ChallengerWest at Air Shows

2011 Airshows/Events with ChallengerWest!

ChallengerWest may be in attendance at the following upcoming air shows and fly-in events with operational aircraft. After each show, we include pictures for those who couldn't make it. Each year, the old shows move over under the "Past Airshows" button at left. If you're having a fly-in or air show, and you would like operational Challengers in attendance, please give us a call - we'd be happy to come and support your event. If you have any more details on the airshows listed below (we just guess based on last year until we hear otherwise), or others, please drop us a note. We'd be happy to publish them here.

Airplane Etiquette: A note of etiquette for fly-in and airshow visitors - please try and keep back 5 feet from anyone's airplane but your own, and don't touch. If you damage an airplane, it's a long way home for the pilot. It's especially important to teach kids about this. Fabric airplanes like our Challengers don't take well to kids climbing all over them. If a kid (or adult!) trips and stumbles and falls on an airplane, tearing fabric or bending metal, the pilot is stranded and it is very hard to match up paint in the event of a repair caused by something so silly. All in all, look from a safe distance and please don't touch.

780-985-4231 or by email at:

Athabasca Airport Fly-In BBQ: July 16, 2011 (CYWM)

Fly-In Organizer: Nicole McDonald, Athabasca County.
Flight Description Fly In BBQ 11-3, beef on a bun lunch. Athabasca is a great little airport that allows under wing camping. They have fuel despite what it says in the CFS. The FBO is at the south end in the big hangar where there is a very lovely Twin Otter.

This was an awesome event and in addition to our very own IROC, there were some 20 airplane's in attendance BEFORE 20 more came in with John Lovelace's flight on their way to Larange, Sask.
I took a few pictures en-route with the camera in my Blackberry.
Passing Over Edmonton on the way north. Yes, I am Mode C equipped.

Nicole MacDonald, the organizer of this event took these pictures of IROC and the L39 overhead, shared them with us and gave us permission to share them with you.

Just arrived and closing my flight plan

That's our friend's Gil and Patti's very pretty Murphy Renegade beside IROC

Hmmmm, What's this taking off?

Ahhhh. I see....

On the way north earlier that morning, I was cruising along at my normal 70 mph TAS (on Amphibious Floats), making 60-65 mph over the ground with the head winds. I was 26 miles back and heard a radio call from an aircraft 28 minutes back anticipating the field in 4 minutes I thought I misheard the pilot, or he made an error. Not so fast. It all became clear when I arrived at Athabasca a half hour later. It was an L39 Jet!. I have a picture of it here from a COPA event in Calgary.

And what, might you ask is all this hub bub about a jet on a Challenger web site? Well did I mention I like airplanes - of all types?
L39's are very pretty - I've heard them called a cross between an F4 and an A5. They are very pretty, and apparently pretty efficient for a fighter trainer at 150 gph economy cruise at 300 KTAS. +8/-4 G’s and 2,000 fpm climb.
Now back to the Challenger with IROC at easily 1000 fpm, +6/-3, 70mph (floats), 85 mph on wheels and a miserly 4gph and it can be safely taken fishing. Try that in an L39. There might have been a few more folks around the jet, but IROC definitely took second place for the crowd poking around skin!
South of Athabasca, Southbound, on the way home late in the afternoon.

The ceilings continued to rise throughout the day. I actually enjoyed the flight up in the AM better as as the ceilings were relatively low and very powerful looking. ATC asked me for Pireps on the way up because they said several planes had turned back. I'm not sure why really as many flew up in Cessnas and Pipers, but a 1,000 feet of ceiling is forever in a Challenger!