Zenith Aircraft Builders and Flyers
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Paul Mulwitz
- Male
- Camas, WA
- United States
- Blog Posts (3)
- Discussions (10)
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- Photos (4)
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Paul Mulwitz's Page
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- Aircraft Model
- ZODIAC XL
- Project Status
- Flying
- Building From
- Kit
- Building Experience
- Have already built an airplane
- Flying Experience
- Private Pilot
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- retired Electrical Engineer
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Paul Mulwitz's Blog
Flight Test Report - Normal Operating Procedures - Zodiac XL.
Posted on February 15, 2013 at 11:39am 1 Comment 0 Likes
Flight Test Report - N773PM
Zodiac XL - Jabiru 3300
By Paul Mulwitz -- June 2, 2012
As phase I flight test nears its end I wanted to record some of the things learned about this airplane. The information presented here is not very official, but it might help me or…
ContinueFlight Test Complete.
Posted on December 16, 2012 at 12:03pm 7 Comments 1 Like
Phase I flight test completed 9/26/2012. Phase II now active, but weather has prevented much flight. The weather around here (Pacific NW rain forest) should clear up around May 2013. I plan to do some real cross country flying at that time.
All problems fixed in Phase I except lack of yaw stability. That seems to be inherent in the design. There is no vertical stabilizer because of the full flying rudder and no portion of the fuselage side is…
Project Update - XL in flight test.
Posted on January 3, 2012 at 12:10pm 3 Comments 1 Like
After 6 years my XL was certified in July, 2011. As of today (Jan 2012) it is over half way through phase I flight test. I expect to complete flight test and enter phase II in the Spring.
I had a number of small problems in flight test. Most of them have been resolved. The primary issue was engine cooling (Jab 3300). Other problems included the engine cutting out from a loose carburetor and a flat nose wheel from underinflation and damage to the tube when the tire rotated and…
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Hi Paul...I had virtually zero issues from the first test flight in my CH601HD. It has the Rotax 912S with slipper clutch and warp drive prop. It seems to be a bullet-proof engine. My Zodiac HD is not the most stable in flight either. The huge wing and the Zodiac's light weight mean that I do get bounced around quite a bit, especially on warm days when thermals are in play. I did try the Vortex generators but I didn't see that much of a change in stall speeds or handling. Regardless, my CH601HD flies pretty straight. It does drop fast on final ....kinda like a brick if I flair to early.... I'm planning to install an auto-pilot and vertical hold system this year so that I can enjoy the scenery a little more,...Also building a CH701 Sky Jeep ...just for the fun of it...
I have a CH601HD...It's a tank...
Your feelings about flying your Zodiac XL are exactly the same as mine. I have done 35 hours in my aircraft and I have been too scared to take passengers up in it. I am waiting on the up grade kit. But even after I have installed all the kit I will be very reluctant to start flying the Zodiac XL until I know that there has been some independent scientific testing done on the airframe.
Bearing in mind that I am not an engineer, Is it possible to put a full size Zodiac XL in a wind tunnel and test it to destruction ?
Kind regards,
Rick Morris.
I agree wholeheartedly with your comments about the FAA report. There certainly needs to be more independent scientific testing of the upgrade kit. I would also be very happy to contribute money to help carry out the tests. My completed Zodiac XL has been sitting in my hangar for nearly three years now and I am too scared to fly it until I know why the wings have been falling off.
Kind regards,
Rick Morris.
It looks like you are getting close to finishing your 601.
Tommy