All Blog Posts (2,393)

Phoenix Flight

The story of the phoenix bird that loves fire came to mind today.





For the first time this year, we were able to fly - circuits and very local, but operational. Safety procedures are essential when you have been on the ground for an extended period, as has happened this year.



Our in house regulation is that 'if you have not flown for 28 days you…

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Added by Jonathan Porter on January 26, 2011 at 7:25am — 1 Comment

Flanging Dies

After calling numerous shops in my area, I finally found a place willing to make the 4 flanging dies needed for plans-building. The shop wants $1,000 for 4 dies. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this seems way too high! At that price, I'm better off buying sub-kits!

Added by Greg Harris on January 22, 2011 at 11:39am — 12 Comments

Ok, NOW the rudder is complete...?

Fabricated and installed the upper mounting points.  Also riveted the control horn/lower mounting point, and the upper & lower spar fairings.  

Stupidly I decided to hand rivet the upper mounting points... "It's hardly worth starting the compressor for 8 rivets..." yeah right, they're A5 and take a bit more force than A4's.  Wised up and air riveted the rest.

That should be it for the rudder apart from trimming the nose skin to clear the elevator.  I'll leave that until the…

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Added by Marty de la Motte on January 22, 2011 at 5:16am — No Comments

ALSA Hosting luncheon for Zenith's January Rudder Workshop

I'm sure that everyone knows that the Zenith crew are attending the Sebring Show in Florida this week where they are displaying the Zenith Fleet of Kit Aircraft.

Meanwhile back here at American Light Sport Aircrafters (ALSA) Builder Assist Center in Mexico, MO., we are still hard at it preparing everything for our long anticipated opening. We have finally completed everything here, passed all of the inspections and have been issued all of the permits and licenses…

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Added by Bill Carter on January 21, 2011 at 5:00pm — 4 Comments

DVD

Who have used DVD set of CH 750 Assembly ?

I need to buy.

Uthai

CH 750#7665

Added by Uthai Khewraxsawong on January 21, 2011 at 8:42am — 2 Comments

Wings Before Fuselage or the Other Way Around?

I am only at home with my kits at the weekend so like to idle away some time thinking about engines, paint, instruments, all things that seem light years away. But today I got to thinking about what kit to build after I am done with the tail: the wings or the fuselage?

The wings are a more expensive purchase, especially with the fuel tanks and I think I want the nav etc lights option. I see that can be done as a retrofit but if I know I want it, seems to make sense to do it during…

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Added by Paul Sanders on January 20, 2011 at 4:59pm — 22 Comments

Rudder complete! (almost).

Over the last couple of evenings I got busy - cut and bent the rudder skins, marked, drilled, clecoed, drilled, unclecoed, trimmed... and today I deburred, Scotchbrited, primed, and finally riveted everything together.

It was a pleasure to use the air riveter for the first time - I may never pull a rivet manually again...!

 

Added by Marty de la Motte on January 19, 2011 at 2:57am — 2 Comments

American Light Sport Aircrafters Builder Assist Center Nears Opening

We are right on schedule for the opening of our new Zenith Builder Assist Center. As with everything else there are a lot of loose ends to get tied up but everything is going smoothly.

We are doing our very best to open a truly First Class Builder Assist Center…

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Added by Bill Carter on January 15, 2011 at 11:03pm — 2 Comments

Elevator balance spring

I installed the horizontal stabilizer, saddle piece, and connected the elevator control cables on my 601 XL B. I immediately noticed a couple things. The effort to raise the elevator to full up position was excessive, to me. It took about 4.6 lbs pressure on the "Y" control stick. Also, the elevator cables tightened considerably as the stick was moved back. The cable tightening happened mostly because the nylon fairlead holes aren't aligned with the cables very well at up elevator position.…

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Added by Louis W. Ott on January 10, 2011 at 8:30pm — 3 Comments

Alaska Crash and Rescue

Most of you probably heard about the crash that claimed the life of Senator Ted Stevens, along with four others. But few have heard of the scene that was playing out at the same time on the Knik Glacier, about forty miles northeast of Anchorage.

 

The story below highlights some of the challenges of flying in the Last Frontier, and portrays the courage of the "PJs" -- Air Force personnel charged with the duty of rescuing downed flyers behind enemy lines. As you will read, even…

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Added by Ken Ryan on January 10, 2011 at 10:00am — 1 Comment

Winter Workshop

Since it's bitterly cold this winter, and my garage doesn't lend itself well to heating, I'll be working on my smaller structures in the basement. My basement workshop is very tight. I can accommodate a table of about 3'x8'. Hope this is enough to get me started on the tail feathers!

Added by Greg Harris on January 9, 2011 at 4:27pm — 1 Comment

ALSA Announces Plans To Hold Stabilizer/Elevator Workshop In Conjunction With Zenith's Rudder Workshops

American Light Sport Aircrafters (ALSA) here in Mexico, MO, will be holding a tail empennage workshop giving participants the opportunity to complete the horizontal stabilizer and elevator for their airplane in a comfortable, relaxed, climate controlled atmosphere.

 

The Zenith workshops are normally over with by noon, if not sooner on Friday and the ALSA Stabilizer/Elevator Workshop will begin where the Zenith Rudder Workshops end. This way persons in attendance would not find…

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Added by Bill Carter on January 2, 2011 at 3:00pm — No Comments

Insurance requirement.

If anyone needs the 5 hour check ride insurance requirement, please call for an appointment. 775 781 4411. We charge an additional $100.00 if you want the scenic check ride flight over Lake Tahoe filmed.

Added by Buzz Air Flight Academy on January 1, 2011 at 8:51pm — No Comments

Floats, Engines and CH 750

We are about to buy an engine for the CH750 that came together quite quickly. While we anticipate some wheel operation, we live on Lake Superior, and anticipate most of the activity will be on floats.

 

While we generally adhere to the concept that more power is better to get airborne with floats, we are concerned about weight and balance. Has anyone put a CH750 on floats, what engine did you chose and why, and what was your balance calculations?

Bruce

Added by Bruce Woodry on January 1, 2011 at 9:50am — 11 Comments

Almost completed stabilizer

Formed all stabilizer ribs, front and rear spars (and their doublers).  Drilled and clecoed the whole assembly.
Still trying to source Zinc Chromate or Cortec, so can't actually rivet anything until I've got that.

Added by Marty de la Motte on January 1, 2011 at 4:35am — No Comments

2010 at Kpong Airfield....

Kpong Airfield, Ghana, West Africa December 2010
Our year at Kpong Airfield….


Another year has sped by,…
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Added by Jonathan Porter on December 29, 2010 at 6:30pm — No Comments

American Light Sport Aircrafters to Open Near the Zenith Factory

Well I just wanted to keep everyone updated with all that has been happening here since we have announced that we are opening our new Builder Assist Center near the Zenith Factory in Mexico, MO.

As with building aircraft, there are a number of steps that must be…

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Added by Bill Carter on December 29, 2010 at 4:00pm — 6 Comments

Holidays

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to all Zenith builders and pilots.

Added by Dwayne Roos on December 24, 2010 at 6:34pm — No Comments

Merry Christmas from everyone at Flight Crafters!

All the guys at Flight Crafters wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 

Thank you to all our clients you brought their airplanes to us this year.

 

This year we assisted with the structural modifications to seven Zodiac XL's and we had seven builders take advantage of the CH750 Quick Build Program.  In addition, other makes of aircraft participated in our builder assistance program.  We will keep you posted on their progress.

 

We…

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Added by Russell Lepre' on December 22, 2010 at 2:24pm — No Comments

New Zenith Builder Assist Center to open near the factory in Mexico, MO.

Hey Everyone,

 

We spoke with so many of you both at the Zenith Workshops and at their Annual Open Hangar Day this year that I wanted to update you with what’s happening with our New Builder Assist Center.

 

It’s been unusually cold here in Missouri, home of Zenith Aircraft. The temperature this past weekend was 1 with the high of 12. Not exactly the best weather to be out in the garage building on your project.

 

Until now the only choices for…

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Added by Bill Carter on December 20, 2010 at 8:30pm — 5 Comments

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