Just purchased from Wairoa ( N I, NZ ). Nicely, plan built plane,completed in 2002 from what I,ve been told.

Hi Mark
How's the weather accross the ditch? Seeing as you have just joined, you probably did not attend the Webinar online on the STOL range between EAA & Sebastien Heintz a couple of days ago. If you are interested, this is the link to the recording of the event http://www.eaa.org/video/eaa.html?videoId=88499437001

Are you running the Jab or the Rotax. In case you did not know, you have another 701 owner over there http://www.zenith.aero/profile/GaryEady.

So maybe we will see some photos or videos of your plane soon.

Regards
Phill Barnes

Hi Mark
I live in Gympie Queensland, 1 & 1/2 hours north of Brisbane but my Wife, Son and I are considering moving to Victoria near the Alps. Building a 601XL with Jab 3300 but you probably already know that from looking at my profile and pics. I visited the factory in Missouri and met Roger, Sebastien, Shirley and a good handfull of their employees that make the kit parts. Despite all of the bad media lately and a bit of scutiny from me, they have a well laid out efficient and professional opperation. When we visited we were privillaged to see the test 750 aircraft before it had been released to the public. I thought it was a nice plane then and I think the same now. For many reasons I wish I had a 750 instead of a 601XL but for now I will stick with what I have.

I just had a look on google maps at where your town is and I have actually driven through it about 7 years ago. I would have to say that it must have been beautiful because I cant remember any part of the south that wasn't. Love Dunedin Draft, it is better than any beer that we have. So good that I snuck a slab of it into my suitcase. Love NZ.

Have you ever been to Australia?

Regards
Phill

Hi Mark
If you have been to Rainbow Beach then you have been to the edge of Gympie. Where you turn off the highway at the service stations to exit to Tin Can Bay / Rainbow Beach, that is about 7 KM from where I live.

I am doing the stuctural upgrades on the 601 at the moment and have nearly finished the second wing. http://www.mykitlog.com/ch601xl Next I have to extract the center spar from the fuselage and rework it. After that is all done, it is only the finishing touches and some 2K paint, matterhorn white and nitro blue from the new ford XR8's. It will still take me a while to complete but I will get there.

Would I be wrong in assuming that you farm sheep!

Phill

Hi Mark
I make computer cut signs for a living but I am looking for a change. If you did not make it to Gympie , then you are not missing much.

Building your own plane can be quite rewarding and patience is as much a tool of the shop as a torque wrench, but when this whole upgrade idea came out in November, morale took a bit of a slide for a while. Things are progressing quite well at the moment with the exception of a bad flu hanging around for the last week and a half. I have always loved aviation and I thought I knew a bit about it. Once I started building my own I realised how much I didn't know and since then I have learnt so much from the experience.

Whilst building is not for everyone, I would definately recommend the experience to anyone who has an interest in experimental aircraft because you stop taking it for granted that things work and find yourself wanting to know why they work and can I improve upon it. This site is fantastic for those of us who share the same thoughts on a particular topic as before this site existed there was no common link for us all and it was unlikely to find someone with the same plane with the same question.

Wow, I feel like I am making a speech now. Do you think that you will ever be interested in building an aircraft yourself and if so what would it be?

Regards
Phill

Hi Mark
Have you taken your bird to the air yet?

Phill

Good on ya Mark
I hope you remember to take some photos of your area whilst you are up and post them on your page.

I am progressing with mine at a steady pace considering the time that I get. I am just reinstalling the center spar and have to do a few other brackets and angles and then I am finally back to square one. http://www.mykitlog.com/ch601xl

I will then have a lot of little finishing jobs to do but thats ok. I like the jobs that you can start and finish quickly to see a result.

Years ago I used to think that Zenith STOL planes were the ugly ducklings of the aviation world but when you understand why they look the way they do, you really do fall in love with them. They are an amazing aircraft with such unbelievable capabilities.

Phill

Hi mark
I am a new member and have just puchased a ch701 from Timaru JLN. Hopefully I shall up pick the airchaft early next month. I got the engineers to remove the stick from the middle and put dual control with throttle in the middle.

Have you been flying yours long ?? Do yo ever pop into Motueka ?? If you are flying to Mot, give me a call on 03 528-8585.

Cheers
Shafid Khan