CH 701 & CH 750
Zenair CH 701 on amphibious floats
Role Kit aircraft
Manufacturer Zenith Aircraft Company
Designer Chris Heintz
First flight 1986
Introduction 1986
Status In production
Produced 1986–present
Number built 870 (CH 701, December 2011)
45 (CH 750, December 2011)[1]
Variants Zenith STOL CH 801
A Zenith STOL CH 701 on wheels
A Czech Aircraft Works-built CH 701
AMD-built CH 750
CH 750
CH 750 instrument panel
CH 701 Turboprop
CH 701 Turboprop in flight

The Zenith STOL CH 701 and CH 750 are a family of light, two-place kit-built STOL aircraft designed by Canadian aeronautical engineer Chris Heintz through his Midland, Ontario, based company, Zenair. The CH 701 first flew in 1986 and the design is still in production.[1][2] The CH 750 was first introduced in 2008.[3] The CH 701 was later developed into the four-place Zenith STOL CH 801.[2][4]

The kit is produced and distributed in the US by the Zenith Aircraft Company of Mexico, Missouri, and complete drawings, including blueprints and manuals, are also available for the design. In Europe, the CH 701 was manufactured under license by Czech Aircraft Works (CZAW) from 1992 until 2006, when the license agreement was ended.

Design and development

Designed for off-runway operations, the all-metal CH 701 has many features that contribute to the aircraft's capabilities, such as a high-lift wing with full-span, non-movable leading edge slots, an all-flying rudder, large tires, flaperons and an inverted elevator. Heintz also designed a unique tricycle gear amphibious float system for the CH 701.[4]

Standard engines used are the 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 two-stroke, the 80 hp (60 kW) Rotax 912UL, the 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS and the 85 hp (63 kW) Jabiru 2200 four-stroke powerplants.[4][5] The aircraft has also been equipped with the JLT Motors Ecoyota engine,[6][7] as well as popular 4 cylinder Continental engines (A-65/C-85) which Zenith still offers an engine mount for.[8]

The STOL CH 701 has the unique distinction of being what is probably the most copied light aircraft in production today. Several dozen unauthorized versions have been produced around the world.[4][9]

Designed to the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association of Canada (LAMAC) design standard DS 10141, in its native country of Canada the CH 701 can be built and flown as a basic ultralight, advanced ultralight or amateur-built.[10][11] The CH 701 can be flown under microlight or ultralight rules in several other countries also. American pilots may fly the CH 701 under Light-sport Aircraft rules or as an experimental amateur-built.[2] The CH 750 is designed to comply with the US Light sport aircraft rules.[3]

Operational history

By the fall of 2007, 750 CH 701s had been completed and were flying.[2] In July 2014, representatives of the company gathered volunteers of the EAA Airventure airshow to build a CH-750 kit in a one-week timeframe.[12]

Variants

STOL CH 701
Original version. 960lbs gross and 10 gal header tank. steel spring gear and Rotax 503.[13]
STOL CH 701SP
Comes with two standard 10 U.S. gallons (38 L; 8.3 imp gal) wing tanks, solid aluminum spring gear. Smaller refinements to achieve a gross weight of 1100 lbs (500 kg).[14]
STOL CH 750
Introduced at AirVenture 2008, the STOL CH 750 has an enlarged cabin with wider doors and is optimized for US Light Sport Aircraft rules with a maximum takeoff weight of 1320 lbs (600 kg). Builders may also opt to register it for operation on water at 1430 lbs (650 kg) while remaining within the LSA limits, or as an experimental amateur-built aircraft up to 1440 lbs (655 kg.)[3][4] The STOL CH 750 was also to be factory-built by AMD as a Special Light Sport Aircraft but as of 2014 is listed by the FAA as no longer produced as an SLSA.[15]
CH750 Cruzer
CH 750 Cruzer
Introduced at Sun 'n Fun 2013, the CH-750 Cruzer uses a new wing without the leading-edge slats of the STOL CH 750, and a newly designed tail with a separate vertical fin and rudder, rather than the all-flying rudder of the STOL version. The model is optimized for cross-country speed rather than STOL capabilities, although the specified 350 ft (107 m) ground roll of the Cruzer qualifies as STOL by most definitions. It mounts wheel pants as standard (although these may be removed and larger wheels installed) and the prototype is powered by a 130 hp (97 kW) ULPower UL350is fuel injected engine, although other engines in the 100–160 hp (75–119 kW) range can be used.[16][17][18]
STOL CH750 Super Duty
This model introduced greater carrying capacity and climb capabilities. It can be powered by engines with a range of 150 to 230 hp (112 to 172 kW), with the prototype powered by a 205 hp (153 kW) Aero Sport Power IO-375 powerplant, which gave a cruise speed of 105 mph (169 km/h) and a rate of climb of 1350 fpm (6.9 m/s). Gross weight is 1,900 lb (862 kg), with a typical empty weight of 1,100 lb (499 kg).[19]
Nuncats Sky jeep
Electric-powered derivative of CH 750, that was first flown in January 2023.[20][21][22]

Operators

 India

Specifications (CH 701)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993-94[24] and Zenith Aircraft[25]

General characteristics

  • Crew: two
  • Length: 20 ft 11 in (6.38 m)
  • Wingspan: 27 ft 0 in (8.23 m)
  • Height: 8 ft 7 in (2.62 m)
  • Wing area: 122.0 sq ft (11.33 m2)
  • Aspect ratio: 5.98:1
  • Empty weight: 580 lb (263 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 1,100 lb (499 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 20 US Gal (76 L)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 912 four-cylinder liquid-cooled piston engine, 80 hp (60 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 85 mph (137 km/h, 74 kn) at sea level
  • Cruise speed: 80 mph (130 km/h, 70 kn)
  • Stall speed: 30 mph (48 km/h, 26 kn)
  • Never exceed speed: 110 mph (180 km/h, 96 kn)
  • Range: 372 mi (599 km, 323 nmi) with standard fuel
  • Endurance: 4.6 hours
  • Service ceiling: 12,000 ft (3,657.6 m)
  • g limits: +6/-3 (ultimate)
  • Rate of climb: 1,000 ft/min (5.1 m/s)
  • Wing loading: 9.0 lb/sq ft (44 kg/m2)

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 Vandermeullen 2011, p. 77.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Kitplanes Staff 2007, p. 80.
  3. 1 2 3 "STOL CH 750 Light sport Utility." Zenith Aircraft Company, July 2008. Retrieved: September 4, 2017
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Bayerl et al. 2011, p. 128.
  5. ↑ "STOL CH 701 Engine." Zenith Aircraft, January 12, 2009. Retrieved: September 5, 2017.
  6. ↑ Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, pages 256-257. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X
  7. ↑ JLT Motors (2007). "Le Nouveau Moteur 4 Temps Pour Ulm". ecoyota.neuf.fr. Archived from the original on 14 October 2008. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  8. ↑ "STOL CH 701 Engine / Powerplant". www.zenithair.com. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  9. ↑ 'STOL CH701.' Zenith Aircraft. Retrieved: September 5, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Ultra-light Transition Strategy." Transport Canada, April 2007. Retrieved: September 4, 2017.
  11. ↑ "Listing of models eligible to be registered as advanced Ultra-Light aeroplanes (AULA)." Transport Canada, November 2007. Retrieved: September 4, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Aviation community unites behind one week wonder." Airventure Today, July 27, 2014, p. 4. Retrieved: September 4, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Zenith STOL Serial No. 001 flies again — General Aviation News". generalaviationnews.com. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  14. ↑ "STOL CH 701 Performance and Specifications: Real Short Take Off and Landing performance". www.zenithair.com. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  15. ↑ Federal Aviation Administration, "List of Approved SLSA." FAA. Retrieved: September 4, 2017.
  16. ↑ Niles, Russ. "Zenair Introduces CH-750 Cruzer." AVweb, April 12, 2013. Retrieved: September 4, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Zenith CH 750/Cruzer Comparison." Zenith Aircraft. Retrieved: September 4, 2017.
  18. ↑ Tacke et al. 2015, p. 135.
  19. ↑ "Zenith Aircraft Company". zenithair.net. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  20. ↑ Batchelor 2021, p. 62.
  21. ↑ Calderwood, Dave. "'Electric sky jeep' from Old Buckenham company". Flyer, 11 May 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  22. ↑ O'Connor, Kate (30 January 2023). "Electric Zenith CH 750 Completes First Flight". AVweb. Archived from the original on 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  23. ↑ "Airscene: Aero India" 2001, pp. 254–255.
  24. ↑ Lambert 1993, p. 41.
  25. ↑ "STOL CH 701 Performance and specifications." Zenith Aircraft. Retrieved: September 4, 2017.

Bibliography

  • "Airscene: Aero India." Air International, Volume 60, Issue 4, April 2001. ISSN 0306-5634.
  • Batchelor, Tom. "The electric sky jeep". Air International, Vol. 101, No. 1, July 2021. pp. 62–66. ISSN 0306-5634.
  • Bayerl, Robby, Martin Berkemeier, et al. World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12. Lancaster UK: WDLA UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X.
  • Kitplanes Staff. "2008 Kit Aircraft Directory." Kitplanes, Volume 24, Number 12, December 2007. ISSN 0891-1851.
  • Lambert, Mark, ed. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993-94. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Data Division, 1993. ISBN 0-7106-1066-1.
  • Tacke, Willi, Marino Boric, et al. "World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16." Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X.
  • Vandermeullen, Richard: "2011 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide." Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011. ISSN 0891-1851
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