Zenith introduces the STOL CH 750 light sport utility aircraft at Oshkosh AirVenture.

• STOL CH 750 Details, Photos and Videos

From the zenith.aero online community for builders and flyers: 
Photo depicting an extreme short take-off in the STOL CH 701, submitted by Johann Johannsson of Iceland:

"Our club held a short field take off competition and I won. 29 meters from stop over the string at 1 meter height."

STOL CH 701 "climbing like a homesick angel."

Taxiing a STOL CH 701

Fun flying the STOL CH 701 with the doors off...

Guy Kane's STOL CH 701 from New Caledonia (French islands located in the southwest Pacific).

In September and October 2008, Guy Kane and his plane took part in the "Lapérouse Expedition," a major French expedition to research the 18th century explorer Lapérouse's mysterious shipwreck in the south Pacific.  Guy used the float-equipped 701 for aerial photography and to transport expedition personnel from the ship to various small pacific islands.  The aircraft was transported inside the expedition's navy ship (see photo) with the wings folded.

Guy states that New Caledonia is "French style living amongst paradise islands and reefs in some of the most beautiful waters in the world. I've been flying with floats in this heaven for about four years."  His STOL CH 701 light sport utility aircraft is powered by a 100-hp Rotax 912S engine, and fitted with Zenair-designed all-metal floats and the folding wing option.

• Excerpted from the November / December 2008 issue of the Zenair News.  More photos and details of the expedition appear in the newsletter.  Click here for details on subscribing to the Zenair News.

The November / December 2008 issue of the Zenair News also includes a complimentary DVD with video reports from Zenith builders and pilots from around the world, including a demonstration of the STOL CH 701's excellent slow flying capability, piloted by Christopher Desmond of STOL-Adventures.com fame.

• Click here to view the video clip

Harold Crosby's STOL CH 701, powered by the 100-hp Rotax 912S, in Pocahontus, Arkansas.

"The building of my STOL CH 701 was very easy.  I started work on it last August 2007 and twelve months later it was done (if it wasn't for me being sick so much of the time I think I could have finished it in five or six months).  It's a great plane to fly and does everything you say it will do. Thanks."

Raptor-Tango, a Hawaiian STOL CH 701:

"These are the photos AFTER the building.  We also have photos during a builder's assist process we could never have envisioned, because the Duggers and Erik (from Quality Sport Planes in Cloverdale California) were beyond any expectations.  In addition, Michael Heintz provided invaluable guidance and oversight that made the entire process smooth and enjoyable.  The 701 has the first Jabiru engine on the island, which makes for a lot of enthusiasm... She's like the VW of General Aviation to us…. so cute, safe and best of all…FUN!"

...from our 17th annual Open Hangar Day:  JABIRU 2200

Many were pleased to see a particular new yellow and red STOL CH 701 light sport utility plane. What made this 701 unique was the installed powerplant: a Jabiru 2200 direct-drive four-cylinder four-stroke horizontally opposed air cooled engine producing up to 85 hp. With an installed weight of just 132 lbs. (60 kg.), this is one of the lightest four stroke aircraft engines in existence.  This wasn't just a "one-of-a-kind" custom engine installation: The engine installation was designed and tested by US Jabiru of Shelbyville, TN. In fact, the yellow and red STOL CH 701 was flown to the Zenith Open Hangar Day by Pete Krotje, owner and director of Jabiru USA. Zenith staff and Open Hangar day participants were duly impressed with the performance of the Jabiru engine in the STOL CH 701, which is being offered as a lower cost alternative to the Rotax 912 series engines.

• Video clip of the Jabiru 2200 engine on the STOL CH 701

STOL Video Clips: 

• Flying the STOL CH 701 powered by a 85-hp Jabiru 2200 engine
• More YouTube Video Clips
• More STOL CH 701 Video Clips
• Float Flying Video Clips

Mike Gross’ STOL CH-701 in Etters, Pennsylvania:

"An outstanding STOL airplane.  Thank-you for the excellent component kits and speedy assistance for the few questions I had!"

Fred Sanford's airplane projects in Santa Barbara, California.

"We finished the STOL CH 701 in 2005, and enjoyed the building so much that we built a Zodiac 601."

"Total time spent from unpacking the crate to the finished slats was nine hours!"

Side by side seating with bubble doors

NEW Video Clip:  Pilot demonstrates very short take-off in the four-seat utility STOL CH 801

Great photos from Christopher Desmond's four-seat STOL CH 801, landing on a remote off-airport bluff in northern California, overlooking the Pacific ocean.

New Video Clip:  Skydiving from a STOL CH 801 - view from a helmet-mounted camera!

Bill Rewey's four-seat STOL CH 801 (Verona, Wisconsin):

"Total cost was about $40,000 using a used (but overhauled) Lycoming O-320 engine. N171WR has an IFR panel, wing leveler, elevator and aileron trip, and a 60 gallon fuel capacity . Thanks for a great kit and great design. Factory assistance was outstanding"

Zenith Aircraft at Work and Play around the World... Click here for photos and stories

Zenith Aircraft Company
Mexico Memorial Airport, PO Box 650
Mexico, Missouri, 65265-0650 USA.
Tel: 573-581-9000 (Mon - Fri, 8-5 Central),
Fax: 573-581-0011
Comments or questions? Click Here

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