This is an accident waiting to happen. The motor mount is incorrectly
designed
with un triangulated bays and bent tubes in tension and compression.
The firewall forward weight is at least 450 pounds aluminum block or
no aluminum block. No mention is made of beefing up the fuselage to
take the vastly increased bending loads during landing and high G
turns not to mention the increased bending loads on the wing spars.
Zenairs are not over designed to begin with having very thin skins.

"The fuel burn is better then expected though and
I am presently confirming the JPI 450 for accuracy. Cruise @ 11,000
msl is producing 5.9 0 -6.3  gallons an hour."

The numbers quoted above shows a lack of understanding about engine
engineering
in general. The fuel burn quoted at 6 gallons an hour or 37 pounds
an hour means the engine is only generating 83 HP giving it the benefit
of a BSFC number of .45. In the unlikely event the BSFC is as low as
.40 the HP then would be 93 HP at the absolute maximum. Now you have
a 450 pound firewall forward weight putting out 93 HP at cruise.

Something is seriously wrong.

"The numbers I am shooting for are one pound of engine weight for
each horsepower and a small total  engine profile that will fit in most
airframes."

What he is saying here is he things he is going to get 350 to 400 HP
with a 1.43:1 PSRU ratio. With a 2600 RPM prop that is 3700
engine RPM. No way is that going to happen.

This person is totally clueless.

I am really worried here. Probably one of the most dangerous
airplanes I have seen in a very long time.

Paul Lamar

Cheers All,
The 801 w/ the aluminum Ford V-8 belongs to Ben Haas, of Jackson
Hole, Wyoming. The FWF limit for an 801 is 440 lbs. I think Ben Haas
has met this threshold with the use of an aluminum block and
aluminum heads. I think it's rated at 270HP. The 801's power range
is from 150-240HP. Ben Haas did a nice job on both the a/c and the
engine. None the less, it's a reciprocating engine and prone to the
inherent flaws of same. http://www.haaspowerair.com/ Here are some
pics. from the Zenith website
http://www.zenithair.com/stolch801/builder-pics/bh1.jpg
http://www.zenithair.com/stolch801/builder-pics/bh2.jpg
http://www.zenithair.com/stolch801/builder-pics/bh4.jpg
http://www.zenithair.com/stolch801/builder-pics/bh4.jpg I'm building
an 801 too. N801YZ (reserved) SN 5754 I am 100% sold on rotary
engines, and will be installing one in my a/c.

Perry, Illinois., USA

I don't see the radiator in the nose, so I guess it must be in the
box just behind the nose gear. Sure is creative, but seems a lot of
things that are increasing drag, for little benefit. Custom built
cowl, engine mount, more drag, max weight installation. I can't say
anything bad about the workmanship, but benefit to effort ratio
eludes me.
C. Smith

I can not see a rubber isolator on the upper mount on the firewall. There
are rubber mounts at the bottom. If that is the caes, sooner or later
vibration will get the best of the Aluminium.

Dale Davies