Photograph:
Zenair CH-300 ZK-MJB (c/n AACA/297) in New Zealand (Keith Morris – NZCIVAIR)
Country of origin:
Canada
Description:
Two-seat light touring and sport aircraft
Power Plant:
One 110 kw (150 hp) Lycoming O-320 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 8.10 m (26 ft 7 in)
- Length: 6.85 m (22 ft 6 in)
- Height: 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in)
- Wing area: 12.00 m² (129.2 sq ft)
- Max speed: 257 km/h (160 mph)
- Cruising speed at 75% power: 230 km/h (143 mph)
- Stalling speed flaps down: 85 km/h (53 mph)
- Rate of climb: 305 m/min (1,000 ft/min
- Range: 853 km (530 miles)
- Empty weight: 499 kg (1,100 lb)
- Loaded weight: 839 kg (1,850 lb)
History:
One of many designs by Christopher Heintz in the 1970s, the CH-300 was a development of the CH-200 series aimed at producing a low-wing monoplane with an ability to carry a third person, or two children, on a bench seat behind the two main seats. Of all-metal construction, the CH-300 Tri-Z, as it became known, was usually fitted with a tricycle undercarriage and powered by engines ranging from 93 kw to 134 kw (125 hp to 180 hp). The prototype made its first flight on 9 July 1977 and plans were marketed from 1982. Some hundreds have been built around the world. It has also been known over the years as the Heintz Zenith and at an early stage was marketed as such.
One example was involved in a record flight when its pilot, Robin Morris, flew his CH-300 fitted with long-range tanks from Vancouver to Halifax, Canada on 1 and 2 July 1978, covering 4,440 km (2,759 miles) in a time of 22 hours and 44 minutes, setting three FAI Class C-1c records.
Two basic models were produced, the CH-300 with a fixed tricycle undercarriage, and the CH-300TD with a tailwheel undercarriage. Further development of the CH-300 resulted in the CH-2000 series which flew for the first time in 1993.