Say folks... wondering if there is anyone within reasonable distance in and around the Austin Texas area willing (and interested) in getting together to share ideas and builders support?  I am well into my Ch701.. but.. the more technical aspects are challenging, i.e., bending aluminum skins to form elevator.. wings, etc... I would like to get things right the first time around..

After making lots of parts and remaking a few, I finally get to start drilling and clecoing the firewall together.

I mounted the firewall onto 80/20 stock with extra steel angle and magnets so I can work on it standing up.

The 80/20 is connected with hinges, so I can tilt the firewall back  to allow continued loose fit up

to the rest of the fuselage.

The fuselage can be seen behind and is similarly supported with 80/20,steel angle and magnets. .…

Zenith Banquet for 2016

It's time once again to announce the Zenith Aircraft Builders Banquet for 2016! Our event will once again be held at the Oshkosh Elks Lodge, 175 West Fernau Ave, in Oshkosh, on Thursday, July 28. As always we have very comfortable seating, our own private bar, award winning food, and door prizes! The full bar will open at 5:30 PM for people that would like to come and relax early. Dinner starts at 7:30 PM. Tickets are available at the…

NEW Four-Position Flaperon Control Lever for the STOL CH 701

Video: Zenith Aircraft's Roger Dubbert takes his Zenith STOL CH 701 flying with the new flaperon lever:

The new flaperon four-position control lever/handle with the adjustable positions is…

So, I just want to share the excitement in my voice for the taxi test.

If your stuck and need motivation, maybe this will help!

Ill get to fly soon!

Still have items to do but My plane has arrived!!

https://youtu.be/qMsLOxdy7KU

Re: Jigging 701 Cabin Frame

Following the procedures in the plans and manual for levelling fuselage, Hz tubes on cabin frame and engine mount, I jigged drilled and cleco'd the cabin frame to the AC. I supported the assembly at the

bottom of the firewall to get everything level (Fwd fuse is rivetted to rear fuse). When all was done I pulled the support from under the firewall, and of course everything sagged a bit leaving

the side tubes with a slight decline angle from level…

You're invited to join us for our "Fly In To Summer" Builder Fly-In Gathering at the Zenith Aircraft Factory.

This will be our ninth annual "Fly in to…

Found a boat storage facility that will allow me to store/work on the 701 project  (folding-wing option).  Hangars & build-space non-existent in North Dallas area.  New generator arrives today; likely spend the next few days electrifying the shop.  Finished plumbing & wiring the Viking 110 yesterday, Hope to get the project moved soon.

DID A WEIGHT & BLANCE LAST WEEK CAME OUT JUST RIGHT WITH OUT MOVEING A THING.  Next   FAA .  Its only taken me 15 long years to get to this point

After a couple of weekends of work I have finished making a 1/4" radius nosebar for my brake. Since there are very few pieces that need a 1/4" radius bend I originally tried to make a nose bar out of plywood to use on my 4 foot brake. However it was just not up to the task of bending the .063 pieces of aluminum needed for the firewall.

I fabricated a similar 1/8" radius nosebar four or five years ago. This is not the first time I have made a nosebar. The stands I made, mentioned in…

While ordering 4130 tubing for making various steel parts of my project I noticed that the 1-1/8" with .058 inch wall tubing has an inner diameter of just over an inch. I happen to have some 1" acme rod and nuts that would fit quite nicely  inside that tube. After scavenging pieces from a few other stands I was able to put together the following

Instead of…

We all have to start somewhere.  Here is my first rivet. Only a Bazillion to go.

(Zenith is Smiling with Lynn Beckhorn in Washington)

We have noticed when talking with our Zenith Aircraft potential builders and existing builders and flyers that there…

It has become old hat to complain about the decline of General Aviation. We can rant about the costs, how airports have been fenced off, or any number of ailments.

This tract is a little about one of those symptoms, a little about how to make flying more fun, and about making flying safer.

There is a vicious circle, a fully developed spin that we must recover from. Something that used to be ordinary, but is now feared.

Something that is fun, but potentially…

Sunday,  April 10 2016 marked the second year anniversary of the first flight of my 601.  The celebratory flight on Sunday ticked the Hobbs to 400.6 hours. In two years, from my home base in the northeast,  I've had my 601 as far west as Oshkosh and as far south as South Carolina.  I still have a big grin on my face after every flight! 

The airframe and engine have performed well and I couldn't be happier.  To those of you in the building process I say keep at it and do…

Special Thanks to Doug Dugger for performing the First Flight on my 701 this last Friday.  He and Steve Smith flew down to my cow pasture runway to perform the first flight.  All Went perfectly.  What a joy to see five years of work go airborne.

While doing layouts for the fuselage side skins earlier today, I decided to throw together this little bit of javascript

to help me calculate rivet spacing's. Not everything is a nice multiple of 20 or 40 millimeters.

I have a web server on my home network so I can bring this up in my IPad while I am in the shop.

Enter the distance and the desired rivet spacing. The page will print out the hole locations at or under

the desired rivet…