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Re-Paint

Here is the fuselage, stripped and base coated again.…



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Added by Mark Townsend on May 21, 2009 at 11:30pm — No Comments

CH750 Builder Videos are now ready to ship!

At last! The first two volumes in the series "Building your CH750" are now shipping. Fuselage Part 1 and Fuselage Part 2 are now completed and their details are illustrated at the HomebuiltHELP website. Soon, Horizontal Tail and Wings,Slats & Flaps will be ready soon (about a week for each). As these titles become available, the website will be immediately updated.



Look forward to any any feedback or questions you have on the content of these videos.… Continue

Added by Jon Croke on May 21, 2009 at 9:30am — 11 Comments

jabiru cylinder head temp

Hi, What are you 601 pilots seeing for cylinder head temps in your plane with the 3300 jabiru . My rear cylinders are running 340 and 325 and no matter what I try I can,t get them down any farther. Thats what I saw today with a temp of 70 f and a nice 300 miles around the Blackhills of South Dakota. I am afraid as the summer warms up I am going to have heating problems??

Added by Bil Gillam on May 17, 2009 at 4:09pm — 7 Comments

Didn't have to surrender my pilot certificate yesterday...

...because a Sport Pilot CFI ticket is a separate certificate.



One result of the fiasco surrounding the NTSB's recommendation that the Zodiac fleet be grounded was that my original pilot examiner backed out on me. I'd located one near Janesville, WI, and today the weather cooperated enough that I could go take the checkride.



Big Foot Airport, 7V3, near Janesville is 261 nautical miles from Fairmont. I'd set my alarm for 5 AM, hoping to be in the air by 6:30. I woke up at… Continue

Added by Jay Maynard on May 15, 2009 at 8:00am — 5 Comments

NTSB wants to ground all zodiac's

Is it time to quit working on it and recycle the metal???? At least I found out before I ordered any more parts!! I just read about it in Pacific Flyer May Issue. Interesting no notification from Zenith Air.

Added by William G Chisholm, Jr on May 13, 2009 at 12:32pm — 3 Comments

Simple Control Locks

For those of us who tie down our aircraft outdoors and in the wind (whether continuously or just during an occasional cross country trip), it's important to lock the control surfaces so they don't "flap" unnecessarily in the wind. At the Sebring Expo earlier this year, Juan's Zodiac was fitted with these effective control stops:

Above, two tennis balls are joined by a bungee rope, and keep the ailerons from flapping.



Since this was a… Continue

Added by Sebastien Heintz on May 12, 2009 at 8:30pm — 7 Comments

Now the Bad News

When I picked the paint for this paint job I had the paint company and the paint shop both come to the hanger before I went to Sun-N-Fun to ensure the type of paint and design I wanted for the plane. Unfortunately the paint company changed what I had asked for due to the airbrush Artists request.As you can see in the picture below the clear coat ran,pulling part of the artwork down with it. Even the paint companies own professional painter was unable to paint with the new clear without… Continue

Added by Mark Townsend on May 5, 2009 at 11:30pm — No Comments

From California to Sun-N-Fun 2009 and a few other places along the way



On April 18th my brother David and I left Santa Rosa California heading east over the snow covered Sierra Nevada mountains on an adventure of a lifetime. We left with great confidence in my sturdy Zodiac XL. After all, last year it had safely taken me and my brother Alan to Oshkosh, why would it behave differently on this trip?



In thirteen days we flew 8,490 miles in 75 hours. Average speed was 113 MPH. Along the way we took over… Continue

Added by Stephen R. Smith on May 5, 2009 at 10:00am — 7 Comments

Flyin on a business trip and Lovin it!

Well that time came again and I need to be in Miami in the Morning . The questions was did I drive 4 to 5 hours or take the 601 xl and fly 1.4 hours? Well quick decision. I looked at the TFR over the everglades and the fact that the HWY is closed down, and decided to fly. The plan was to leave early in the morning, fly in to Opa Locka, get to my 9am meeting at the factory, then fly back by 1pm. I took off from SPG at 7 am, leveling the plane at 9500 feet. Can you say Awesome View! the… Continue

Added by Juan Vega on May 4, 2009 at 5:00pm — 2 Comments

Pick up from Paint shop, another show

Well I just got back from Sun-N-Fun and picked up the 750 fuselage just in time to show it a the Canadian Aviation Expo.

Who could resist a chance for a picture like this!!

Added by Mark Townsend on May 3, 2009 at 9:30pm — No Comments

Grove main gear - forward or aft?

I have my Grove main gear and Zenair gear attachment hardware (with spacer blocks) for my 601XL (now CH 650). Currently I'm trying to determine if I should push the gear toward the front of the gear channel or the rear. Also, If I want the flat side of the gear leg to face fore or aft. I know each decision has bearing on W/B and landing characteristics.



The Matronics list archive is light on this info. Anyone with actual installation experience can really help me out here. BTW, I'm… Continue

Added by Larry Winger on May 3, 2009 at 7:41pm — 7 Comments

Flying under the Anvil of a Tropical Cb....

On Saturday (2 May 2009) evening Bill from Techiman, a school headmaster, and I flew down to look at the Dare to Dream football stadium and the Volta Prairie rice plantation and their new runways between Aveyime and Battor along the river Volta in Ghana, West Africa. We took enough fuel for a diversion to Accra International Airport - because the weather looked a little unpredictable - however...after taking the shots we wanted we turned the plane and saw this....…



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Added by Jonathan Porter on May 3, 2009 at 2:00pm — No Comments

Simple Canopy Safety Tether for 601XL

Although I have not yet made the first flight, I believe that having the canopy open inflight might mess up my hair.... and my underwear. I therefore set about scheming on how I could tether the canopy so that it either could not move at all or at least not lift very far if it unlatched. Noise I can handle, but turning the cabin into a wind tunnel test is not my idea of a good time.



I wanted the following features:



(1) Easy to find parts.

(2) Cheap as… Continue

Added by Dr. Edward M. Moody II on May 1, 2009 at 2:02pm — 5 Comments

Breaking NEWS.. 1st 750 builder receives airworthy certificate!

Zenair News has just received confirmation that a CH750 builder has completed their inspection and received their special airworthy certificate (experimental).



No further information will be released at this time to allow this individual to make their own announcement when they see fit. It is not our intention to steal their thunder...!!



This is important news as some builders were concerned about the 51% rule and the "approved" kit list from the FAA that was frozen some… Continue

Added by Zenair News on April 28, 2009 at 3:33pm — 1 Comment

Working on a speedy release to CH750 builder video DVDs

I am looking forward to releasing the first of the CH750 HomebuiltHELP builder DVDs during the month of May. This is my top priority now that I have returned from the Sun n Fun show in Lakeland.



It has been a wonderful to work on this aircraft. The design of the CH750 has set a new standard in providing a fast, enjoyable experience in building your own aircraft. It was an honor to be among the first builders and I look forward to sharing this via these build videos.



I will… Continue

Added by Jon Croke on April 27, 2009 at 10:38pm — 7 Comments

Return from Sun n Fun 09

The Zenair Newsletter team has just returned from an exciting show at Lakeland, Florida, equipped with a video camera now loaded with plenty of footage. The next newsletter, issue #172 will feature some unforgettable moments captured in photos, stories and videos from the show.

Above: A 650XL with the new UL260i engine on display.

Below: A hands-on workshop building a 701 wing





A… Continue

Added by Zenair News on April 27, 2009 at 9:30pm — No Comments

Impatience turned upside down.

As I have gone from building to assembling, and from home to the airport, I have found myself to be at a new place in this experience. The building part of this always seemed somewhat frantic and even sometimes scary when you realize you are building something that you will eventually strap your butt into and and defy gravity with. I have flown for years, however it has always been in a "certificated" airplane from pipers to cessnas, to mooneys. The little tiny bit of trepidation has been… Continue

Added by Thomas Richardson on April 27, 2009 at 6:44pm — 1 Comment

Slight Delay

Hello all, Well things have been going pretty well, slight delay however as our EAA chapter has been asked by the Wisconsin Aviation hall of Fame to build a 1/4 scale model of the 1909 Curtis Gold Bug, this airplane was the first private aircraft owned in the US and was purchased and flown in November of 1909 in Beloit, WI by Arthur P. Warner. Mr. Warner purchased… Continue

Added by Phillip Owens on April 27, 2009 at 4:31pm — 2 Comments

Zen on the Farm

It was easy to find the Farmville, Virginia Municipal Airport (right next door to the Farmville Municipal Golf Course) because it was the only thing down there in the very heart of Virginia. My trip was 109nm from my base at Potomac Airfield in Maryland but in contrast with my home in the DC suburbs, it is a million miles away.



I went down to visit my son, Colin, a graduating senior at Longwood University. I wanted to try the trip before graduation day May 9th. A car trip to… Continue

Added by JG Ginther on April 27, 2009 at 11:00am — 3 Comments

Tools, no aircraft hanger should be without

After reading the " Top Ten dissapointements in Aircraft building " I was motivated to post the following descriptions, of the assorted tools found in most of the homebuilders shops.

Enjoy,,,



Common Hanger Tools Defined





DRILL PRESS: A tall upright machine useful for suddenly snatching flat aluminum bar stock out of your hands, so that it smacks you in the chest and flings your beer across the room, denting the freshly-painted vertical stabilizer which you had… Continue

Added by Robert Pelland on April 26, 2009 at 8:37pm — 5 Comments

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