Power Pack Contents

Power Pack Overview

The newer Rotax 582 Blue Head Models are ASTM certified. (The earlier 582 Model 90 Grey Head engines are not certified.) Purpose-built for aviation the Blue Head engines have earned top marks for reliability and easy, affordable maintenance. Dual independent electronic ignition systems fire two spark plugs per cylinder for redundancy plus more power and less fuel usage. A tall redrive and 3-blade prop increase takeoff, climb and cruise performance.

The 582 Power Pack is by far the best solution for flying missions on floats, especially with a passenger. It is very well suited to carrying heavy loads or operating at high density altitudes. The 582 produces 30% more horsepower and 34% more torque than the 503! All this with fuel consumption 23% lower!

The new Blue Head models enjoy greatly increased reliability over the initial Mod 90 Grey Head. Since its intro here in 2005 the 582 Blue Head has become the most popular choice for Challenger owners across Canada.

The additional thrust generated by the 582 Power Pack's combination of engine, redrive and prop converts directly into dramatic takeoffs and quicker climbs plus faster cruise. The new Challenger Light Sport XL-65 and XS-65 enjoy a gross weight increase to 1060 lbs due in some part to the capability of the 582 Power Pack!

The 582 gives scintillating performance on Challengers. Many people say that the 582 plane on floats performs like the floats aren't there and that the 582 flies with a passenger like a 503 flies solo! For more info on the 582 as well as videos showing 582 and 503 Challengers performing side by side click here.

Prior to 2005 the most common powerplant for Challengers was the Rotax 503. The end of line UL DCDI version of the 503 was reliable as well as economical to acquire, operate and maintain. The 50 hp 503 engine in combination with the Challenger's large, high lift wing, streamlined fuselage and light weight delivered decent performance on wheels and skis but was challenged on floats. Rotax discontinued sales of the 503 in 2009 as demand shifted to the improved 582 technology.

Overview | Rotax 582 Engine | 2.6-to-1 Reduction Drive | 60 Inch Prop

582 & 503 Comparison | 582 Power Pack Contents

Rotax 582 Engine

The Rotax 582 engines used in all new Challengers were developed expressly for use in aircraft based on substantial real world experience with their predecessors. Over 30,000 Rotax 582 engines have been sold worldwide!

The 582 is liquid-cooled via an engine-driven water pump and thermostat so we include a complete radiator setup with everything you need to go flying. There are no trips to the hardware store, or the engineering department! This updraft rad mounts in front of the engine on top of the wing parallel to the airflow rather than perpendicular so it creates the least possible drag. It is quite large to avoid overheating on even the most trying days in the most trying circumstances.

An integrated generator produces AC current (12V 170W) which is converted by the supplied regulator/rectifier to 12V DC (nominal). Electric start is standard with our package. Also included is a backup manual recoil starter.

The newer Rotax 582 Blue Head Models have replaced the older Model 90, now known as the Grey Head. In June 2006 new 582 UL DCDI Blue Head engines were certified as meeting the demanding US Light Sport Aircraft ASTM standards. The 582 is now on an equal footing with the 4-stroke 912 and 914 used on many Light Sport Aircraft!

Numerous improvements have been incorporated, starting deep inside with a heavy duty crankshaft and redesigned bearings. The new 582's have a hydro-damper on the flywheel to reduce internal vibration. On the outside, a new dual ball joint exhaust system isolates the muffler from vibration and improves engine breathing. Other changes are less visible but no less important.

Dual independent electronic ignition systems give redundancy and eliminate the need for timing adjustments. Two spark plugs per cylinder also contribute to redundancy and yield a more efficient fuel burn. Plug fouling is no longer a concern. Twin carbs provide the correct fuel-air mixture to each cylinder.

The 582's rotary valve technology delivers horsepower and torque over a wide range of rpm. Taken all together, these attributes significantly increase power and lower fuel consumption, for improved performance, range and endurance.

The standard Challenger 582 Oil Injection system includes the oil injection pump and control unit as well as two oil tanks which mount on either side of the rad. In this setup the owner puts pure gas in the fuel tank instead of pre-mixing with oil. The metering system, based upon engine rpm and throttle position, delivers exactly the right amount of oil to each cylinder via diffuser jets in the intake manifold sockets.

The tanks are quite large and contain oil for 10-12 hours of flight! The oil tanks have individual sight gauges and both gauges are visible from either side of the airplane. The oil tanks are designed with outlets front and rear and they are cross-linked so that oil is available in all flight attitudes.

The Blue Head has a number of important design changes which lead to significant improvements in reliability over the Grey Head. Two of these changes in particular yield major benefits.

A new ceramic water pump seal replaces the previous rubber seal and is backed up by an oil seal on the reservoir side thus eliminating the problem of leaking cross shaft seals. This together with the new dexcool long life coolant designed for aluminum block engines has eliminated cross shaft problems.

A new thermostatically controlled bypass circuit recirculates coolant through the engine until it reaches operating temperature. The new thermostat then opens gradually rather than abruptly to circulate coolant to and from the radiator. The new by-pass circuit and thermostat together address the shock cooling and cold seizures which occasionally occurred on the Grey Head.

The 582 engines with their high power-to-weight ratios provide plenty of power for the light weight Challenger with its large wing. By comparison, the much heavier liquid-cooled Rotax 912 engine, required by aircraft similar to the Challenger but which weigh more and have smaller wings, costs $25,000!

The 582 engines cost a third less to operate and when the time comes a full overhaul including new crankshaft and pistons is only $3,000-3,500. Rotax 912 engines have a longer TBO but an overhaul costs at least $15,000. Rotax recommends overhauling 912's every five years regardless of the TBO. Typical flyers will find the 912 calendar time limits expire long before the run hours do. In the real world 582 overhaul costs will be half as much per hour as the 912.

Most people maintain their 582 engines "on condition", with no predetermined time between full overhauls (TBO). They have the engine inspected at regular intervals and do whatever is required to ensure everything is within spec. The Challenger manufacturer, Quad City Aircraft, recommends 300 hours between inspections on the new 582. This gives much lower cost per hour figures than engines with higher TBO's but with dramatically higher overhaul costs.

Unlike the 912 and all other four stroke engines used in general aviation, the 582 requires no inconvenient and time-consuming preheating of engine and gearbox, even in Canada's nastiest winters! Just turn the key and go!

Overview | Rotax 582 Engine | 2.6-to-1 Reduction Drive | 60 Inch Prop

582 & 503 Comparison | 582 Power Pack Contents

2.6-to-1 Reduction Drive

The new 2.6-to-1 reduction drive is taller than its predecessors, providing clearance for a longer 60" propeller. The 60" props turn at 2,100 rpm in cruise which is much more efficient than the 2,600 rpm rate of the shorter redrives. Decibels are down and the lower pitched sound is quite pleasing.

Older Challengers have 2.2-to-1 redrives with a 54" props or 2.1-to-1 units with 52" props. Both deliver much less performance than the 2.6/60" combo.

The cog belt reduction drive used in modern Challengers has numerous benefits over other types of belt drives as well as over gearboxes. The belt drives used in older Challengers consisted of multiple V belts on smooth pulleys and the correct tensioning of these V belts was critical. Too loose resulted in slippage causing a loss of power. Too tight resulted in excessive sideloads being placed on the crankshaft as well as premature bearing wear.

The new cog drive has teeth on the belt which engage with machined grooves on both upper and lower pulleys. This results in positive engagement without significant tension being required. The possibility of slippage is eliminated as is the risk of stress from sideloads on the crankshaft and bearings.

The cog belt dampens vibration and provides the positive engagement of a gearbox without drivetrain lash. Unlike a gearbox, the cog belt uses no oil bath, so it requires no preheating - no matter how frigid the air. Obviously a major benefit in Canada!

Challengers use cog belt reduction drives instead of gearboxes, even though the manufacturing cost is higher. This more elegant approach is lighter, less complex, and more reliable. The redrive tower elevates the prop higher than a gearbox which allows the engine to be mounted inverted behind the fuselage out of the slipstream, instead of upright on top of the wing creating drag.

This lower drag inverted mounting approach is yet another advantage of using the 582 rather than a 912 or other four stroke engine. The 582 was designed by Rotax for both inverted and upright applications. A mixture of oil, fuel and air enters through the intake manifold and is then sucked into the crankcase through ports in the cylinders. In the crankcase this pressurized mist performs the lubrication function before being routed through another port back to the cylinder for combustion.

In the 582 this lubrication process is not driven by gravity or pumps. Instead it uses simple ports and changes in pressure as the pistons go up and down. The 582 doesn't know or care whether it is upright or inverted. With a 912 or other four stroke engine a pump moves oil from a sump at the bottom of the engine to the top then gravity takes over to feed the oil down through the components needing lubrication. If that type of engine is inverted it seizes. With the 582 there is no possibility of hydraulic locks and the new dual ignition models with two spark plugs per cylinder eliminated plug fouling concerns.

Overview | Rotax 582 Engine | 2.6-to-1 Reduction Drive | 60 Inch Prop

582 & 503 Comparison | 582 Power Pack Contents

60 Inch Prop

National Ultralight's Challenger 582 Power Pack comes with the top-of-the-line Warp Drive 3-blade ground adjustable prop with carbon fibre blades with wide tips. An available option upgrades the Warp Drive to the top of the line HP-L hub and adds Leading Edge Protection for the blades. The HP-L's machined aluminum hub makes tracking easier and it's lighter and prettier than the STD hub. The solid nickel leading edges protect the blades from spray, slush and rain. Leading edge protection is strongly recommended for float operations.

A wonderful aspect of the 582 is that the peaks of the horsepower and torque curves overlap and are quite flat plus start at a relatively low rpm. This allows the prop pitch to be set into the peak power range without giving up on cruise! The 3-blade configuration is required to get all the 582's horsepower out into the air as thrust - a 2-blade prop would not have enough disc area to do this.

Overview | Rotax 582 Engine | 2.6-to-1 Reduction Drive | 60 Inch Prop

582 & 503 Comparison | 582 Power Pack Contents


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