Used Zenith Aircraft For Sale - The nice part about looking for a secondhand STOL CH 701 (or the follow-on STOL CH 750 and its Cruzer and Super Duty versions) is that the original kit supplier is still around. Zenith continues to produce improved versions of the same product, so factory support is a given. After 35 years, there's not a lot that isn't known about the CH 701. Even if it is an Experimental aircraft, each flying example is free to vary somewhat from its littermates, the underlying concept has proven sound.
Lastly, I prefer the 100-hp version versus an 80-hp 912 in a high-density altitude environment. I absolutely could not do what I do, and where I do it, without the additional 20 hp. AirVenture and the factory in Mexico, Missouri; both trips were in excess of 1300 nautical miles round trip. My plane is probably the best equipped 701 out there, with a two-axis autopilot that makes these long trips so much more enjoyable.
Used Zenith Aircraft For Sale
In the May 1995 issue, we called the Zenith STOL CH 701 “more than just a pretty face” as a tongue-in-cheek reference to its rather ungainly, but highly purposeful, appearance. First flown in 1986, the little CH 701 is a perfect example of form following function. Everything about it was designed for a specific purpose. When Chris Heintz laid down its lines, he was all about making it simple to build, easy to fly and rugged enough to hold up in the field.
Performance And Handling
My airplane is the “Super 701” that you can look up on the internet. I have the 130-hp ULPower engine, and I compete in STOL contests like the Lone Star Competition in Gainesville, Texas. I built it a little heavy, so it weighs 700 pounds empty, but it could have been built 100 pounds lighter. Speed depends on how much fuel and power you want to use; I can get it to the 110-mph Vne, but I normally cruise at 90 to 95 mph. What it's designed for, of course, is short-field performance. I have a 300-foot strip here at home, and when taking off, I don't use more than half of it.
While long cross-country trips in a CH 701 are possible, its light wing loading (nine pounds per square foot) and 85-mph cruise speed mean that extensive travel isn't its long suit. What it is uniquely suited for is popping in and out of small landing spaces with a light load of gear. Visibility is outstanding in every direction but above the wing, and dipping into a turn even cures that, thanks to the glass roof and scarfed wing root.
I built a Zenith CH 750 Cruzer, powered by an O-320 Lycoming that delivers excellent performance. I made the first flight in 2017. It takes off in less than 200 feet, even without the slats on the wings, and it cruises at 115 –118 mph without effort. I did install vortex generators along the wing and on the horizontal and vertical tail. The Cruzer wing uses a cleaner single-strut design compared to the CH 701, and of course, I have a 1440-pound gross weight to accommodate the larger engine.
Much of the value of a flying homebuilt will be found in the instrument panel and engine, so there can be a wide variance depending on hours since overhaul and how extensive the avionics are. Full-boat STOL CH 750s might be priced at $75,000–$100,000 or more, while a very basic CH 701 with an off-brand engine might be found in the $30,000 range (caveat emptor). If taking over an uncompleted project, discount the “percentage finished” by half; that old adage of “90 percent done, 50 percent to go” still applies, especially when restarting the learning curve.
What To Look For
I extensively upgraded the avionics to the latest state-of-the-art Dynon glass panel EFIS and engine monitoring avionics. I also had a Dynon autopilot, Garmin 696 GPS, UAT ADS-B Out and Kannad digital ELT installed. awesome upgrades like LED wigwag landing lights and custom electrically controlled flaps with a Ray Allen LED flap position indicator.
As Zenith Aircraft president Sebastien Heintz says, “Popularity of the STOL CH 701 actually continues to grow over the years, mainly because it does what it was designed to do so well. and bush airplanes lately. Not many of the more than 1000 STOL CH 701s flying today can be found at airports. Most are operated from short off-airport grass fields.”
I made the first flight of my Zenith CH 701 in July 2011 and I have 1000 hours on it now; I've flown it to Oshkosh three times. I think the only choices for an engine are a Rotax or a Rotax. hp912 is perfect for the airplane.
The CH 701's 40-inch-wide cockpit can be snug for two, with 40 pounds of baggage allowed on the shelf behind the seats. Domed door windows on some airplanes enhance cabin room and visibility. If you want more room, look for a CH 750. The doors were hinged at the front to fold forward 180° on a few early models, while the later top-hinged versions simply swing up under the wing. attains 40 inches of cockpit width.
Design Details
I've built two Zenith CH 701s and remodeled one, beginning in 1998, so I am well familiar with the airplane. The Zenith people are great to work with; they come up to Alaska every year for the Alaska Aviation show and I help them in the display booth. I never fly on wheels, just floats and skis, because I live on a private lake.
Not everyone wants extreme STOL performance, so to optimize cross-country performance the CH 750 Cruzer version, introduced in 2013, did away with the leading-edge slats for a cleaner wing. Lastly, returning to the extra-STOL roots, the latest CH 750 Super Duty scales up the lightweight CH 701/750 airframe to handle power from a four-cylinder Lycoming-style engine. back, and the novel “Unpanel” movable glass instrument panel. The CH 750 SD grosses at 1900 pounds.
The earlier models have an issue with the forward horizontal stabilizer attach brackets cracking. They were originally made with .040-inch 6061, and when cracks started to show up, this was increased to .063. I built mine with the heavier gauge, and They have survived 700 hours of rough use with zero cracking issues.
When evaluating a used CH 701, it might be well to look for dings and damage accumulated in off-airport rough-field use by overly enthusiastic pilots. As Sebastien Heintz puts it, “Metal airplanes like the STOL CH 701 are great for inspections as You can't easily hide structural damage. Sheet metal buckles, showing signs of overstress.”
Engine Options
The earliest CH 701s had a single fuselage fuel tank and were powered by two-stroke Rotaxes, the 50-hp 503 or 64-hp 582, which were adequate for its gross weight of 960 pounds. , for builders to want more of everything, including the 80–100 hp Rotax 912 four-stroke engine, and the CH 701 SP was developed with 10-gallon wing tanks and a gross weight of 1100 pounds. The beefier STOL CH 750 came along in 2008 to take full advantage of the 1320-pound Light Sport Aircraft weight limit, with bigger doors, aft windows and a wider cabin; as an Experimental kitbuilt airplane, the CH 750's gross weight can be as high as 1440 pounds.
I am the third owner of the “Big Lizard” STOL CH 701 that was featured in Christopher Desmond's backcountry STOL adventure flying videos in the early 2000s. My E/A-B aircraft was built in 2003, before some of the later Zenith 701 kit improvements became available. I can't say enough about the Zenith factory people who supported me and helped me with upgrades.
For would-be buyers not familiar with the CH 701, I advise having a prebuy inspection performed by someone who is very familiar with these planes. You can also get lots of help from the Zenith factory folks. Zenith support is second to none, and the STOL CH 701 is awesome!
At crazy angles of attack, tail strikes on the ground are common. The problem is when the rudder smacks the ground, it has a tendency to bend the top longerons where the hinge is attached, and that could lead to cracking. Mine has not cracked but during the condition inspection on a friend's 701, cracked longerons were discovered, which required repair.
Inspecting the landing gear and its attach points is the most important thing. It's easy enough to stand behind the plane to see if both wheels cant in at the bottom equally; if the plane has had a hard landing it is likely that one side will have less camber than the other. If they don't appear equal, then the plane can be rolled back and forth a few times and rechecked. If the wheels still don't look equal, it's likely the gear has been bent and a closer inspection of the airframe is in order. Zenith designed that gear to bend before the fuselage is damaged.
Firstly, plenty of good quality photos and a walk-around video of the finished aircraft will help. Also, a really keen builder will generally have a very good record and photos of their build process; this evidence is usually passed from owner to owner and is a good indicator of the care initially put into the aircraft.
My takeaway with the Zenith CH 701 is that there’s a lot of family support among the builders and flyers. You’ll find it in the Facebook groups for Zenith builders and Zenith flyers, and on the Zenith Aero site.
Lowering the flaperons is allowed below 60 mph; trying to do it at a faster speed gives you a hand-delivered message that you need to slow down. Slow speed flight with the flaperons deployed is rather like tooling around in a helicopter. can be expected in the low 30s (the pitot tube is unreliable at high angles), with a bit more break displayed at the stall when the flaperons are extended. For landing approaches a 50-mph target speed is a good beginning, until you get used to the rapid drag rise when power is reduced to idle in the flare. It's easy to get stopped in a couple of hundred feet; the spec table shows an 80-foot rollout.
Nearly every component of the STOL CH 701 is aimed at ultra-low-speed bush flying, including full-span flaperons, fixed leading-edge wing slats, effective controls and rugged, easy-to-repair structure. for a reason. The kit's content has matured greatly over 35 years, so later-built airplanes will benefit from CNC-cut and predrilled parts, and the availability of options like electric elevator trim.
The Rotax 912 ULS engine's TBO was originally lower than the 2000 hours it is now. Because my engine was over the earlier TBO, I elected to replace it for peace of mind. The maximum gross weight was 1000 pounds when built in 2003, later upgraded in newer Zenith 701 kits to 1100 pounds. With Zenith's help I had the stronger parts installed, like the wing spar/cabin frame attach points, to bring my airplane up to the gross higher weight. And I changed the doors to the bubble window shape for downward improved visibility and elbow room.
The landing gear is designed to take some off-road punishment; a stout one-piece aluminum spring is used for the main gear, and the steerable bungee-sprung nose gear strut carries a tire equal to the 16-inch mains. gear works well and is by far the most prevalent, tailwheel gear is optional for those who insist, along with skis and Zenair-designed floats. The fuel system consists of two welded-aluminum wing tanks holding 10 gallons each; 12.5 gallon tanks are a later option.
Zenith Aircraft kits were always designed to be completed with common hand tools like aviation shears, pulled-rivet guns and electric drills. That criteria makes it possible to build the CH 701 from plans, if a hard-core builder wants to scrounge up sheet aluminum and form their own ribs. The lack of compound curves is evident to the onlooker, simplifying such construction.
My Zenith STOL CH 701 is very good little airplane; I took 18 months and 1600 hours to build it in 2008–2009. I spent 300 hours studying the building instructions and 1300 hours actually putting it together. the Rotax 912S engine.
Cruising is mostly a matter of using whatever power setting you find comfortable. Top speed isn't far off from what you'll find at a quieter 4800 or 5000 rpm with the Rotax 912, normally 80 to 85 mph. responsive, other than some stiffness in the rudder circuit from the nose gear steering. The big flaperons generate a bit of adverse yaw, so you'll need rudder input to accompany the stick movement.
I have purchased multiple Zenith CH 701s for clients here in New Zealand. To date, I have been involved in the purchase of 12 units from the U.S. I guess there are really only a few simple things to consider, especially if you can't physically get to look at the aircraft yourself, like our situation in New Zealand.
I've flown the airplane from mid-Missouri to West Virginia, North Carolina, Texas, the Dakotas and, of course, Oshkosh. It's comfortable in 6°F weather with my exhaust-muff heater, and it cruises comfortably at 90 mph with the installed autopilot. My favorite use for the airplane is landing on sandbars in the Missouri River and camping there overnight.
I did modify the flat roof to a curved shape behind the windshield, which alleviates some buffeting up there, and I put on the streamlined lift struts from the CH 750. I believe those changes let me cruise with less rpm than the stock CH 701. But if you want to go places fast, buy something else; that's not what the 701 is for. Nothing else does what it does, however.
Heintz's favorite construction medium is 6061-T6 aluminum, an alloy known for its corrosion resistance, with bits and pieces joined by thousands of aircraft-grade Avex pulled rivets. The CH 701's fat high-lift wing section is mirrored by the reverse airfoil of the horizontal tail, giving it the “down lift” needed for low-speed effectiveness. The wing's fixed slats, more or less invisible to the airflow at cruise, come into play at high angles of attack, joining the drooping offset flaperons for amazing feats of The STOL CH 701's quoted maximum lift coefficient is 3.10, very close to that of a Boeing airliner in landing configuration. A notched wing root enhances cockpit visibility. The Hoerner wingtips supposedly extend the effective span of the wing by 12 inches.
Rather than paint, the entire airplane is covered with 3M 1080 vinyl wrap. I have a GRT EIS 4000 in the panel, along with two iPads and an MGL V6 transceiver. The AHRS and moving map are supported by a Levil Avionics 3AW driving the two iPads.
Not everything that looks like a STOL CH 701 has roots as a Zenith kit. Zenith still sells plans to scratch-build the airplane, so it's possible for a builder to put together an aircraft from scrounged-up bits and pieces (although it would be much easier to buy at least some parts from the factory) if wanting to go it alone. A Czechoslovakian license-built version was produced for the European market from 1992 to 2006. In addition, there have been some knockoff CH 701 imitations built, always the mark of a successful design.
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