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The composite gear supplied by CZAW comes as suggested above in a variety of weight capacities from 450kg (1050lbs) to 600kg (1320). There are European approvals (which require not just design but al ...

Before my xl I owned an HD with taildragger gear and an O-200. A very tame taildragger and sufficiently rugged to have spent all its life (over 600 hrs) on rough grass strips.

Of all the taildragg ...

Unfortunately the US mods to the xl are not yet approved by the LAA. There are a number of UK builders of the xl who are waiting for the approval (the ones that bought US kits rather than the CZAW va ...

The UK xls from CZAW kits would trim out perfectly with full flap. The UK xls are all fitted with larger elevator trim tabs.

Following the modifications, the spring assist between flaps and elevat ...

The LAA modifications for the UK fleet set a compulsory maximum fuselage weight of 494kg, 1087lbs following their re-analysis of the airframe.

It still leaves a reasonably payload but does indicate ...

Until last year I owned a 601HD with an O-200 in it. It was either the first or second HD built in the UK and originally it had a 2 litre VW engine. It flew poorly with that engine - which was makin ...

To be a legal microlight in the UK the maximum empty weight is 268kg, somewhat short of numbers you are talking. The 472 figure also has to include a ballistic chute which adds a bit of weight.

Wi ...

I'm curious how you intend to support the pushrods. They are pretty long and so there is some potential for them buckling due to the length / slenderness ratio.

If they attach directly to the horn ...

Whilst I would agree with many of the points raised there are some fundamental inaccuracies in your 'information' regarding the UK aircraft. (I have tried to sign-up with zenith.aero but for some rea ...

Please do not get me started! The large trim tab was because the first UK example of the xl had a forward C of G - and the larger tab sorted it!

The spring came about to extend the C of G range be ...

After all the messing about - no the ailerons feel just the same! They do neatly return to neutral on the ground but I could detect no difference in the air.

The other mods - which you'll be spare ...

The original LAA mods are still on their site http://www.lightaircraftassociation.co.uk/engineering/Zenair%20Docs/Zenai%20CH%20601%20XL%20-%20MPD%20release%20Modification%20Instructions%20-%20four ...

From having done it, making a video would be a hell of a challenge! Hanging upside down, little direct sight of anything. My mate used a bush to spot through onto the angle. That meant the seatpans ...

The easiest choices seem to be the prop adapter or a heavier prop. I'm hopeful it will not be necessary on my aircraft (Warp Drive and prop extension) we'll see!

I can add a little info on the C of G and trimmer issues from the LAA.

Back in February there was talk from them of slowing down the trimmer. The UK aircraft all have to have the large elevator tr ...

The beefed up parts I referred to are not those featured in the UK drawings (my apologies to those who could not read them and my thanks to the chap who has re-posted them.)

From memory it is the r ...

The smuggled drawings!

Not on the drawings are the changes to the elevator trim horn - which has to be reversed. In the UK we have to fit a large trim tab (the original test aircraft had a heavy p ...

There are some similarities, if only about restoring the reputation. Whilst I understand the need for aileron circuit tension I tend to support the UK authorities stance. The CS-VLA design code, whi ...

I own a 2 year old XL which has been grounded by the LAA / CAA action in the UK.

My understanding of the test results is that with no aileron tension and the balance weights fitted there was no ten ...