Decisions
Choosing to build a rudder for the aluminum CH 701 kit plane seemed out of character for me. The CH701 meets my requirements, so why not try it. However, the choice to go to this workshop was mostly centered on the fact I could start to build something without a large outlay of cash. I could see if all this dreaming about building a plane had any substance.
After attending a Zenith Aircraft workshop in Cloverdale California, I can honestly say I had one of the best weekends in long time. At the workshop you build a complete rudder for a Zenith CH601 or CH701. The workshop was conducted by Quality Sport Planes (QSP) and took place in their hangar at the Cloverdale airfield. A bonus to attending this particular workshop was an open house and fly in. That meant over a dozen Zenith kit planes for me to look at and pilots to talk with.
The decision to go has it roots in my long search trying to decide what airplane to build. I have researched numerous models for the following features: LSA, easy to build, good visability, safe/easy to fly, and within my budget. I have bought blueprints for single seat, two seat, parasol, biplane, high wing, shoulder wing, and folding wing planes. For one reason or another I have eliminated all of the designs. The list of reasons is long: too complicated, terrible plans, no builder community, poor engine selection, too hard to fly and on and on. The real killer seems to be indecisiveness, as a few of my chapter friends can testify. ‘So what plane do you plan to build this month?’ they have asked. My loving and obliging wife has endured many sessions of ‘what do you think of this plane’. My daughter, almost 3, can now identify a biplane when she sees one. I jokingly refer to my latest building idea as my ‘Plane of the month’. I have even attended an EAA workshop aimed at entry level skills to help you decide what kind of construction technique might appeal to you. Tube and rag or all wood planes looked the most attractive. Composite construction was too messy and hazmat filled. Aluminum construction was okay, though I really disliked bucking rivets with the noisy air hammer.
I have known about the Zenith workshops and was under the impression I had to travel to the factory site in Missouri. I was thrilled to discover that QSP in Cloverdale, run by Michael Heintz, also offered the workshops. I sent off the deposit for the workshop and received a response saying I could bring another person along to help me. So I enlisted another chapter member, Randolph Skrovan, who happily accepted.
by Robert Wyland
