Zenith CH750 STOL Build Log - Fuselage Overview

It's been a while since my last video. This is a longer walkaround of the progress I have made since. I worked on getting the fuselage on the landing gear. The engine mount is attached and the engine is temporarily hung. I have started to rig the elevator and rudder and attached the brake pedals. The passenger door frame is in but none of the windows have been attached.

[@stolaircraftsuyanto9728]

looks great buddy .... congrats to you

[@JoesRCCorner]

Looking good. I am building the 750 Cruzer on my channel. Love the blue on the steal parts.

[@b7gwap]

Looks awesome. How does your weight and balance look so far? Did you have to add tail ballast? Lots of O-320 naysayers out there but Roger himself says it’s a go for the STOL CH750. I’m at high altitude and need the power. Otherwise I’d content myself with an O-200 or Corvair.

[@dustybodine5221]

Haven't put it on any scales yet. I don't have anything else FWF including the cowl and prop so whatever I came up with would probably be too much of a guess to start adding weight. I am planning on using a lithium battery somewhere in the back so that should help out. No plans for paint yet either. We will see how it shakes out later this year. I have spoken to a few guys at OSH with the O-320 and they had nothing but good stuff to say about the engin choice.

[@johnvernon6328]

We're your wing strut brackets completely drilled also where they mount to the fusaloge were all the holes drilled, mine are not, 750 stol, john

[@dustybodine5221]

I had to drill all the holes in the brackets. Only holes that existed were the ones in the landing gear brackets on the fuselage. It was a fairly tedious process but well outlined in the picture guides.

[@johnvernon6328]

@@dustybodine5221 thanks for the reply, I only got blueprints

[@rmactvc]

Our EAA chapter is building a STOL 750 and came across a Lycoming O-235 for a reasonable price. Where did you get your engine mount?

[@dustybodine5221]

Direct from Zenith. They had it in stock and ready to ship.

[@b7gwap]

@@dustybodine5221 can you confirm the O-235 and O-320 use the same mounts? Engine looks great on there.

[@dustybodine5221]

@@b7gwap Not 100% certain. The factory should be able to answer that one or a local mechanic.

[@andrewbetances1203]

Have you looked at Viking engines? The Honda would be more reliable for such an investment. Inexpensive too.

[@dustybodine5221]

Andrew Betances thanks for the comment. I have spent lots of time over the last few years pondering engine choices. I have read lots of positive and negative reviews about all of them. I respectfully disagree that the Viking engine is more reliable than a Lycoming. They are however quite inexpensive. My engine was free to me which was ultimately the deciding factor on the O-320. I have only invested $700 into the mount so I’m still not completely married to it yet.

[@andrewbetances1203]

@@dustybodine5221 faur enough. I am building a 701. I'm a bit limited on engine choice. I just looked up the Mitso, rotax equivalent for Lycoming, and the weight of the IO233 is a no go for my little plane. For now, it's between a $28k rotax, $12k Viking, or I think also $28k UL. I am pretty interested in the Yamaha RX1 but i think it would be too much of a custom job at this point.

[@b7gwap]

@@andrewbetances1203 don’t forget Aeromomentum for your 701. I think they have a little one that wouldn’t be enough for the 750 but might be just right for the 701, and you get a brand new long block and PSRU instead of a salvaged engine for around a similar price. I’m building a 750 and will be following Dusty here by doing a Lycoming myself. aeromomentum.com/am10.html

[@kelvincarson328]

Your gas struts are upside down

[@dustybodine5221]

Thanks for the tip!