Zenith 801

Zenith 801

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Placing the Stolspeed VGs on the 801

For the main wing, place the VGs with their front tips 155mm in front of the main rivet line on the top of the wing. The first 15 VGs in from each wingtip are at 60mm spacing, and the rest at 90mm.

For the tail, place the VGs on the elevator rather than the horizontal stab.Place the front tips of the VGs 120mm in front of the rivet line on the underside of the elevator spar, at a spacing of 30mm. The curvature of the elevator increases at this point, and basically you are just trying to get the VGs as far forward as possible.

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I just flew the Zenith Aircraft demo 801 a week ago with your VG's installed on the elevator. With the original, short horizontal stabilizer & elevator & your VG's, there's no need to get the new longer stabilizer & elevator to get the control authority needed for slow landings. For heavier auto installations they still recommend the longer stabilizer & elevator.

Piloting skills may vary.

Rich

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801

I too have replaced the slats on my 801 with feathers VGs, and concur
with Bill that they will probably never go back on. I haven't
measured take off and landing distances but find Bill's results very
believable. You do not give up much in STOL performance but
definitely get another 5-10 mph at the top.
My wife also flies the plane and prefers it in this configuration.

Bob & Karen, Colorado, USA

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801

Thank you very much for working through slats and vg's.
I removed the slats and flew the 801 and increased 8 mph in cruise and push the nose down and did not have a dead stick feel.
My landings, I actually have a flare!
I have not rec'd the main wing vg's, but I am very excited about the outcome at this time.
The VG's should improve overall control. I will let you know.

Thanks again for your experimenting, after several years of flying the 801, the right answer has come.

Just an update, and you know this already, I have installed the main wing vgs and rotation at take off is smooth and I can do a flare without power and land soft and in control. Slat brackets coming off.

Thanks again, Glen

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801

I finally got around to measuring my take off and landing lengths with and without slats.

Conditions:

Temp 54 F, DP 52 F, Alt 29.78, Wind 5-7 MPH headwind

Weight 1690 lbs, Lycoming O-360 burning super unleaded, 82" long 40" pitch prop.

I got 4 tries:

With slats and VGs feathers

Take off Landing

165' 290

150 290

165 270

175 270

Average 164 280

No slats just VGs feathers

220 320

200 258

190 285

220 310

Average 207 293

If I can convince my wife that flying without slats is OK, my slats are for sale.

Bill, Alaska, USA

Later - I have now put the slats back on because it his
hunting season and I need the extra performance. I'm glad I have a
convertible airplane! The conversion takes about 20 minutes. It flys
different in each configuration but it flys fine in each configuration.

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Here's a particularly good looking and simple solution for cutting back the brackets..

The highest point is 18mm from the skin, and the holes are 3/8 and 1/4" to give a feature look.

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