Tim: Welcome to zenith.aero (beta version) as a charter member! Please feel free to add photos, videos, and reports on building and flying your Zodiac.
Happy holidays!

Hello Tim,

Thanks for the kind comments on my pictures. I sure enjoyed taking them and am glad when others find value in them.

Yes, I used an EXP BUS and it has worked very well; simple, light, full-featured.

Yes, I meant DuPont Imron. I will fix the caption on the pic. Thanks for catching that. I am a not-so-great speller.

Yup, left some stickers on. They don’t weigh much. None of the “experts” told me to take them off that I can recall.

Bill Barden was the DAR who signed off my plane. I did not get the chance to ride or fly in his Sport Star. He was not very enthusiastic about it.

For sure, the west provides lots of eye candy and flying challenges. You, on the other hand, get to play with thunder storms – vary rare out here in Santa Rosa.

Obviously landing on unknown dirt roads can be risky. Over fly first and look for cattle guards and washboard surface (avoid landing on a grade where washboard is common). You probably would want some dirt strip experience first. On takeoff, DON’T throttle up until your rolling along to avoid sucking gravel up into your prop. Ouch!

The prop has been a good performer. I like the ground adjustable feature but now that it the way I want it, I don’t play with it. Right now the prop is back in Florida at the factory being inspected and re-painted. It developed some small cracks near the hub so they wanted to inspect it up close. The cracks are superficial (they tell me). Explanation: near the hub there is a layer of fiberglass to keep the metal clamp “away” from the carbon fiber. Where the fiberglass ends, a small crack developed. I hope to have my prop back by year-end. I haven’t been up for over a month now. First time that has happened since the plane was completed. Not so happy about that.

Happy flying!

Tim,

You asked about the gap between the canopy and fuselage. We used a strip of weather sealer on the canopy to close that up. Did the same up around the hinge area, which was a bit of a pain.

Alan

Great idea! Can you start the album and post the first pic?
I'd love to get a few builders / flyers to help out as administrators on this site... interested?

Before I started flying I enjoyed long trips in my car or motor home. I guess I have enjoyed lots of motorized exploring in my life.

When I take a trip in the plane sometimes I just go up and fly randomly but if I am taking a long trip I try to pick out places that are likely to be interesting to me. These are places I have driven to or always wanted to drive to. I make waypoints of these and add them to my route.

One tool I use a lot when planning a trip is Google Earth. You can customize what shows on the map for example; you can “turn on” airports and roads. You can “turn off” the junk you don’t want to see. You can turn on pictures so you can see what others take pictures of (generally from the ground – very few from airplanes). You can see the elevation of things by running the mouse over the map. You can tip the map so you can see mountains in profile. You can plan routes and fly them in advance of the trip.

I “stumbled” on the uranium mine. Sometimes you don’t know what you saw from the air until you get home and look it up.

Steve

Hello Garrett,

I just visited your web site. Congratulations on you achievements. Building and Flying and XL is a fantastic way to keep your life moving forward. Do you have any trips planned? Maybe you and your dad could take a big loop around the west to take in some of the sights.

Steve

i got my fairings from Nick at Zenair fitted perfect and cost about 150 Euro

Hi Tim,
Sorry for the delay in responding. I have been out of town (on the road, so to speak!) and will 'return' by this coming weekend. I will definitely make use of the info you have provided.
Thanks,
Jon

Tim, Once I get to the Rudder page, how do I add a photo? I tried leaving one in the comment section but it won't upload.

Great idea!

No I work at Goodman in Fayetteville but I know some people who work there.

I'll find one or either take anther one. thanks Tim