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

[leithalweapon]

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?

[bryancobb]

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!"

[mcjon77]

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 Even then, I cannot see the FAA penalizing you for flying it before the AC was revoked.

[Hambone]

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.

[N918KT]

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.

[drseti]

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.

[jnmeade]

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