Progress of my CH701
S/N 5762
updated
May 16, 2005
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May 15, 2005 - I have begun laying out the patterns for the spars & ribs. The 701.com website builders resources has layout patterns for the .025" & .016" aluminum. It's great to have so many builders offering their experience & techniques open for all to use!
May 3, 2005 - Today is the official day for me to begin to build. I'll be making the forms for all the ribs first with the ribs & spars to follow. This is going to be fun!!
March 28, 2005 - I have decided to build from scratch after all. Aluminum is on order, the forms for the ribs & the workbench are going together this week!
January 20-21, 2005 - I attended the rudder workshop and built up my rudder successfully. It was great to not only go up for a ride in the 701 but to meet the staff at Zenith. After watching the detail they put into their work along with the experience of building the rudder I have decided to build from the kit. As much as I would like the chance to build from scratch my skills would be better used with the kit. Time to sit down & figure out a few things before ordering the kit - like building a larger garage first. I should have a few pictures posted soon from the flight & workshop.
December 31, 2004 - While looking over the past week for different engine options available for the 701 a thought had crossed my mind after walking into my garage. One engine that has a unique sound a great reliability these days is a Harley Davidson engine. Lo and behold a recent posting I read from Hog-Air had me seriously considering their addition to my choice for alternate engines. Looks like a possible road trip on my bike to Hog-Air once the weather warms up a bit in Minnesota.
I am now leaning towards a scratch built 701. It would be fun to hammer out a kit quickly, but building it from scratch is how I was brought up.
December 26, 2004 - Not much to update. I've been researching the various engine options I've found along with looking over the other builders customizations that have interesting features I am considering for my 701. Also in research is whether to build from scratch or the kit. Time will tell...
November 29, 2004 - Just in the planning phase of the pre-build of the CH701. Currently I am working with a friend who has built a Soneri a few years ago to learn about building an airplane -- so time will tell whether I start from scratch or go with the kit. My build date will be picked after I attend the Jan 2005 Rudder Workshop. Until then time will be spent learning the plans, looking at the pro's & con's of scratch vs. kit and planning a new garage
November 17, 2004 - Received the plans for the Zenith CH701 STOL!!
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