Zodiac 601 XL Project

Aircraft Projects Underway or Completed

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doreen
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Re: Zodiac 601 XL Project

Postby doreen » Fri Jun 19, 2009 9:42 am

Keep up the good work. Quick peek at my scratch built xl.
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DSCF1158.JPG
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Scotsman
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Re: Zodiac 601 XL Project

Postby Scotsman » Fri Jun 19, 2009 10:19 am

That looks stunning...where did you get the custom canopy set up from?

Where do I get one and how much is it?..this is a huge improvement on the existing XL canopy and I don't want to pay R20 000 approx to upgrade to a 650 canopy. Can you give me some details?

BTW Paint scheme is also pretty cool.

Cheers

James
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doreen
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Re: Zodiac 601 XL Project

Postby doreen » Fri Jun 19, 2009 1:33 pm

082 376 2047 for more info
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grostek
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Re: Zodiac 601 XL Project

Postby grostek » Fri Jun 19, 2009 5:45 pm

doreen wrote:Keep up the good work. Quick peek at my scratch built xl.
Well done doreen, she looks as if she is doing 150 standing still.

Yes she looks just right.

Awsome job.

Kind regards,

Gunter Rostek
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Oupa-G
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Re: Zodiac 601 XL Project

Postby Oupa-G » Sat Jun 20, 2009 8:37 am

I have seen it in real life it is stunning full of nice healthy homebuiders innovation. It is here where aviation advances. Freedom of spirit and not compromising on quality.



Cheers Oupa-G
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mikeinPE
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Re: Zodiac 601 XL Project

Postby mikeinPE » Sat Jun 20, 2009 10:19 am

Doreen I like what I see & this keeps me motivated with my slow build. Whereabouts in the country are you building?

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Re: Zodiac 601 XL Project

Postby Scotsman » Sat Jun 20, 2009 1:27 pm

Doreen is in George...seeing that almost finished aircraft definitely drives you back into the garage. vhpy

With the above in mind I headed back into the garage to trial fit the side skin and start preparing the gear attach plates for the spring leaf gear system. Just need to get one of my mates to hold the rear spar channel so that I can drill and cleco it on and then time to start connecting the skin to the gear attach plate through a set of uprights (may seem confusing but essentially a very simple exercise).

Until next time...
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Side Skin Trial Fit.jpg
Internal view - trial fit of side skin
Side Skin Trial Fit.jpg (20.77 KiB) Viewed 5678 times
Side Skin Trial Fit 2.jpg
External view - trial fit of side skin
Side Skin Trial Fit 2.jpg (22.52 KiB) Viewed 5678 times
Gear attach plate.jpg
Gear attach plate
Gear attach plate.jpg (22.27 KiB) Viewed 5678 times
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cap232
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Re: Zodiac 601 XL Project

Postby cap232 » Mon Jun 22, 2009 6:50 pm

hi all,
great to see some zenith builders on here. I also have a set of plans for a 601xl, and has been in two minds since the whole FAA thing,
I hope they find the root of the problem and a proper fix, cause an AD to keep the cable tention in check on the ailerons seems to me like a remedy and not a solution, but that`s just my opinion.

James, great job, did you buy one of the kits from bundu, and did you have to order the finishing kit (undercarige, canopy etc) extra. I see that the zenith site has it listed as a seperate item? What primer are you using? Best of luck and keep us posted.

Doreen, great paint scheme. Did you have to work with the manufacturer for the mods you did on the canopy and turtledeck, where did you source the undercart, it looks like the one available for the european 601`s.

Andre
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Re: Zodiac 601 XL Project

Postby Scotsman » Tue Jun 23, 2009 7:39 am

Hi Andre,

Whole heartedly agree with you on the fix not solution comments. I have been watching the situation with interest (both financial and otherwise) and the recent ADs issued from the UK wing of Zenith indicate to me that at least they are willing to alter the design. I am waiting for the final testing results and the LAA (old PFA in the UK) to publish their recommended changes which I am led to believe are being air tested currently. The US situation is a quagmire of litigation and this I believe is one of the underlying reasons for the slowness of action on behalf of Zenith US and the limited level of communication with the market.

The recent GVT (Ground Vibration Testing) indicates, as you correctly suggest, no flutter within the flight envelope and beyond from I believe 5lbs of tension upwards. The testing report also suggests a mass balance arm as an appropriate "belt and braces" solution. I am led to believe that this is one of the items being air tested in the UK currently.

The build takes, at my pace, a few years and I believe that any changes will be retrofitable so I have decided to push one. The quality of the plans, videos and picture based building manual is really great (lego for big kids...not quite but close) and I believe that the other bit will get sorted out.

The primer being used is the Epiwash solution from Plascon which Rudi Greyling recommended and seems to do the job well.

The kit was purchased from Bundu Aviation (Philip Cronje) and they dealt with all the importation irritation deliverying it into my garage. I purchased the whole kit in one which excludes engine, paint, instruments and FWF. I don't know how they ar splitting up the kit currently but there is also an option to purchase the 650 canopy separately to install on a 601. The kit quality has been excellent and there are a lot of CNC predrilled pilot holes which definitely speeds up the build with other little goodies like trim servos in the pack too.

Doreen substituted the intended spring leaf undercarriage (grove I think) for the Jabi one. Probably a very astute move as the Zenith kit version is quite over engineered for the intended use...ie. it is extremely heavy compared to the airframe structure. I may have a re-look at the undercarriage when I am ready to drop the fuselage.

Cheers

James
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Re: Zodiac 601 XL Project

Postby Scotsman » Tue Jun 23, 2009 7:45 am

A couple of recent pics...installing the rear spar channels and wing attach points. j
Attachments
Rear spar clecoed.jpg
The underside view of the rear spar on beams
Rear spar clecoed.jpg (21.58 KiB) Viewed 5599 times
Rear spar attach brackets.jpg
Cut out of rear spar attach brackets through side skin
Rear spar attach brackets.jpg (20.84 KiB) Viewed 5599 times
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Re: Zodiac 601 XL Project

Postby Scotsman » Mon Jul 06, 2009 7:59 am

Did a bit of work over the weekend on the XL. The front side skin is finally secured after hours of fannying about with alignment...the area is starting to become rigid with the upper longerons now being secured, with clecos, to the lower longerons through the gear attach plate.

Also started on the the bulkheads for the rear fuselage yesterday so the kit is starting to metamorphose from a canoe into some semblance of an aircraft. It really amazes me how flimsy the structure feels in the initial build and as you brace the various pieces together it really starts to feel really solid (fortunately). A couple of pictures of the newly attached rear bulkheads (ie. the bit that supports the curved top skin that encloses the fuselage) will follow shortly.

That's all for now...enjoy your Monday.

James
Attachments
Gear attach_July 2009.jpg
The gear attach points cleco'd to the side skin
Gear attach_July 2009.jpg (17.51 KiB) Viewed 5412 times
L Angle Uprights_July 2009.jpg
The braces from the attach point to the upper longeron riveted together
L Angle Uprights_July 2009.jpg (12.6 KiB) Viewed 5412 times
Interior Seat Back_July 2009.jpg
Interior photo of initial bracing
Interior Seat Back_July 2009.jpg (19.43 KiB) Viewed 5412 times
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Re: Zodiac 601 XL Project

Postby Scotsman » Tue Jul 07, 2009 9:53 am

A couple of pics with the rear bulkheads in place....starting to feel like an aerie (almost)...j
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Rear Bulkheads 1.jpg
Rear bulkheads
Rear Bulkheads 1.jpg (21.51 KiB) Viewed 5364 times
Rear bulkheads 2.jpg
Rear bulkheads again
Rear bulkheads 2.jpg (24.71 KiB) Viewed 5364 times
Gear attach point close up.jpg
Gear attach point
Gear attach point close up.jpg (20.48 KiB) Viewed 5362 times
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mikeinPE
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Re: Zodiac 601 XL Project

Postby mikeinPE » Tue Jul 07, 2009 10:21 am

Looking very good James. (^^) Just keep on going. I shouldnt be talking. Going very slow here. Will start a thread here in the near future

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Re: Zodiac 601 XL Project

Postby Scotsman » Tue Jul 07, 2009 11:15 am

Exactly the reason I started this thread....it presses you to actually build as it is embarrassing to sit there with no progress months on. :oops:
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Re: Zodiac 601 XL Project

Postby mikeinPE » Tue Jul 14, 2009 11:10 pm

Hi James

We need to see another update? vhpy .

I picked up flange dies yesterday & now I can finish the nose ribs. Then it's onto the wing ribs.

Mike in Pe
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