Hi Joe, heres my tips,
1. take your time and study the plans before hand
2. If not sure of something-ASK, there is no stupid question.
3. Call Roger at Zenith if not sure on something

tip # 4 checkout Homebuildhelp.com, they produce some real good videos for the 701, I purchased the rotax 912 installation & tips from them, excellent video. They have one for the construction of the 701 also.

Good luck

thanx let me ask what do i need for a table to build the fuselage and how big and how you built yours thanx have you heard any thing about the aerovee vw engine good or bad? thanx

Hi Joe, not sure how old parts are, but have not been used. Have all parts and instructions. Zenith wants $560 USD I'll take $400 USD. How's the build coming?

Joe! Thanks for the encouragement. I agree, after what I have read, WW is probably the leading expert. I am leaning very heavy to the corvair. I just don't know if I want to build it or let WW do it. I have already got a couple of blocks and cranks and talking with a local machine shop for the "pre Nitride" work. The more I learn about the Corvair engine, the more I think it might be a perfect 100 hp airplane engine design. If I choose a corvair however I've got to get it to turn in the "correct" direction. Not that it really matters but after 11000 hrs, I don't know if I can train my left foot.

Take care!

I joe, I do have some schemes for the 701 already on my page. I'd be happy to design a scheme for you for the usual price of free if you'd like. Just send me a message and let me know what colors and types of designs you have in mind.

Hi Joseph,
This is Norman. You left me a comment about my spacer for the nose gear. The engine is not that heavy since the nosegear is not compressed. I don't know what happened with this gear post, I wasn't gettting the ground clearence I was supposed to. If you look at your plans, there is 44.5 inches between the ground and the center of the spinner. I was getting around 40. The airplane, sitting on its wheels, looked as if it was taking a nose dive and this was causing a problem for my propeller. I wanted a 70 inches propeller for water operations. I couldn't even fit a 68 inches if I left the gear as it stood. Either solder a piece of tube at the end of the gear post or make this aluminum spacer. The spacer was easier and can be removed...
Also if I left it as it was, the wing had a negative incidence...makes it hard to takeoff !!!

Keep up the good work. Don't hesitate to ASK questions : it's the only cheap way to learn.

Norman

Hi Joseph,
I investigated the VW option, and best as I could tell, the Valley Engineering redrive VW seems to work pretty well. As it turns out, I found a good buy on a Rotax 912S, so I grabbed it quick. I have heard good things about the Corvair, too, but it is a little heavier.

Joseph, it is Utech ( brand ) polyurethane. It is made by Akzo Noble and is sold at industrial paint stores. A friend of mine painted airplanes for quite a while and we took what he had left over and came up with the scheme. It is wonderful to use, so easy and has a very good gloss when dry.
Wayne

Hi Joseph, The engine (Corvair) is coming along slow, I'm getting Roy's version of the 5th bearing, the alum cyls were tested for growth at his shop a couple weeks ago . As they are heated to 300 F they grow in length .004 more than the steel ones so head torque will have to be reduced.
Your construction looks VERY good. Stay in touch.
John

Hi Joseph,

I am an admirer of Corvair engine, for both beauty and power. It will work very well with CH750 (bigger and heavier than 701), I guess! You can use it on 701 with good balancing, and some sacrifices
My VW 2276 cc, propeller, and engine mount are all from Steve Bennett of Great Plains Aircraft Supply Co.ltd. Retired from the Aviation Institute late last year, I leave my newly assembled engine for engineering students to do some projects with, giving them 15 hours. I would not fly with brand new engine without some ground time, anyway.
This GPASC reduction drive VW engine was supposed to give 120 horses with water head cooling, but no more water heads at time of purchase. Its 94 mm Nikasil pistons should give around 100 with Octane 95. I will put the battery all the way in the tail end to balance the engine weight.

If you are a welder and want to make the VW engine mount yourself, there is a video at EAA website, homebuilder tab, showing how to make an engine mount.

I love the wing folding kit. It gives me options that I want; moving my 701 between home and airport, park it in a garage, put it on display with one wing folded, etc.. But if you don't need it, you can save some small weight and a big $560!!! And if you want to use the bubble windshield, do tell Zenith Air that you want the welded ears inside the cockpit frame, and not outside. May be you can buy the plan and do it yourself.

And if you want a quick access to the back of your instrument panel, via the top cover, you can e-mail me later.

Have a nice day.

Champ

Hey, I made a slip. The bubble windshield now comes standard in a kit. Take a look at the picture and you will see what I meant about ...the welded ears inside the frame...

And Corvair engine is getting better now with the 5th ring. I see that WW himself is a member of this group too, flying a ZodiacXl with Corvair engine. Getting Corvair engine part is difficult in my time zone, while I walk a few minutes from home for VW engine parts.

For the instrument panel, I am not supposed to show picture of airplanes that is not a Zenith Air here, and I am not done working this into my 701 yet. A friend of mine can remove the piece on top of the instrument panel ( where we normally mount a magnetic compass) by loosen just one screw and he can reach to work on the backside of the instruments. You have to tell me an e-mail address to show pictures, or wait a few weeks to see it on MyPlane page when I finish this re-work.

Have fun.

Champ