STOL CH 801 Updates (Archives)

Mark Fineman sent us these photos of his STOL CH 801 with a 20-inch wing span; built of balsa and tissue; powered by rubber. First flight was April 8, 2001.

	October 24, 2000: This STOL CH 801 is actually the 'concept prototype,' built by Stew Hicks of Chilliwack, BC, in the mid-nineties. Stew constructed the aircraft from scratch from a set of sketches from designer Chris Heintz before it was even decided to finalize the STOL CH 801 design. It is powered by a Lycoming O-320 engine.
	Larry Landucci's Lycoming-powered STOL CH 801.
	September 29, 2000: New photos of Art Mitchell's LOM-powered STOL CH 801 (supercharged 235-hp) with a belly cargo-pod.

September 2000: Airlink Technologies has announced availability of new custom molded door panels for the STOL CH 801.
Airlink Technologies has also announced that it now offers custom leather seats for the STOL CH 801.
leather rear seats.

August 26, 2000: STOL CH 801 at Zenith Aircraft's 9th annual Open Hangar Day

August, 2000: Oshkosh AirVenture bound... photos of the STOL CH 801 enroute to Oshkosh, photographed from a STOL CH 701.

"..I was very impressed with the visibility and the performance. The six cylinder Walter-LOM engine has been running for the last couple of weeks and it has performed wonderfully. We have been working closely with the people at Moravia Ltd. to make sure that the engine is running perfectly..."

Earlier Art Mitchell of Flypass wrote: "I took her up for the first time a few minutes ago. It flew hands off. I did a lot of just flying over the runway this morning. Then when the clouds lifted enough I went up a couple thousand feet and just flew around over the airport.
"The power was great, no heating problems and beautiful to handle. I've got to start burning off the hours now. It looks like we will have the belly pod on for Oshkosh but I don't know if the plane will be painted yet."

June 9, 2000: Art Mitchell of Flypass Ltd. sent us photos of his Walter-LOM engine installation. The new cowl was built by Airlink Technologies.

July 2000: STOL CH 801 builder Nigel Protter of British Columbia sent us this scenic photo and writes:

"I am nearing completion, awaiting extended range fuel tanks for wing completion. I'm now trying to decide on the engine. So far, a great building experience!"

July 1, 2000: Completing installation and rigging of new 'Zenair #2200' all-metal floats to the STOL CH 801. The floats will be on display at EAA Airventure in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

November 1999: The Fall 1999 issue of Aviation Quarterly magazine (Canada) has a cover story on the STOL CH 801: "Zenith Super STOL CH 801 Pilot Report," by Kenneth Armstrong:

November 1999: Zenith Aircraft recently fitted the STOL CH 801 with a new custom-formed acrylic windshield from LP Aero Plastics. The formed .125" windshield provides additional sturdiness and is made from "Air Quality" acrylic meeting Federal Specification L-P-391. The new windshield is to be supplied as standard equipment in the STOL CH 801 kit, supplied with a Spraylat strippable coating to protect the windshield in shipping, storage, and during installation to the airframe.

EAA Sport Aviation magazine Flight Test Report on the STOL CH 801: "Flying Qualities Report: Utility workhorse - Zenith CH-801," by veteran flight test pilot Ed Kolano.

The November'99 issue of Kitplanes magazine features a cover story on the STOL CH 801: "Budget Bushplane - Chris Heintz designs a four-place STOL for the masses," by Howard Levy and editor Dave Martin.
Click here for a full list of press reviews.

"As to the STOL CH 801... I just flew the manufacturer's demo ship at Arlington and was VERY impressed with the overall stability and control profile demonstrated by this bird. The STOL capabilities are simply outstanding while slow speed control remains quite authoritative up to and THROUGH the physical stall. With over 700 pounds on board, on a 88 degree day, I was able to get the CH-801 off the deck in a little over 170 feet ON GRASS and got it back in just under 250 feet with moderate to heavy braking. Mind you, this was my flying (such as it is... grin) and my FIRST flight in the aircraft... a practiced pilot could, no doubt, exceed those numbers with appropriate experience and the expertise developed through increased competency and familiarity (believe it or not...).
"The company, itself, is simply outstanding and has one of the best customer service records we know of... they are bright, responsive and very pleasant folks to do business with... about the only legitimate criticism I've heard so far is that they occasionally get very busy and may have to return a call now and then (which they DO do)... "

Jim Campbell, Editor, US Aviator magazine.
Look for the upcoming flight report in US Aviator magazine.

Flight Report of the prototype STOL CH 801 by LeRoy Cook, published in the June 2000 issue of CustomPlanes magazine: Click here to read the story

March 1998: Download a short 15 second preview of the video (image quality is low to minimize file size):

We've convinced Chris Heintz, designer of the STOL CH 801, to write a technical paper on the design of the STOL CH 801 aircraft. Heintz discusses and plainly explains the interesting and unique design features of the STOL CH 801. Click here to preview the exclusive article "Anatomy of a STOL Aircraft: Designing a Modern Short Take-Off and Landing Aircraft"

The STOL CH 801 prototype construction program was conducted by Flypass Ltd. in Guelph, Ontario. Headed by Art Mitchell, a veteran missionary pilot, Flypass began construction of the prototype STOL CH 801 in the fall of 1997 under the design supervision of Chris Heintz.