Kickstand Fabrication and Installation - part 1

Note: I removed the kickstand from the airplane within the first 15 hours of operation; I wasn't using it. Turns out I learned to actually like the way the plane sits on the ramp with its nose in the air like it can't wait to rotate and go be a bird. I'll keep these pages here, though, in case anyone is curious....

Flintstone technology at work: The stainless steel rod was used to press the stock for the bell crank between blocks with c-clamps to roll the edge of the bellcrank blank. Crude, works.

Here's the finished bellcrank on the sketch for the mechanism. The sketch was used to determine the shape of the bellcrank and the location of the pivot point that would provide clearance around and through surrounding structure while giving maximum travel to the mechanism

The parts of the kickstand mechanism before assembly on the fuselage. The ball joints, eyebolts, saddles, nylon spacers, and large washers are all parts that are used on the Challenger fuselage eleswhere. They can be ordered from Quad City or from any other supplier of aircraft hardware.

The assembly inside the fuselage. The photo at 'A' is the push/pull control attached to the bellcrank. The eybolts 'B' to which the kickstand ball joints are attached bolt to the fuselage crosstube with spacers, saddles and washers. Inspection plates will be installed just aft of each eyebolt for access to the mechanism after covering. Also shown in this photo are the coax connection to the transponder antenna, and the fuel drain hose leading down from the filter and water seperator on the firewall ahead of the engine.

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