All Blog Posts (2,408)

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

Flying to Swellendam 28th March 2009

Had a great fight to Swellendam on Saturday, Sean and I had NO passengers, for a change, so we went in Sean's Cherokee.

Cam back at about 4pm, great flight, with not a gurgle in the sky till we landed at Grootfontein - 40Mph Wind on the ground!

Added by Jonathan Starke on March 11, 2009 at 8:18am — No Comments

Zulu changed my mind

My Zodiac and I are featured on Lightspeed's new Zulu page. Check it out.

Added by Jay Maynard on March 10, 2009 at 8:03am — 2 Comments

suzuki power

I am considering the Suzuki 1300 cc turbo auto engine for my XL.
Is there anyone who has experience with a similar installation and flying time behind this engine?

Added by John Funk on March 8, 2009 at 8:48pm — 3 Comments

Have bottom and both sides done.

work is going well. The kit is well laid out. It helps if you have room to get parts out of the boxes and on a shelf where you can find them easily. The pictures Zenith posted are helpful at this stage. Each time I go over them I understand something better. I think we are a bit ahead of the manual but Roger has been courteous and helpful when we call. The controls and cockpit area are complicated looking but when we get to it, we will probably find that the rule of "do the holes line up?" will… Continue

Added by kenneth capenter on March 8, 2009 at 8:29pm — 1 Comment

Painting a STOL 750

Getting a fuselage ready for paint takes far longer then actually shooting it, in fact cleaning up the two guns after painting takes longer then it does to paint.





After a couple of days of scrubbing and prepping we have a painted interior. I use a two part epoxy in a custom colour called Can-Zac Grey, it has a bit of a matted finish, but after a week of curing it is almost… Continue

Added by Mark Townsend on March 8, 2009 at 4:00pm — 4 Comments

fly again

Today have been a beautifull fly day

Added by Antonio Gil on March 8, 2009 at 11:48am — No Comments

Fuel caps CH-701

I am using the fuel caps provided by Zenith but allways see fuel stains from fuel leaking obviously while in flight. I have seen pictures of fuel caps with an elevated gooseneck breather. Do these prevent the loss of fuel that I am seeing? Are they available from any commercial source? Thanks in advance, Ray

Added by Raymond A. Miller on March 8, 2009 at 9:46am — 2 Comments

priming mobil

No paint booth so I got inventive with a spool of bailing wire and some pastic drop clothes.

Added by Richard Rost on March 7, 2009 at 9:52pm — No Comments

STOL CH 801 Amphibian in the Bahamas

Jeff Fortune sent us these great photos of his amphibious STOL CH 801 in the Abaco Islands (the Bahamas).



Jeff reports: "The plane is flying great. Quickest liftoff from salt water is about 12 seconds... lands at ~38… Continue

Added by Sebastien Heintz on March 5, 2009 at 5:04pm — No Comments

Day Off

I have been working on the 750 for 3 weeks now and it is time for a day off, What do I do on my day off? I work on the 701. This plane is close to flying, the motor is all prepped and with foaming the motor that has not run in 5 years I now have almost full compression on every cyl. As you can see I wanted to spend a little time on the panel. I was going to install a full efis system as I had planned on using the 701 on extended trips, now with having a 750 the 701 will be used as a demo plane… Continue

Added by Mark Townsend on March 5, 2009 at 3:30pm — No Comments

Ride prior to test flight

I live in PA, near Erie.

I am going to finish my 601XL in the next few weeks, and am looking for someone that has a flying 601XL that will give me a ride so I can get a little stick time before I take this thing for its first flight. I have over 1200 hours logged and am current. I have been flying a CUB for the last few years, but have flown many different airplanes, and am capable of flying a complex airplane.

If there is anyone out there that will let me go with them for an hour or… Continue

Added by William Campbell on March 5, 2009 at 9:38am — 1 Comment

Wiring / Tubes / brake lines / what did I forget!

With getting the inside ready for painting I need to run all lines I can think of, pitot, brake, wiring, coax, flap motor, fuel line, trim, ect,ect.

The nest of wires and tubes coming out from under the seat is unsightly, so I made this little cover, I don't want it to be big, just enough to hide the majority of the lines in plain view and still be able to route new ones if needed.

Not only do you… Continue

Added by Mark Townsend on March 4, 2009 at 3:00pm — No Comments

XL canopy kit won't fit HDS

Ron Saarinen (that I bought my plane from) has looked at a 601 XL and told me that I'd have to modify the firewall and instrument panel to fit an XL canopy kit to a HDS. I've ordered a front opening canopy kit for the HDS from Sport Air

Added by Greg Wilson on March 3, 2009 at 5:20pm — 5 Comments

Prep for Paint

This is a small blog I have spent the last two days running wires from the Forward Fuselage to the rear fuselage, below you can see the outlet for some wires that come out under the passenger seat. I had to spend a day working up the wiring schematic to know what I needed to run.

Fuel lines connect behind the rear spar attachment, a very nice touch Zenith, now we can hide all lines from the cabin area.…

Continue

Added by Mark Townsend on March 3, 2009 at 3:00pm — No Comments

ROTAX 912 wiring for DUMMIES ( me )

Well its time I start toget at some wiring. My panel is done and in it goes tomorrow. All my gauges are steam type. My problem is electrical is like a different language to me, one I do not understand. I have the Rotax 912 installation diagram, aeroelectric's Z-16 diagram and Jon Croke's simple 912 engine wiring diagram and I am confused.

HELP-HELP-HELP-HELP-HELP-HELP-HELP-HELP-HELP-HELP-HELP-HELP-HELP-HELP-HELP-HELP-HELP........



Could… Continue

Added by Debra and Patrick Nesbitt on March 3, 2009 at 1:24am — 5 Comments

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