pchap(at)primus.ca
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 Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 12:51 pm Post subject: European 601 XL modifications |
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At 12:17 30-10-08, you wrote:
Somebody really needs to have a good talk with
Zenith and figure out what the differences
between the different versions of the XL are. To
an outsider here, the arguments seem to be going
in circles. Are skin thicknesses changed or not?
Aircraft designations get used loosely. There is
the 601 XL ULM, with the ULM designating the
light version. (ULM being a common acronym for
ultralights in Europe, Ultra-Léger-Motorisé).
But sometimes the ULM isn't specified for an XL.
It's not clear to me whether there is a normal
empty weight 601 XL in Europe, or if all have had
the lightening program done. And it starts to
look like the gross weight is not fundamentally
changed for the lightened ones, that they are
still apparently good for 4g at 1320 lbs, but the
gross weight is reduced as needed if operated in
a local ultralight category. But that's not clear.
For the 650, there's the 650 E (E for Europe),
sometimes listed with the same specs as the 601 XL in Europe.
I haven't seen much in some simple web searches
about lightening the XL for Europe:
--From http://www.zenairulm.com/Home/:
"As with previous European 601s, the 650 E will
again come equipped with a two-piece landing gear
system and various other light-weight components
including wheels, brakes and smaller fuel tanks (2 x 46 liters)."
(= 12 gallons, vs. 15 gallon tanks for the US version.)
-- From airpal.eu:
"Zenair has developed the Zodiac CH 650 E / CH
601 XL ULM version specifically for the European
market, where light aircraft rules restrict the
gross weight to 450 kg. (992 lbs.). The lightened
European Zodiac XL is the result of continuing
development, and is now available as a all-new
"100% Finished Airframe" Quick-Build Aircraft Kit.
The standard ZODIAC XL ULM kits, manufactured by
Zenith Aircraft in the United States, are being
distributed across Europe from Zenair Europe
www.zenairulm.com/Home/index.htm (Belgium/France)
and established Zenair dealers
www.zenairulm.com/Representatives/index_files/Page1679.htm
. Lighter materials are used in the European
version of the XL. This includes an all-new
lightweight composite landing gear main spring,
lighter European-made wheels and brakes, and some
lightened airframe items. As tested with the
standard 100-hp Rotax 912S engine installation, a
basic European Zodiac XL ULM weighs just 265 kg. (585 lbs.)"
It is still a pretty aggressive weight reduction
program, given that the standard XL is quoted as
690 lbs empty, also with a 912 S, 105 pounds more.
Factory numbers are of course just a starting
point and don't always reflect the typical
aircraft. Martin Pohl in his 75 page engineering
analysis uses 310 kg or 683 lbs as typical for
flying European XL's. The weight category a pilot
will use will naturally affect his choice of optional equipment.
So it is still uncertain (to me) exactly what a European 601 XL is.
Peter Chapman
Toronto, ON 601 HDS / 912 / C-GZDC
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