ms_aerovelo Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Hi there! Just joined the forum to get more information and discuss with others about building a Zenith CH-750/701 (still weighing the pro' and con's of both but the 750 is winning...) I'm not new to aviation, aircraft maintenance engineer for the last 20 odd years, an uncurrent pilots licence and a few other bits and pieces ;) My partner is this project is equally skilled so we have decided to scratch build the thing.... Look forwards to interacting with you along the way! Be prepared...I like to ask lots of questions!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Welcome. I always think building with a few others must be advantageous. Melbourne is a big place.Where do you intend to operate at? Nev 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ms_aerovelo Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share Posted June 23, 2015 Welcome. I always think building with a few others must be advantageous. Melbourne is a big place.Where do you intend to operate at? Nev Cheers, thanks! Out Bacchus Marsh or Melton at this stage. Impossible to get any sort of hangar space here at YLTV Of course we are also considering just getting our own property and sticking a hangar on that "living the dream" so to speak ;) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recflyer Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Hi there!Just joined the forum to get more information and discuss with others about building a Zenith CH-750/701 (still weighing the pro' and con's of both but the 750 is winning...) I'm not new to aviation, aircraft maintenance engineer for the last 20 odd years, an uncurrent pilots licence and a few other bits and pieces ;) My partner is this project is equally skilled so we have decided to scratch build the thing.... Look forwards to interacting with you along the way! Be prepared...I like to ask lots of questions!! Welcome! The 750 looks awesome aesthetically. Dan Johnson might have some info on his website. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_d Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Welcome! I'm scratch building the 701 in Tassie (I bought the plans before the 750 was released). I have to admit that if I had my time over, and had the money at the time, I'd have bought a kit or better still a damaged aircraft to repair. Parts of the process are fun and I'm looking forward to the sense of achievement when it's finished... but it's hard slog to create every bit yourself. If you're into the 750 or 701, have a chat to Allan@Bendigo , he's the Zenith rep in Australia and has built a 750. Whatever you decide to do - enjoy! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ms_aerovelo Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share Posted June 23, 2015 Welcome!I'm scratch building the 701 in Tassie (I bought the plans before the 750 was released). I have to admit that if I had my time over, and had the money at the time, I'd have bought a kit or better still a damaged aircraft to repair. Parts of the process are fun and I'm looking forward to the sense of achievement when it's finished... but it's hard slog to create every bit yourself. If you're into the 750 or 701, have a chat to Allan@Bendigo , he's the Zenith rep in Australia and has built a 750. Whatever you decide to do - enjoy! Thanks! Yeah we have contacted Allan - plenty of information in that guy :) Both of us are engineers so we have that sick desire to build from scratch ;) - we also have a time line and don't expect it to be too easy! (I work for an aircraft manufacturer - and the kit looks pretty easy to be honest, but that is from my perspective hehe) I guess we will see in a couple of years time - be a good test of our resolve, not to mention whether or not we kill each other in the process! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly_tornado Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 urgh scratch building, what a horrible way to build a plane. have you tried scratch building an RC plane, just to get a feel for the amount of extra time it takes to fabricate parts? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ms_aerovelo Posted June 24, 2015 Author Share Posted June 24, 2015 urgh scratch building, what a horrible way to build a plane.have you tried scratch building an RC plane, just to get a feel for the amount of extra time it takes to fabricate parts? No... but I have "scratch built" a few real aircraft now, including experimental parts etc.... ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Then you have some idea what you are talking about. I will have to catch up with you sometime. I'm at New Gisborne VIC. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly_tornado Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 oh sweet, how long does it take to build a real aircraft from scratch? Being an engineer gives you a real advantage, M161a on this forum is building a F4U Corsair replica from scratch. Personally, I wouldn't go for something common like a CH750, the resale isn't going to be much once its finished or if you have to sell it half finished. I would build something really desirable like a Fieseler Fi 156. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ms_aerovelo Posted June 24, 2015 Author Share Posted June 24, 2015 Then you have some idea what you are talking about. I will have to catch up with you sometime. I'm at New Gisborne VIC. No worries - we are in Melbourne, but I work at YLTV during the week... Yeah I have an idea about what is involved (warbirds are a good place to look when it comes to manufacturing parts from scratch ha!)....but I am an engineer long before I'll ever claim to be a pilot! I have spoken to a few people out this way and it is funny the opposing view points from those of us from the aircraft maintenance world to the pilots regarding building from scratch Realistically, I was told not to look at the kit laid out on the ground as it can overwhelm some builders....I looked at it and wondered where the rest of it was, my exact thoughts were "is that all?" - my background is a little different I guess. My partner and I are of the same mindset when it comes to making things and are very excited to get stuck in, we also have the luxury of just being able to order individual parts considered "too hard" or easier to just buy rather than manufacture, but the sheetmetal stuff is simple and straightforward to me...and there are no solid shank rivets! (How easy is that?!) 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ms_aerovelo Posted June 24, 2015 Author Share Posted June 24, 2015 oh sweet, how long does it take to build a real aircraft from scratch? Being an engineer gives you a real advantage, M161a on this forum is building a F4U Corsair replica from scratch. Personally, I wouldn't go for something common like a CH750, the resale isn't going to be much once its finished or if you have to sell it half finished. I would build something really desirable like a Fieseler Fi 156. We are working this out over a 5-8 year project plan.... We are going for the CH 750 after discussions with many people about getting into this. We originally intended to design from scratch as my partner is a mech engineer and I have a few aerospace eng mates.... but the aero eng people talked us out of that!! (For obvious reasons....being involved with a new type certification process now I completely understand why....ugh) The CH 750 suits the end purpose (camping trips here there and everywhere) and from a maintenance perspective the thing is dead simple and easy to maintain (VFR, and I can sign any of the maintenance myself) not to mention choice of RAA or CASA....(personally I'm leaning towards CASA but that is only because I know their legislation...more research required of course) As for selling....I'm planning on being buried in this thing or we can just pass it on to our kids! The decision on what to get/make/how has been nearly 6 months in the making so far..... F4U Corsair replica from scratch would be nice, I know someone here building a scale Hurricane from scratch....but I'll be staying away from owning building my own warbird type aircraft....ha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_d Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Get them to take the wings off before they bury you in it, the hole won't have to be as big. Oh, and they could sell the Rotax too, that'd probably pay for the funeral! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farri Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Hi there!Just joined the forum to get more information and discuss with others about building a Zenith CH-750/701 (still weighing the pro' and con's of both but the 750 is winning...)! aerovelo!... I`ve got quite a few hrs as pic in a Zenith 701, which belonged to a father and son I instructed, way back when! It was imported, in kit form, from the USA...It was housed here on my property for 10 years...I found it easy to fly, so much so, I called it a lazy pilots aircraft. What I didn`t like about it, was the rattling of the side panels of the fuselage, also, the handle to deploy the flaps was flush on the floor and difficult to get the hand under it...I solved that with a slight modification to the handle... Oh! I hated the buttons on the engine cowl...Difficult to get the cowl back on. Frank 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Perry Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 Hiya MS. . . Sounds like you're going to have a great time building that, and I hope you keep in touch on the forum re your progress,. by the time you fisnish it, I'll probably be in that place where all the crap pilots go post mortem oh, and one other thing, . . PLEASE don't bury YOURSELF in it ? ? Die of something painless & comfortable with the great - grandkids all around you please. . . . . Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_d Posted June 27, 2015 Share Posted June 27, 2015 aerovelo!... I`ve got quite a few hrs as pic in a Zenith 701, which belonged to a father and son I instructed, way back when! It was imported, in kit form, from the USA...It was housed here on my property for 10 years...I found it easy to fly, so much so, I called it a lazy pilots aircraft.What I didn`t like about it, was the rattling of the side panels of the fuselage, also, the handle to deploy the flaps was flush on the floor and difficult to get the hand under it...I solved that with a slight modification to the handle... Oh! I hated the buttons on the engine cowl...Difficult to get the cowl back on. Frank I think the 750 fixed those "oil-canning" problems, the skins are 0.020" rather than the 701's 0.016" for a start. The stab span is also longer and I believe the MTOW is 600kg rather than the 701's 500kg, which allows for a greater range of engines and more load. If the plans had been available before I'd started the 701 I'd have gone with that for sure. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farri Posted June 27, 2015 Share Posted June 27, 2015 I think the 750 fixed those "oil-canning" problems. I`m not familiar with the 750...The owner of the 701 I spoke about, tried to reduce the flexing of the side panels, which were causing the rattling, by gluing sheets of polystyrene to the inside...It did have an effect, but didn`t correct it completely. By the way! That aircraft left the property here, because the owner, purchased a block of land just a few nautical miles south of here, with enough area to have a strip! He built a shed and that`s where it is housed and flown from. I lost a 701 to fly... Frank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ms_aerovelo Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 Hiya MS. . .Sounds like you're going to have a great time building that, and I hope you keep in touch on the forum re your progress,. by the time you fisnish it, I'll probably be in that place where all the crap pilots go post mortem oh, and one other thing, . . PLEASE don't bury YOURSELF in it ? ? Die of something painless & comfortable with the great - grandkids all around you please. . . . . Phil Not "literally" buried in it, no more a way of saying we have no intention of selling this - it will be handed on to kids Farri - getting the block of land and the shed is our goal as well eventually! Living the dream....sorry you lost the 701 to fly though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planedriver Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Sounds like you'll get there without too many problems. Good luck Planey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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