Badland Part 103 Pilots and Builders Forum

When I picked up my kit in March 2023, I planned on starting my build right away. As usual life got in the way and all kinds of issues got in the way. Then about 2 weeks ago, a pilot friend of mine located a vacant hangar less than 30 minutes from my home. I rented it immediately and hauled all my parts and pieces there. I finally started my build and am so blessed this hangar popped up. I have plenty of room to spread out my airframe and the owner of the hangar just put in new LED overhead lighting too. The airport is not busy at all and its easy to get to. I know I will get more done if I have to drive to the location to work on my kit. Less distractions than at home for sure !!!! There is even a local FM radio station that plays good old timey music to give me some tunes while I work. Yes, I am an old timey fart! Give me a radio and a coffee maker and I will be fine.

I pretty much have everything I need except for covering material and my prop. The prop diameter has yet to be determined until I get the F23 mounted and see how much clearance I will have with the fuselage level on its main gear, as in a take off position rolling down the runway.

I have already decided on the Oratex 600 material for covering, just don't have a color scheme in mind yet. A lot less mess and prep to complete.

My ballistic parachute came in about a month ago from Magnum Chutes. It was scary unpacking the rocket device from the steel shipping cage with live activation fuses right in front of my face.

The one thing I am concerned about in the build is getting all the geometry correct for wing lift struts and folding mechanism and will be asking some of you for help and pictures for sure. I appreciate all the help ahead of time!!!!

I hope to get in at least 2 solid days of week build time in and make some progress that I can report here to you guys.

When I finish, I would love to figure out how we can get a few 103's together for a photo shoot, group flight. Like a Badlands pilot gathering.

For any of those out there that are contemplating getting this airplane, JUST DO IT!!!! Don't put off your flying dream for excuses that are in your way.

Chris at Badlands is a great guy and the quality of the kit is better than expected.

Bruce_L wrote: ↑Sun Nov 12, 2023 8:12 pm When I picked up my kit in March 2023, I planned on starting my build right away. As usual life got in the way and all kinds of issues got in the way.

That always seems to happen.

Bruce_L wrote: ↑Sun Nov 12, 2023 8:12 pm Then about 2 weeks ago, a pilot friend of mine located a vacant hangar less than 30 minutes from my home.

Awesome - amazing how good things happen at just the right time, or is that the reverse?

Bruce_L wrote: ↑Sun Nov 12, 2023 8:12 pm I pretty much have everything I need except for covering material and my prop. The prop diameter has yet to be determined until I get the F23 mounted and see how much clearance I will have with the fuselage level on its main gear, as in a take off position rolling down the runway.

I'm very interested in how that F23 works out. I'm leaning towards the Thump Air engine, but the 300 TBO needs to come up to at least 500 hours. There still be envy for the F23's 1000 hour TBO!

Bruce_L wrote: ↑Sun Nov 12, 2023 8:12 pm I have already decided on the Oratex 600 material for covering, just don't have a color scheme in mind yet. A lot less mess and prep to complete.

My ballistic parachute came in about a month ago from Magnum Chutes. It was scary unpacking the rocket device from the steel shipping cage with live activation fuses right in front of my face.

I'm also interested in how well the chute mounts and where you located it. The ballistic portion will also keep my attention pretty high when working with the chute. I plan on installing one myself.

Bruce_L wrote: ↑Sun Nov 12, 2023 8:12 pm The one thing I am concerned about in the build is getting all the geometry correct for wing lift struts and folding mechanism and will be asking some of you for help and pictures for sure. I appreciate all the help ahead of time!!!!

The others can help you resolve your concerns on these issues.

And just a quick note to remember, only Peer, Chris, and I can comment in this thread. You can post questions here but it's better to post them one forum up. You'll find you have a Discussion thread there just for questions for your build. Any member can post there. We do this to help keep the build Log (this thread) clean from conversations that can go in all different directions.

Bruce_L wrote: ↑Sun Nov 12, 2023 8:12 pm I hope to get in at least 2 solid days of week build time in and make some progress that I can report here to you guys.

Yes, please post as much as you can. I'm enjoying the differences in the current builds. All help to make that next Badland Airplane even better, easier to build, and help others (yeah, I'm talking about me too) figure out how to work issues and avoid problems.

Bruce_L wrote: ↑Sun Nov 12, 2023 8:12 pm When I finish, I would love to figure out how we can get a few 103's together for a photo shoot, group flight. Like a Badlands pilot gathering.

Peer and I were discussing this exact idea a few months ago. Possibly get Chris to open up his farm to a week long fly-in or something along those lines. We were joking about Chris getting some free Laborers for a week

Bruce_L wrote: ↑Sun Nov 12, 2023 8:12 pm For any of those out there that are contemplating getting this airplane, JUST DO IT!!!! Don't put off your flying dream for excuses that are in your way.

Chris at Badlands is a great guy and the quality of the kit is better than expected.

Looking forward to your build and posts!

Todd

Very nice - it sounds like things are falling together for you. I am most curious to see what your final weight ends up being. If you are meticulous and judicious with any additions, who knows, you may still be UL compliant.

I was very attentive of every gram of weight added when I built my kit, and came in well under weight (something like twenty pounds) but then, I wasn't hanging a Hirth off of the nose. We will see.

Also keep us posted as to the learning progress in terms of flight training as you go. I am in the same boat as you - taking flight instruction while finalizing my build.