March 2009 Blog Posts (38)

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Testing Phase 1

After 205 inches of snow this winter, I'm finall able to start knocking off some test time on my 601 XL. I flew the 11th hourof testing this arternoon. What a teriffic airplane ! I'm getting more at ease in it with every flight. The Corvair is running strong, and I'm seeing 1000'+ climb rates with my 190# and full tanks. I initially had to adjust the horiz. stab. angle down 2 deg. I'm still tweaking my cowling a bit to improve cooling at high climb rates. The flaps are a real asset on the XL,… Continue

Added by Lynn Dingfelder on March 31, 2009 at 10:14pm — 1 Comment

701 Scratch Builders Compare Ideas

I'm very close to first flight after 5 years of building. I wish Zenith would have had this site up and running 5 years ago. I have learned alot from other builders. But scratch building has its own world so I'm creating this blog for scratch builders (701), such as myself, to have an avenue to share ideas (and frustrations). The feeling of success in your building is well worth the frustrations that are mostly unavoidable. So just share what your going through right now and don't be afraid to… Continue

Added by Chris Aysen on March 31, 2009 at 11:29am — 8 Comments

http://pacificpilot.blogspot.com

a blog for pilots of light sport planes in the lower mainland of B.C. and surrounding area's

Added by smitfire ( Ron Smit ) on March 30, 2009 at 11:00pm — No Comments

Getting Close

Good Monday Morning, Got alot done over teh weekend and I am in good shape for tomorrows inspection.



Wings are built with just a little riveting to go.



Time to Start on the Stabilizer.

By 4 pm on Monday I have just about everything done, and I am off to be a Guest speaker for an RAA chapter. Wings are done and mostly riveted, fuel system… Continue

Added by Mark Townsend on March 30, 2009 at 10:00pm — No Comments

Back to Wings

Back side of the wing, the rear spar is a two peice affair with a doubler channel, this makes assembly quite simple and fast. Best part is the trailing edge being a bent unit which makes the trailing edge very attractive.

Front skin cleco's right on.



Look close at this picture, the amount of time that will be saved in slat alignment from the… Continue

Added by Mark Townsend on March 29, 2009 at 10:00pm — No Comments

If I only had a brain.......

OK A little while since I posted some progress



I rolled it out to catch a little sun two weekends ago, and then this weekend I installed the panel

Check out the sophisticated avionics installation.



All right I really did add the brains to the old girl Here's the real pic.





No wires yet but the weather is just gettin nicer… Continue

Added by Larry Whitlow on March 29, 2009 at 5:48pm — No Comments

750 Slats and Flapperons

This pictrue was taken yesterday at 9:26pm and is a great starting point for today.

Here is all the slats and Flapperons, I have made the 701 and 801 slats and I will say that these are by far the easiest to build, no Jigs and they are designed to make assembly simple Hats off to the Boys at Zenith for comming up with this…

Added by Mark Townsend on March 28, 2009 at 9:30pm — No Comments

601 HDS Move radiator rearward or fit front undercarriage stop?

I am finishing a 601HDS that is fitted with a Subaru ea81 motor. The water cooling radiatior is fitted under the fuselage, close behind the front undercarriage. As there is no stop on the front undercarriage, it is possible for the wheel spat to impact with the underside of the radiator.



What is the best solution to this problem?



I have contemplated fitting a pair of steel cable stops to the front undercarriage to limit their travel and also to relocate the radiator… Continue

Added by Greg Wilson on March 28, 2009 at 6:25pm — 6 Comments

Another Fun Factory Workshop

We "graduated" another class of proud new aircraft rudder builders today:

Despite the apparent slowdown in the economy, this group was proof positive that there's still optimism out there and that folks still want to have fun building airplanes. The full workshop (12+ rudder tail assemblies of both STOL and Zodiac designs) included six husband / wife teams, plus four father / son teams, and was a lot of fun (even for the organizers). The… Continue

Added by Sebastien Heintz on March 27, 2009 at 2:37pm — 2 Comments

JERONIMO!

I'M SCRATCH BUILDING AND I JUST BOUGHT MY ALUMINUM SHEET!

(that was my JERONIMO scream as I jump off the cliff.)

Added by Robert Haines on March 27, 2009 at 2:00pm — 5 Comments

Inspection Deadline Looms

Thursday March 26th I finally get started on the wings, at 2pm I have so far unpacked the crate and removed it from the Hanger. The wings will be built on rails and the spar is ready to start on. MAin problem is that my pre-cover inspection is on Tuesday ! Just 5 days away, where is the coffee!



End of Thursday, WOW I had expected the wings to go fast but… Continue

Added by Mark Townsend on March 26, 2009 at 9:30pm — 2 Comments

"Don't Fly Real Fast"

An Australian builder sent the weblink to the following online article published by Recreational Aviation Australia: "Don't Fly Real Fast."

Using plain English and writing about "sport pilot" class airplanes and pilots, the writer explains the perils of overspeeding your light aircraft.

This article is just one in a series of online articles titled "Decreasing… Continue

Added by Sebastien Heintz on March 25, 2009 at 11:38am — 3 Comments

Good day!

This was one of those days that gives you hope and keeps you coming back. After major trimming on the inboard flaperon it is reinstalled on the pivot pin and is perfect ( no rubbing on the fuselage).and then got the passenger side done followed by top glass, windscreen, both root skins trimmed to the top glass and on, as well as the seats in and riveted....... I felt like the energizer bunny today.... of course I had major help and support from my best friend in the world.... My wife. It makes… Continue

Added by Thomas Richardson on March 23, 2009 at 6:41pm — No Comments

Windows Anyone

The roof is installed, I extended the length over the doors to allow for the water to run off in the wings and not into the cabin.



We have windsheild installation, pretty straight forward, I use the plastic drill bits from Aircraft Spruce.



I have layed on my back on every Zenith model to work behind the panel, the 750 is by far the best and… Continue

Added by Mark Townsend on March 21, 2009 at 9:30pm — No Comments

Another 1,288 statue miles added to the log book

My mother turned 91 last week which provided the excuse to fly to Southern California and back.



The trip down on 3-7-9 was 444 miles non-stop which I flew in a beeline on auto pilot at 9,500 feet because there was a nice tail wind up there. My average speed was 126 statue miles per hour and the plane got a solid 33 miles per gallon. Try to beat that performance in a car! Flights like this provide lots of looking-out-the-window time and you can literally see half of the state’s width… Continue

Added by Stephen R. Smith on March 18, 2009 at 10:00am — 3 Comments

Stab Skeleton Rivited

Boy did it feel good to start pulling some rivits. It made me feel like I'm getting somewhere. Now turn the page in the assembly guide and keep going. Yes I print them out. The computer has all the research for my wife's EED dissertation on here, I don't think I can take it to the hanger and live to tell about it.

Added by Richard Rost on March 15, 2009 at 11:30am — No Comments

Sample Video from soon to be released March/April Newsletter DVD !

Watch the sample video taken from the DVD that is included with the current Zenair Newsletter to be mailed to subscribers in just a couple weeks. There are some really great testimonies from builders and pilots - as well as clips from the latest Sebring airshow! Click here to watch: Newsletter VIdeo



While there are 2 issues left in the current subscription period, subscribing now will get you the back… Continue

Added by Zenair News on March 14, 2009 at 9:00pm — No Comments

Motive Power Bolted On.

Today William Wynne brought by our Corvair engine and we had it bolted up in short order. I am calling the Corvair 750 combination a "Savage 750." The Savage has nearly all the necessary components to complete the installation of the engine. Only a few bits differ from the standard 601/650 Zenvair installation. The Weseman 5th bearing doesn't change the location of the prop flange and we are using a cowl… Continue

Added by Gus Warren on March 12, 2009 at 4:55pm — 1 Comment

Issue #171 has been sent to the printer...



We have just wrapped up the next issue of the Newsletter and it is off to the printer. The bonus DVD for this issue has been sent to the duplicator for reproduction - so expect the DVD and newsletter in about 2-3 weeks.



This photo is from the front page story. Jim Smith from Oklahoma is probably the very first CH750 kit builder to finish this aircraft. His story and photos are an inspiration for all builders that are preparing for the… Continue

Added by Zenair News on March 11, 2009 at 11:58pm — 1 Comment

A Treat of Treads

Our 750 is now up on it's wheels. It is coming together quickly now. The engine will be back from William Wynne's tomorrow with a Weseman 5th bearing on it and a mount for the 750. Jon is nearly completed with the stabilizer and one wing is about half way there. It will be a busy next couple… Continue

Added by Gus Warren on March 11, 2009 at 5:53pm — 1 Comment

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