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DESIGN NEW Photos CONSTRUCTION Follow
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The underlying philosophy behind the STOL CH 801 kit is to provide the builder with everything needed to complete the STOL CH 801 airframe - with only basic tools and skills. Drawing upon Zenair’s 25 year kit aircraft manufacturing and design experience, the kit is developed for maximum ease of construction, while using only materials and parts of the highest quality. The STOL CH 801 kit is estimated to require only about 750 hours to build from the complete factory-supplied kit.
The airframe kit takes straight-forward and basic assembly work to put together using only simple tools, such as an electric hand drill, a hand rivet puller, ‘Cleco’ temporary fasteners, a set of wrenches, a few hand files, sheet-metal snips, etc. Importantly, virtually no jigs and fixtures are needed in the building process, as all sections are built up from the flat workbench. A bending brake, shear or other machinery is not needed, and assembly is easily done in a single car garage or basement workshop.
Pre-assembled parts (such as the wing spar) are factory-treated with zinc-chromate primer for maximum corrosion resistance. Welded parts, such as the engine mount, control assemblies, and fuel tank, will come factory welded and ready to install. The STOL CH 801 kit is complete: the heavy-duty landing gear system, hydraulic brake system, fiberglass wing tips, control systems, welded aluminum fuel tanks, etc., are standard equipment in the complete airframe kit. The STOL CH 801 builder is able to start assembly right away after taking delivery of the kit. Working from a flat table, the builder can immediately begin assembly - simply by measuring, drilling and riveting, and thus progress through the whole airframe section by section, aided by the detailed step-by-step manuals and visual photo guides supplied with the kit. Building the all-metal STOL CH 801 is straight forward, requiring no complex jigs, and no messy (and hazardous) doping or epoxy work is involved. With the proven and simple all-metal construction technique, the STOL CH 801 builder does not have to worry about having a temperature controlled dust-free work-shop environment, and does not have to mix compounds and wait for parts to cure. A new aircraft design and kit, the STOL CH 801 kit and its assembly processes are completely new, yet draw on Zenith Aircraft's extensive kit manufacturing experience. Assembly of the kit does not rely on static blueprints, but makes extensive use of a very comprehensive series of step-by-step photo manuals with hundreds of very detailed photos with brief text instructions. Digital photo and video technology has allowed us to capture all the building steps in minute detail, with the ability to reproduce the high resolution images in simple and logical step-by-step manuals. In addition to supplying all the pre-formed and cut parts for the aircraft, positioning holes (rivet and bolt holes) have been pre-jigged and pilot drilled at the factory. More than 4,000 rivet holes are pre-drilled at the factory in every kit! All the builder has to do is line the parts together, and finish drilling and riveting the assembly together. Surprisingly, there is very little need for measuring and setting up, reducing the need for actual blueprints, and making the project suitable for the true amateur builder. Assembly of the kit is divided into many small modular projects, allowing the builder to focus on one small section at the time before moving on to the next. For instance, the wing is divided into numerous sub-sections. This modular sequential approach minimizes required workspace, and also allows builders to buy the kit sections as they progress through the project.
Designer Chris Heintz' extensive light aircraft engineering experience has allowed the development of an aircraft that minimizes the actual number of parts in the aircraft (thus saving the builder cost and and assembly labor) and Zenith Aircraft's comprehensive kit manufacturing experience and capability allows us to do factory sub-assemblies and components for the basic kit parts. Our basic philosophy with the kit is to provide all the parts and components ready for assembly, so that they require only basic skills and tools to be put together. If an assembly requires a special jig or critical measurements, the assembly is pre-jigged or built at the factory or supplied with the jig with the kit. Critical and time-consuming assemblies, such as the control systems, are completed at the factory and supplied ready for final assembly. Customers will find the STOL CH 801 kit to be easy and enjoyable to build, even for novice first-timers, and it should take less time to put together than most two-seat kit aircraft on the market. Parts Manufacturing at the Zenith Aircraft factory:
The STOL CH 801 builder is buying more than a box full of aircraft kit parts: We take customer support seriously, and take pride in the reputation we’ve developed over the last twenty years. Our relationship with the customer only begins when the kit is delivered. Direct factory support is always available - just a phone call, FAX or email message away, which is promptly answered by the same professionals who build the kits. The ZENITH.AERO online community is an exclusive resource for builders and pilots of Zenith aircraft, and is another form of continuous builder support, providing ongoing updates, building tips and news from fellow builders. Also, there are already hundreds of active Zenith Aircraft builders around the world, happy to help other local builders complete their projects. Factory workshops at the allow first-time builders to gain hands-on experience in building their own aircraft with the guidance and help of experienced factory professionals.
START BUILDING FOR JUST A FEW
HUNDRED DOLLARS ! If you’re ready to start building your
own airplane, but aren’t sure that you have the required skills and want to learn
more about building, the introductory Starter Kit has been developed just for you. The
Starter Kit includes the complete kit for the rudder tail section of the STOL CH 801 and
comes with a detailed and illustrated 'step-by-step' assembly manual - everything you need
to get started!
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© Zenith Aircraft Company: 2012-07-06 |
All you'll need to get
started is a level workbench and basic hand tools. The detailed and illustrated photo
manuals guide the builder through the entire kit assembly process following a logical
step-by-step sequence. All kit components, parts and hardware are supplied – labeled
and numbered for easy identification. Every airframe bolt, fastener, and rivet is supplied
with the standard kit.
In the kit, all the
wing ribs and fuselage bulkheads will be supplied pre-formed. For example, the internal
wing ribs are first press-formed, with lightening holes cut and flanged, and then hand
finished at the factory for a perfect ready-to-install fit. The heavy-duty wing spars come
complete with all solid (bucked) rivets already set by factory professionals. Surface
skins - wings, ailerons, elevator, rudder, and fuselage - are ready for fitting.
