# Quad City Ultralight Aircraft Challenger — Douglas_White_Quad_City_Ultralight_Aircraft_Challenger_Checklist

> **NOT FOR FLIGHT** — source fidelity: unreviewed | operational review: none | completeness: full

> **content_gap**: Section "Aircraft Weight and Balance" item count differs between passes (11 vs 10); verify nothing was dropped.
> **content_gap**: Section "Preflight Inspection" item count differs between passes (45 vs 50); verify nothing was dropped.

## Preflight Inspection

**Cockpit**
- [ ] Ignition — **OFF**
- [ ] Master Switch — **ON**
- [ ] Fuel Gauges — **CHECK**
- [ ] Master Switch — **OFF**
- [ ] Primary Flight Controls — **CHECK**
- [ ] Flaps — **CHECK**
- [ ] Baggage — **STOWED**
- [ ] Required Papers — **ON BOARD**
- [ ] Parking Brake — **ON/As Required**
**Nose Section**
- [ ] General Condition — **CHECK**
- [ ] Nose Gear Tire — **CHECK**
- [ ] Nose Wheel Strut — **Proper Inflation (3”)**
- [ ] Windshield — **CLEAN**
**Left Wing**
- [ ] Chock and Tie Down — **REMOVED**
- [ ] Surface Condition — **CHECK**
- [ ] Wing Tip — **CHECK**
- [ ] Lights — **CHECK**
- [ ] Flaperon and Hinges — **CHECK/Neutral**
- [ ] Landing Gear and Tire — **CHECK**
- [ ] Brake Block and Disk — **CHECK**
**Fuselage (left side)**
- [ ] General Condition — **CHECK**
- [ ] Fuel Quantity — **CHECK**
- [ ] Fuel Cap — **CLOSE and SECURE**
- [ ] Antennas — **CHECK**
- [ ] Prop and Spinner — **CHECK**
- [ ] Air Filter — **CHECK**
- [ ] Spark Plugs & Electrical wiring — **CHECK**
- [ ] Engine Fuel Lines — **CHECK**
- [ ] Carburetors — **CHECK Float Chambers**
- [ ] Fan Belt — **CHECK For Tightness**
- [ ] Motor Mounts — **CHECK For Cracked Rubber**
- [ ] Fuel Tank Sump — **CHECK For Water**
**Right Wing**
- [ ] Check as Left Wing
**Empennage**
- [ ] General Condition — **CHECK**
- [ ] Hinges and Attachments — **CHECK**
- [ ] Rudder & Elevator Rods — **CHECK**
**Fuselage (Right Side)**
- [ ] General Condition — **CHECK**
- [ ] Exhaust &Springs — **CHECK/SECURE**

## Before Starting Engine

- [ ] Cockpit Doors — **AS REQUIRED**
- [ ] Seats — **ADJUSTED AND LOCKED**
- [ ] Seat Belts & Harnesses — **FASTENED**
- [ ] Parking Brake — **SET**

## Starting Engine (COLD)

- [ ] Prime — **5 PUMPS**
- [ ] Throttle — **Advance 1/2**
- [ ] Master Switch — **ON**
- [ ] Choke — **OFF**
- [ ] Area and Propeller — **“CLEAR”**
- [ ] Starter — **ENGAGE**
- [ ] Throttle — **ADVANCE SLIGHTLY**

## Starting Engine (Hot)

- [ ] Prime — **3-4 PUMPS**
- [ ] Throttle — **Advance 1/2**
- [ ] Master Switch — **ON**
- [ ] Choke — **OFF**
- [ ] Area and Propeller — **“CLEAR”**
- [ ] Starter — **ENGAGE**
- [ ] Throttle — **ADJUST**

## Starting Engine (Flooded)

- [ ] Throttle — **OPEN FULL**
- [ ] Master Switch — **ON**
- [ ] Choke — **OFF**
- [ ] Area and Propeller — **“CLEAR”**
- [ ] Starter — **ENGAGE**
- [ ] Throttle (warm up) — **2000 to 3000 RPM**
- [ ] Idle — **2000 RPM**

## Before Taxi

- [ ] Intercom — **HEADSETS CHECKED**
- [ ] Radios — **ON**
- [ ] Taxi Area — **CLEAR**
- [ ] Brakes — **RELEASED/CHECK**
- [ ] Steering — **CHECK**

## Run Up

- [ ] Brakes — **ON**
- [ ] Throttle — **6600 RPM**
- [ ] Magnetos — **175 Max. Drop/ 50 Diff.**
- [ ] EGT — **CHECK**
- [ ] CHT — **CHECK**
- [ ] Throttle — **IDLE**

## Before Takeoff

- [ ] Master Switch — **CHECK ON**
- [ ] Flight Instruments — **CHECK**
- [ ] Fuel Quantity — **CHECK**
- [ ] Choke — **OFF**
- [ ] Engine Gauges — **CHECK**
- [ ] Belts/Harness — **FASTENED**
- [ ] Empty Seat Belt — **FASTENED**
- [ ] Flaperons — **NEUTRAL**
- [ ] Controls — **FREE**
- [ ] Doors — **LATCHED (If Attached)**

## Takeoff

- [ ] Accelerate (6800 RPM) — **45 MPH**
- [ ] Back Pressure to Rotate to Climb Attitude
- [ ] Climb Speed (6600 RPM) — **55 MPH**

## Short Field Takeoff, Obstacle Clearance

- [ ] Accelerate — **45 MPH**
- [ ] Back Pressure to Rotate to Climb Attitude
- [ ] Accelerate (until over obstacle) — **50 MPH**
- [ ] Accelerate (after over obstacle) — **55 MPH**

## Short Field Takeoff, No Obstacle

- [ ] Accelerate — **45 MPH**
- [ ] Back Pressure to Rotate to Climb Attitude
- [ ] Accelerate (after breaking ground) — **55 MPH**

## Soft Field Takeoff, With or Without Obstacle

- [ ] Accelerate and lift off nose as soon as possible.
- [ ] Lift off at slowest possible airspeed.
- [ ] Accelerate just above ground to 50 MPH to climb past obstacle height (if present).
- [ ] Accelerate (after over obstacle) — **55 MPH**

## Climb

- [ ] VX – Best Angle of Climb Speed — **50 MPH**
- [ ] VY – Best Rate of Climb Speed — **55 MPH**

## Cruise

- [ ] Normal Max. Power — **6600 RPM**
- [ ] Cruise Power — **5700 RPM**

## Approach and Landing

- [ ] Belts/Harness — **FASTEN**
- [ ] Final Approach Speed — **55 MPH**
- [ ] Landing Speed — **45 MPH**

## Engine Shutdown

- [ ] Radios — **OFF**
- [ ] Magnetos — **CHECK GROUND**
- [ ] Throttle — **FULL AFT**
- [ ] Choke — **FULL ON**
- [ ] Magnetos — **OFF**
- [ ] Master Switch — **OFF**
- [ ] Parking Brake — **SET**
- [ ] Control Stick — **SECURED WITH BELT**
- [ ] Flaperons — **NEUTRAL**
- [ ] Wheel Chocks — **IN PLACE**
- [ ] Tie Downs — **SECURE**

## Aircraft Performance Speeds

- [ ] VS0 – Landing configuration stall at gross weight, power off — **35 MPH**
- [ ] VS1 – Cruise configuration stall at gross weight, power off — **35 MPH**
- [ ] Best Glide — **55 MPH**
- [ ] VREF (Short/Soft) — **55 MPH**
- [ ] VX – Best Angle of Climb Speed — **50 MPH**
- [ ] VY – Best Rate of Climb Speed — **55 MPH**
- [ ] Cruise Speed — **75-85 MPH**
- [ ] Top Speed — **90-100 MPH**
- [ ] VNO – Red Line — **110 MPH**
- [ ] VNE –– Never Exceed — **120 MPH**
- [ ] VL/D — **55 MPH**
- [ ] Max. X-wind — **30 MPH**

## Aircraft Specifications

- [ ] Maximum Gross Weight — **1041 LBS**
- [ ] Basic Empty Weight (N548SL) — **451 LBS**
- [ ] Useful Load (N548S) — **500 LBS**
- [ ] Max. Front Seat — **250 LBS**
- [ ] Min. Front Seat — **170 LBS**
- [ ] Fuel Capacity (useable) — **15 GALS**
- [ ] Fuel Consumption — **4.5 GPH**
- [ ] Cruise Speed — **85 MPH**

## Aircraft Weight and Balance

**Quad City Challenger | Weight | Arm | Moment**
**2: N548SL**
- [ ] Basic Empty Weight — **451 | 104 | 47016**
- [ ] Pilot — **250 | 50 | 12500**
- [ ] Co-Pilot — **180 | 77 | 13860**
- [ ] Fuel Gal. (15 Max) — **90 | 103 | 9270**
- [ ] Total (M.G.W.= 951 lbs) — **971 | 85.1 | 82646**
- [ ] Fuel (10 gal) — **60 | 103 | 6180**
- [ ] Total (M.G.W.= 951 lbs) — **941 | 84.5 | 79556**
> **CAUTION:** Acceptable moment arm for takeoff weight and balance is 80 to 90 inches
> **CAUTION:** The Challenger generally stalls with wings level, nose level, but altitude descent of 500 FPM. Listen for a propeller “Growl”. Practice stalls and slow flight at 2000AGL

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NOT FOR FLIGHT — source fidelity: unreviewed | operational review: none | completeness: full  
Source: Quad City Ultralight Aircraft/Challenger/Douglas_White_Quad_City_Ultralight_Aircraft_Challenger_Checklist.txt  
Rights: licensed  
Checklist hash: 99c0547bee9a06298992170ff8e1f4e199c9d0b73bb05392f30b14ca037c5557  
Verify against the aircraft's own approved documentation before use.