Zenith CH701

[praire sky]

these CH701 look like a well designed STOL type plane. lots of good information on these planes but like everything else they must have some negative issues. any information or experiences good or bad is welcome.

[CIDUS]

these CH701 look like a well designed STOL type plane. lots of good information on these planes but like everything else they must have some negative issues. any information or experiences good or bad is welcome.

The Zenith builders / owners have an active web site www.zenith.aero/
Always take an experienced pilot familiar with the type of aircraft you are considering purchasing. Never buy without an inspection by a person qualified to inspect the aircraft. The quality of the aircraft built varies wildly with the abilities of the builder. Never buy any aircraft with automotive conversion engine installed..not worth the trouble or your life. The CH701 / CH750 series can fly out of a 1000 ft back yard no problem if the approaches are clear. They glide like a brick, and only have an airspeed in the 85 - 95 mph cruise range. But they are extreme off-field ATV type aircraft. Climb in the 800 - 1200 fpm with Rotax 912 series engine. The CH750 kit is all CNC machined, rapid assembly is possible. I built my CH750 in 8 weeks at Can-Zac Aviation. The CH701 is a parts only kit that requires 1200 hrs to complete, you cut out every piece and drill every hole.
You can assemble both CH750 wings in 5 days.. I built the entire fuselage in 15 hrs and the aircraft went to the paint shop in 3 weeks. Check out the builders site for more info or contact Can-Zac's Mark Townsend.

[powerchute50]

A friend built a Land Africa, a clone of the 701 from Portugal. She built it in one winter. It has a Rotax 912. Nice airplane, but she is finding it very slow for travelling any distance. Trips to fly-in breakfasts take a lot longer in the new plane. It is an amazing stol aircart. Not as much room in the cabin as the 750, which improves on the basic 701 design. Other than cruise speed, she likes it a lot.

[praire sky]

The Zenith builders / owners have an active web site www.zenith.aero/
Always take an experienced pilot familiar with the type of aircraft you are considering purchasing. Never buy without an inspection by a person qualified to inspect the aircraft. The quality of the aircraft built varies wildly with the abilities of the builder. Never buy any aircraft with automotive conversion engine installed..not worth the trouble or your life. The CH701 / CH750 series can fly out of a 1000 ft back yard no problem if the approaches are clear. They glide like a brick, and only have an airspeed in the 85 - 95 mph cruise range. But they are extreme off-field ATV type aircraft. Climb in the 800 - 1200 fpm with Rotax 912 series engine. The CH750 kit is all CNC machined, rapid assembly is possible. I built my CH750 in 8 weeks at Can-Zac Aviation. The CH701 is a parts only kit that requires 1200 hrs to complete, you cut out every piece and drill every hole.
You can assemble both CH750 wings in 5 days.. I built the entire fuselage in 15 hrs and the aircraft went to the paint shop in 3 weeks. Check out the builders site for more info or contact Can-Zac's Mark Townsend.

thanks for pointing me to there web site. i understand that Zenith CNC most of the CH701 parts now also....they claim a 400 hr build time.

[CIDUS]

thanks for pointing me to there web site. i understand that Zenith CNC most of the CH701 parts now also....they claim a 400 hr build time.

Unless something has changed over night the CH701 kit remains a "material & plans" style kit. Not CNC cut and 100% pre-drilled. Build times of the CH701 is 1200+ hours. I have 3 friends with CH701's. Can-Zac built 3 CH750's while a builder attempted to finish build 1 CH701 at Can-Zac by builder assist program. Built time of the CH750 is an honest real world 600 hrs...I did it !

[james1964]

[planes fly great but the supplier isn't the best when it comes to support I know of three very experienced builders including me who gave up on there zenair project for lack of assistance. on inspections and tech problems. I will how ever get back to the some day
But a great plane to fly

[praire sky]

how far did you get on your build?

[CIDUS]

[planes fly great but the supplier isn't the best when it comes to support I know of three very experienced builders including me who gave up on there zenair project for lack of assistance. on inspections and tech problems. I will how ever get back to the some day
But a great plane to fly

James
I have seen Mark Townsend answer tech support questions regarding Zenith Aircraft on a 12 hr / 7 day a week basis when I built my aircraft at Can-Zac. I suggest your problems may have been with the former dealer Flypass or others. Since the recent move by Zenair, Midland...Ontario. to handle the Zenith product I will acknowledge the tech support sucks. Economic times force situations that are not always the best for the product, we shall see what the fuure hold from Zenair in Midland?
I strongly recommend you phone Mark Townsend to learn about the product or find a suitable aircraft to purchase. The time & effort will be worth the minimum effort of picking up a phone.

[Jonas]

It depends on what you want to do.
If you would like to intimately explore the world within a 100 mile radius of your home airport, landing where ever you want, on every gravel river bank and in your friends front yard, then the 701 is for you.
If you want to travel into a 40 knot headwind, and get somewhere on time, then it's not for you.

Also if you have long legs you might want to sit in one for an hour before you decide.

[praire sky]

It depends on what you want to do.
If you would like to intimately explore the world within a 100 mile radius of your home airport, landing where ever you want, on every gravel river bank and in your friends front yard, then the 701 is for you.
If you want to travel into a 40 knot headwind, and get somewhere on time, then it's not for you.

Also if you have long legs you might want to sit in one for an hour before you decide.thanks for that....I still haven't been around a 701 yet. hoping to go take a look at a 750 this winter and will probably go that way as it sounds they are easier to build and can still be flown with a ual permit in Canada.