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Inventory for Wifie, Fuel tanks and wings for me
Lisa is busy doing inventory today, so I decided to finish up on the fuel system for the 701. I just picked up the sender installation kit on Friday. With the 750 wanting to be built I need to finish up this wing completely as I will not get back to them in awhile. This 701 was rescued out of a barn and is 15 years old, it was used for a chicken coop. I now have over 900 hrs into it I have had to dissasemble the fuselage to re-build it into a 1100 series plane, new baggage, rudder pedals, electric flapperons, all new landing gear and wheels ( it ahd the old wheelbarrow tires with cable brake drums and the low sitting spring leg) ,all parts have been measured and brought up to current production version, including all parts inside the stabilizer and elevator. Spars have been re-built to new version, I have kept the old 5 gal wing tanks and installed new 10 gal tanks, for a total of 15 gal per wing. I have removed the header tank. Installed new windsheild and bubble doors, I have also added airfoil struts. The wings have already been installed, but removed for fuel system upgrade and wiring. Now they are ready for the paint shop, there is no buffing for this bird.
This is the 2nd rescue plane I have done and I can truly state that it is easier and faster to build a new kit then it is to bring an older kit up to todays standards. I will not say never again but this one is going to be strong in my memory for a long time, it was in great shape when I got it and the workmanship was alright. But to bring a 900 gross 701 up to an 1100 gross is just way too much work. I could have easily built 2 kits in the time I have into this plane. As for costs, I got this 701 for a good price, but have had to add too may parts to it in the upgrade to really say I saved anything. I bet I have re-rivetted over 3/4 of this plane, which means that I had to drill out 3/4 of the rivets. It will haunt me for a very very long time.
Enough of the 701 for now, Time for the 750........
Comment
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Comment by Mark Townsend on February 13, 2009 at 10:35pm
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Stefan, we have talked in previous E-Mails and as discussed previously I have been able to get Transport Canada to allow one inspection to be a blanket for all STOL 750's in Canada, this is a first and took alot of work. Zenair was contacted befroe they recieved 4 kits and were supposed to schedule a 51% inspection. I have made several calls to them and have not been able to talk to the person who has the information if that has been done or not. They are on a tight schedule and if an inspector was not available it may not have been completted, as they will not ahve a complete staff of builders waiting for an inspector. I have only recieved a fuselage kit at this point and not a whole kit. I do have one due on March 12th adn if the inspection was not completed at Zenair then I will have one done on the complete kit comming to Can-Zac. This will enable all Canadians to not have to pay the extra expense of having an individual inspection. Thanks for bringing this to my attention in the first place and I have been doing my best to ensrue that my customers are looked after.
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Patrick, the 750 will be on the AULA list in Canada soon and can be flown with an Ultralight permit. All that is necessarry is to reduce the gross weight of the aircraft from 1320 lbs down to 1232lbs. If you install a Rotax engine on the plane then you lose almost no useful load. My recommendation is to register as a homebuilt with a lower gross weight for the AULA permit. We know that Canada is going to get LSA and by registering your plane as a homebuilt you will be able to take advantage of the upcomming changes and also be able to apply for a gross weight increase back to the designers specs.
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Comment by Debra and Patrick Nesbitt on February 13, 2009 at 8:43am
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Hi Mark, I thought I had the oldest 701, but yours is older, mine has disc instead of cable brakes, I have updated to tundra gear and just in the process of mounting that 912 you got for me. Hoping to finish by spring.
What catagory will the 750 fit in here in Canada? Is it to fat for the Aula class?
Patrick
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Comment by Robert Pelland on February 12, 2009 at 5:45am
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Mark, the same thing applies to old cars, and houses. Most of the time, to start a new project, is usually less expensive, and less time consuming because you do it once, and in the right order. With a rebuild such as yours, you will need to invest the same amount of time during the rebuild, PLUS and it's a big plus, additionnel time to dis-assemble everything before switching the little knob on your wrenches around.
Robert
Your " French Connection " :o)
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