Zenith CH-701 --> folding wings option.

[eightyknots]

I am interested in either building or -if the price is right- buying a STOL aircraft similar to the Zenith CH-701. I am looking at different options but, because of hangar costs I am now looking at the folding wing options on this plane (or similar).

 

I understand that folding wings can be retro-fitted as well.

 

One question which I would like answered by anyone who has one: how long does the whole folding process take?

 

A similar (looking) aircraft, the Eurofox, claims that the wing folding takes 10 minutes for one person. See:EuroFox sport planes, light sport aircraft, sportplanes.

 

Would the CH-701's fold time take a similar length of time:hug:?

 

 

[jetboy]

The folding wing option is only for long term storage - like over a snowed in winter etc.

 

It is nothing like the 9 mins or less I saw on an Avid flyer. In practice even Avids dont get folded unless they have to. the difference in hangar space is not that much.

 

With the 701, fuel has to be drained if there are wing tanks fitted, because it will flow out the vents when the wings are rotated. the struts have to be unbolted and the jury struts and putting the wings back in place without crunching up the root fairings is not easy. I have not got that option it is a knuckle joint that holds the wing root to the fuselage when the standard mounting points are unbolted. the standard points are still used for flight. I expect it would take 45 mins to acomplish this.

 

Ralph

 

 

[eightyknots]

I take your point about the difficulty with fuel leaking from the tanks as the wings are folded.

 

In the 'Zenith Aircraft kits 701' part of the forum on this website, micgrace wrote: "Apart from that, they fly reasonably well as claimed. (mine had R582 and no wing tanks)".

 

I wonder if he chose NOT to put the tanks in the wings because it is a pain to fold the wings due to the fuel leaking from the wings once they're folded.

 

I was also wondering, if anyone else elected to put the fuel tank somewhere else for this reason? If so, where may they be located safely??

 

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

 

 

[Guest brentc]

Hopefully David T will pick up on this thread - he has one. VK3A.. something is his username?

 

 

[viper52]

The original 701's had a tank in front of the instrument panel and no wing tanks.

 

When the design was upgraded to the 701SP to allow larger engines then the wing tanks where introduced.

 

I assume that using wing tanks, apart from allowing greater volume of fuel to be carried, also helped the weight and balance issues of the larger heavier engines.

 

 

[vk3auu]

Sorry, it has taken a while for me to get back to the page.

 

I have the extended baggage compartment and A friend of mine fabricated a 40 litre fuel tank to fit in the top of the front section. It is slightly behind the Centre of gravity so I have to make sure that I put heavier Items in the front of the baggage compartment or if no passenger, then on the seat. Also I need to use the fuel from the rear tank first to keep the C o G within the envelope.

 

All that being said, If I was doing it all again, I would put the tanks in the wings and forget about the folding wing option, which I don't have. I thought it looked too cumbersome and anyway, I don't need it as I have my own hangar.

 

Incidentally, I have taken off the leading edge slats and put on the vortex generators and one up it climbs out at 1700 feet per min with the 80 HP 912.

 

The aircraft is now for sale if anyone wishes to make a reasonable offer. Email me direct at vk3auu@dcsi,net.au

 

David

 

 

[derekliston]

I am interested in either building or -if the price is right- buying a STOL aircraft similar to the Zenith CH-701. I am looking at different options but, because of hangar costs I am now looking at the folding wing options on this plane (or similar).I understand that folding wings can be retro-fitted as well.

 

One question which I would like answered by anyone who has one: how long does the whole folding process take?

 

A similar (looking) aircraft, the Eurofox, claims that the wing folding takes 10 minutes for one person. See:EuroFox sport planes, light sport aircraft, sportplanes.

 

Would the CH-701's fold time take a similar length of time:hug:?

My recommendation would be to forget it. I spent a month or so fabricating the parts and installing them. First of all to say it is retrofittable is as close to a lie as you will ever come. It may have been true of the early models, I don't know, but on current models it is very difficult, the doors have a channel section above, to which the door is hinged. The cross tube has to fit through these channels but they cannot because they have welded tabs on each end and to remove the channels is actually a fairly major exercise. After much thought I manufactured circular clamps with the tabs attached which could slide over the cross tube and clamp to it. Problem solved I thought, wrong! the drawings illustrate the cockpit tubular frame as having the forward, side tubes cut and welded to the front of the fwd spar carry through, thus allowing the tube for the wing folding to sit beneath it, in actual fact, at least on my factory welded example these tubes are welded to the bottom of the carry through so the wing fold tube cannot be mounted vertically beneath so, after more thought I modified the brackets such that the cross tube was mounted as far forward as possible, all good? I thought so until I tried to fold the wing! with the tailplane mounted within Zenairs plan limits the wing won't fold without hitting the tailplane. J am now in the process of removing mine having wasted more time than I care to think of, not to mention the cost of the aircraft welder putting the parts together. I should have guessed because Zenair were almost reluctant to sell me the plans telling me "it's almost as quick to just remove the wings" For what it's worth before retiring I was a career LAME so I do have a bit of experience.

[rankamateur]

Forgetting the folding wings, you might as well build a Savannah Hank. Problems solved.

 

 

[derekliston]

Forgetting the folding wings, you might as well build a Savannah Hank. Problems solved.

Couldn't agree more! I would if I were doing it again.

[eightyknots]

My recommendation would be to forget it. I spent a month or so fabricating the parts and installing them. First of all to say it is retrofittable is as close to a lie as you will ever come. It may have been true of the early models, I don't know, but on current models it is very difficult, the doors have a channel section above, to which the door is hinged. The cross tube has to fit through these channels but they cannot because they have welded tabs on each end and to remove the channels is actually a fairly major exercise. After much thought I manufactured circular clamps with the tabs attached which could slide over the cross tube and clamp to it. Problem solved I thought, wrong! the drawings illustrate the cockpit tubular frame as having the forward, side tubes cut and welded to the front of the fwd spar carry through, thus allowing the tube for the wing folding to sit beneath it, in actual fact, at least on my factory welded example these tubes are welded to the bottom of the carry through so the wing fold tube cannot be mounted vertically beneath so, after more thought I modified the brackets such that the cross tube was mounted as far forward as possible, all good? I thought so until I tried to fold the wing! with the tailplane mounted within Zenairs plan limits the wing won't fold without hitting the tailplane. J am now in the process of removing mine having wasted more time than I care to think of, not to mention the cost of the aircraft welder putting the parts together. I should have guessed because Zenair were almost reluctant to sell me the plans telling me "it's almost as quick to just remove the wings" For what it's worth before retiring I was a career LAME so I do have a bit of experience.

Sorry to hear about your crook experience derek. And, thanks for informing the Forumites who might be looking for exactly this kind of information.

 

 

[derekliston]

Sorry to hear about your crook experience derek. And, thanks for informing the Forumites who might be looking for exactly this kind of information.

I have yet to see anything bad written on the Zenair factory forum (Surprise!) but there is a lot that I haven't liked about this kit. I am sure that eventually I'll have an aeroplane I am happy with but I wouldn't build another one!