About the Project

The Thatcher CX4 is a single seat sport airplane that fits the Light Sport Category. It is all aluminum with a fiberglass cowl and wing-tips. It is powered by an economical VW engine.

Since I have a full time job, I want this to be a good building experience. I ordered the quick-build kit from Peter Beck. I have a lot of support from friends at the local EAA Chapter 172 and I am sure I will need them during this project.

I plan on building exactly as laid out in the plans using pop-rivets for simplicity. It will be equipped with basic flight & engine instruments, radio, and GPS.

About the Builder

My name is Ed Christian. I currently own a RV-6 which was built by Ben Covington. It is based at 61GA - the Pea Patch Aerodrome. It is a great airplane and I enjoy it very much. I have always had a desire to build an airplane. When I read the sport aviation article about the Thatcher CX4 - it sure did catch my interest. It has great lines and a simple design. This will be my first homebuilt project.

My father got me interested in flying at a young age. I started flying a J-3 Cub at 16 years old. I was fortunate to have a great instructor Forrest Boshears! After college, I joined the Air Force and flew T-38’s and F-16’s. After that, I was hired by Delta Air Lines. I flew the 727 as engineer, MD-88, 757, 767, and I am currently on the 777.

Solo at KDNL in J-3 Cub

T-38 Columbus AFB

F-16 Hill AFB

Big GE Engine B777LR