Scene from the film…

WHOOP WHOOP WARNING.

I installed the strut on the pilots door pictured aboove and soon after tried to pull it down from the front edge about a foot outboard like I always did with the suction cup...crack...split.  The door - original fiberglass and Plexiglas bubble door supplied by Zenith - broke at the fiberglass corner and radiated out down and aft in the Plexiglas.  Quite a bit of bending torque is applied to the corner...my bad. Stop drilled the crack, sealed it with "special…

Just to update all of you that are tweaking your CH 701 and possibly your 750.  These mods probably don't add speed or short field capability - LOL - but were done to clean up the original construction.  First of all go to "my Photos" so you can see what I am talking about,

I never liked the bubble door to front post fit that I created in the original build it was noisy and drafty especially in winter. So the first item was to build new trim strips for the front pillar to…

Update on the Zenith supplied cabin heater for my 701.  Installed it in December and it works as advertised...actually a little bit better than advertised as I only need about 1/3 heat on days at 30 f outside. A couple of things: I went down to my aircraft supply store...Coop Plumbing section...and found a 45 elbow in black plastic that fit over the  heater firewall tube perfectly.  I then cut a slot in the elbow OD…

Sitting here in Idaho wishing it would warm up to at least flyable weather.  Been right around zero and even though I have an engine pre-heater I built and the newly installed Zenith cabin heat I can't force my self out to the airport. 

I finished off the second Condition Inspection in early December. No issues except that I found that the left radiator mount had broken at the front engine mounting bolt.  Seemed to have failed radially from the mounting hole under the washer.  Ordered…

Because most people I know don't have any idea of what flying is all about esp in the Extreme STOL arena such as the 701. I decieded to install a video camera.  I purchased a Drift Stealth 170HD and have been playing around trying to establish the "perfect" position to video the plane's performance. The first position I am gojng to try is from the cockpit mounted on the cross structure just behind, above and to the right of the pilot.  This shoud give a good shot of the instrument panel and…

 Now have flown off the forty hour Phase One Testing.  All in all a very benign experience. No real supprises except for the first couple of takeoffs being soooo quick.

Also have done first condition inspection and the Rotax 25 hour checks (100 hour check) with no problems.

Experienced no cooling problems with temps this summer in OATs as high as 98 F. Engine is Rotax 912ULS with Zenith FWF kit.

Have installed the Zenith VG's and have plenty of elevator authority.  My…

Yesterday flew another hour in the evening. Still hot air at 1000 AGL. Temp was 85 degrees.  Was curious as to the cooling capabilities of the Rotax engine with water cooling and the oil radiator provided in the fw fwd kit.  To date noticed no problems all temps have been well within limits.  So far have 21.8 hours with no major flight glitch.  Only issues so far were the mounting spacer rubber on the gear (see blog in Matronics) - seems to be cured now with the "new design material" from…