Tuesday 16 June 2015

Zenair CH 801(s) of New Zealand

The Zenith CH 801 STOL was designed by Chris Heintz based on his earlier CH 701, but there are no common parts in the two aircraft.  It was introduced in 1999.  It has four seats and carries twice the load of the CH 701.  Power can be supplied by engines between 150 HP and 220 HP.

Length is 24 feet 6 inches (7.47 metres), the wingspan is 31 feet 4 inches (9.55 metres) and the wing area is 167 square feet.  It also has fixed leading edge slats.  Empty weight is around 1,300 pounds (590 Kg) and MAUW is 2,200 pounds (1,000 Kg).  With a 180 HP engine cruise speed is 105 mph.

We have only recently had our first CH 801 imported into New Zealand.

ZK-PIP4 (c/n 801-4161) was built in Austria as OE-VAI and then became OE-KWJ.  It was purchased and imported by Addis Holdings Ltd of Papakura with only 80 hours on the airframe, being registered in New Zealand on 4/8/14.  It is powered by a 180 HP Lycoming O-360 engine and is photo'd above at Ardmore on 23/2/15.

This is the last of New Zealand's Zenith/Zenair aircraft to date (of various models).  By my count we have had 75 aircraft so far.




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