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Member Projects |
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Member Projects |
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2006 |
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As part of our Winter vacation in February 2006 my wife, Sandy, and I
went to the Zenith Rudder Workshop at the factory in Mexico, Missouri.
Working together, we finished a Zenith 701 rudder in two days. Each of us also got a demo ride in the factory's 701. That ride sold us on the 701. A few days after returning home, Sandy asked, "Well, when are you going to order that airplane kit?" I promptly knocked over a chair and stepped on the cat in my rush to get to a telephone to place my order. My kit was ready for pick up at the end of May 2006. We borrowed Dave Van Lanen's Chevy van and headed to Mexico (MO, that is.) At the factory, I found that we could have easily stuffed two kits in the van. Upon returning home I inventoried the parts and stored a good share of them under my workbench. The plans and instruction manual are some of the best I have seen. The kit parts are also of high quality. So far I have screwed up only one factory part and that cost only $10 to replace. I also found a mistake on one spar, but Zenith quickly sent me material and instructions on how to correct it. I will post my progress periodically on this website. I made good progress through the summer, completing the empennage and the wing skeletons. A trip to Alaska, work, hunting and Christmas preparations kept me from doing much through the end of 2006. January 2, 2007 I will be skinning the wings and hopefully by Spring the fuselage will be under construction. (Click photos for a larger image) |
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 Completed Rudder at Zenith Factory |
Leveling bench with laser |
Horizontal Stabilizer |
Skinning Stabilizer |
Trimming Elevator trailing edge |
Almost ready for rivets |
Riveting Horizontal Stabilizer |
Drilling Elevator Hinge |
Center Elevator Hinge attach |
Completed Empennage |
Wing Nose Ribs |
Left Wing Skeleton |
Left Rear Strut Bracket |
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2007 |
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More to Come..... |
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