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After dreaming of building my own airplane for ten
years, I finally ordered a Zenith CH701 kit in 2004. I went to a rudder
workshop at the Zenith factory in February 2005 to learn how to work
with aluminum and to bring home the rest of the kit. I am a competent
woodworker, but had never worked with metal. The workshop was a good
learning experience. After completing the rudder, the factory packed
everything into my van and I was homeward bound.
I built a 4’x12’ table in my garage. Getting it flat across the
entire length was challenging, but eventually I succeeded. Progress was
very slow for the first six months or so. I worried about making
mistakes and was, looking back, overly cautious. As I gained experience,
my confidence grew and I made steady progress in building the stabilizer
and elevator. The wings came next. Creating an airfoil and seeing the
big, fat wing take shape was exciting. I took the time to acid wash and
zinc chromate (using spray cans) all inside surfaces. It was probably
overkill, but I am confident that the aluminum will remain corrosion
free for many years. Finally I had the wings completed and stored—time
to build the fuselage.
It took me far longer to build the fuselage than I
imagined. The basic shell was relatively quick and easy, but the detail
work kept me busy for months. I used the Rotax 912ULS but opted for an
aftermarket firewall forward kit because I liked the look of the sleeker
cowl. Since then, Zenith has redesigned their cowling and it looks
similar to the one I have. Installing the engine and the various hoses
and cables and electrical hookups was my favorite part of the entire
build. By this time I had two years of steady work invested in my
airplane. I moved it out of the garage into a workshop which I
retrofitted with a garage door large enough to allow me to roll the
plane in and out. Time for the real detail work.
The most intimidating part of the build was figuring out the
electrical system. Everything electrical was new to me and I felt
overwhelmed, even after much reading and researching. I got over this
difficult task with the help of a fellow builder who taught me
everything he had learned from wiring his own CH701. His help was
invaluable and my airplane is safer and better because of his
suggestions. Although we started at the same time, he was flying his 701
while I was still deep in the building process. At times I think he was
concerned that I would never finish!
Finally in the fall of 2007 the airframe was complete and ready
for paint. Having never painted anything larger than a model airplane,
this was an intimidating moment. Lots of research and some helpful hints
from those with more experience gave me the confidence to shoot the
primer. I lined the walls and floor of the workshop and went at it. The
primer came out okay, so I masked the airframe and sprayed the colors,
using acrylic enamel automotive paint. While it might make a
professional painter cry, I am happy with the finish. The satisfaction
of doing it myself and learning a new skill in the process was worth a
few runs and blemishes.
Completing an airplane takes dedication and time—lots of time.
(It helps to have an understanding family!) The beginning was slow. I
gained confidence as I progressed, and by the end things proceeded at a
good pace. The next project would take much less time. I enjoyed
building. While it demanded more time and energy than I would have
guessed, it was also more rewarding than I imagined. I would do it again
in a heartbeat. For now, though, I am happy to be flying.
Jeff Beachy
Plain City,
Ohio
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