Dave Gardea's Zenith 601XL Project

Home
Engine
Tools
Tail
Wing
Fuselage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This site was last updated 6/17/08

Welcome!

This site serves as a builder log of Dave Gardea's progress on construction of a Zodiac 601 XL homebuilt aircraft using kit components provided by Zenith Aircraft Company. You can view my progress on my homebuilt aircraft construction by clicking on the graphic below or the picture at the right.

Project location: Indianapolis, Indiana - USA

Making progress on my fuselage!

Construction Progress

   

Complete

In Progress

Click on an airframe part to navigate to that page

 

click to go to the Tail page click to go to the Wings page click to go to the Wings page click to go to the Fuselage page click to go to the Engine page

Why did I choose the Zodiac 601XL?

I had a private ticket but was not current. I have recently received my bi-annual endorsement and have been flying this past summer under Sport Pilot regs. Before that, I had not flown left seat for over twenty five years. I had previously accumulated nearly a hundred hours in Cessna 150's and 152's. Considering the performance of the latter, I didn't want to build a plane with performance specs, i.e., faster, more horsepower, etc., that were not within my flying ability even when I get current again. Since I don't have a taildragger endorsement or hours I had been looking for a tricycle gear configuration. Prior to settling on the Zodiac, kits that were attractive to me as a potential match were the Kitfox, KR2, and Dragonfly. The former is fabric over tube construction, in which I have no build experience, and the latter two are wood or fiberglass/epoxy construction. I have experience building in wood and some glass work. I once helped a neighbor lay up some components of his Dragonfly. This is a very nice plane but less popular lately and I was a little concerned about builder support and allergic reactions to the epoxies. I have always seen the KR2's at shows but the relatively narrow cockpit concerned me regarding comfort on cross-country trips.

So I thought, why not learn how to construct an aircraft out of sheet aluminum .. all that riveting can't be that difficult with the right tools. What sold me on the Zodiac was the rudder class I attended last June (2005) at the Zenith Aircraft Company factory in Mexico, MO. There I learned the basics of sheet metal construction while completing a part of the aircraft .. the rudder. Sheet metal construction is straightforward and can be learned easily by most folks. It helped to have some coaches at this workshop to assure you that you were using correct technique. Also, setting rivets in the Zodiac is easy since this design uses (Avex) pop rivets. I also got to take a demo ride in the ZAC Zodiac demo plane. This aircraft handles and performs like the Cessnas in which I had learned to fly. Cruise and stall speeds are similar as well. The visibility is unlike any plane I have flown in because of the bubble canopy. I'm confident I have chosen the right aircraft for my first (maybe not my last) homebuilt aircraft project!

Most importantly is that my experimental amateur built (EAB) Zodiac is eligible to be flown as a Light Sport Aircraft; meaning I can fly this aircraft with my private ticket and my Indiana drivers license. It will not be a requirement that I get a FAA medical certificate. The only restriction is that I will not be able to fly at night under Sport Pilot rules.

Here are some links to the specifications and performance tables provided by ZAC.

Me standing in front of the Zenith Zodiac 601XL demo
aircraft while at the Zenith factory workshop. Nick Heintz took me
for a ride this day. This plane handles like a dream!

I started taking flying lessons again this past summer in the LSA pictured above, an Evektor SportStar. This aircraft and my flight instructor are based at Greenwood Municipal Airport (HFY) just south of Indianapolis. The Evektor SportStar has flight performance that very closely matches the Zodiac. In fact, two of the instructor's prior students are Zodiac builders.

 
     

Home | Engine | Tools | Tail | Wing | Fuselage

Contact:

  • This website and the author are not affiliated with Zenith Aircraft Company.
  • This site is for entertainment purposes only.
  • All views offered on this site are that of the author only. No claim is being made that the information on this site is accurate or error-free in any way.
  • The aircraft construction being documented on this web site is being built by a complete amateur. Thus, all the construction details on this site should be taken as such. It is in no way approved or endorsed by Zenith Aircraft Company or anyone else.
  • No warranty of any kind accompanies any information on this site. Your use of any information on this site is at your own risk.