Skykits Corporation
It has been said that the Skykits Savannah and the Zenith Aircraft CH701 are the same aircraft. This is because the Savannah and the CH701 are quite comparable in looks and components. Both trace their origins to the FIESELER STORCH, first flown in 1936 (we are proud to say that many of the Savannahs' design features were inspired by that famous aircraft). Both are high wing STOL all-metal aircraft with many of the same interior and exterior features. However, the CH701 has an inverted horizontal tail and full flying rudder while the Savannah has a conventional tail. As well, the Savannah has a straight wing that is 2' 5" longer than the CH701's dropped wing. The Savannah's cabin is larger with more headroom. Most importantly, the 701 has a gross weight of 1100lbs. effectively making it, with full fuel, a single place airplane. The Savannah's gross weight is 1235 lb. meaning that with full fuel, the payload (depending on installed equipment and paint) is 445 - 485 lb.
Both aircraft are STOL although the Savannah flies faster and is more stable due to its conventional design. The Savannah is also much quieter in flight due to it's fuselage structure while the CH701s flat sides oil can loudly. But where the difference is really apparent is in their kit forms. In our opinion, the Savannah kit is far superior to the CH701 kit in terms of value for your dollar, kit components, included options and building time.
The CH701 is available as a kit or as plans. The Savannah is only available as a kit. That's because the Savannah is fully CNC machined which makes all replacement parts interchangeable. Simply remove the damaged part and replace it with a machined factory new part. The CH701 has few, if any, interchangeable parts - they must be fabricated by you. CH701 kit parts are usually just a flat piece of metal cut to the approximate size of the finished part. You then have to find a drawing of that part number in the large set of plans so that you can cut, shape, drill and bend it to make it look like the drawing. This is very difficult work for a first time builder and that's why there are many CH701 kits unfinished and gathering dust in workshops and garages. You'll also need thousands of dollars worth of tools to build a CH701 kit but only a few hand tools to build a Savannah.
Upon cursory examination of their price lists, the CH701 appears to be less expensive than the Savannah. This is an illusion. The CH701 published kit price is for a bare airplane from the firewall back. The Savannah kit price is for a complete airplane right down to the upholstered seats, instruments and even the wiring harness.
Below is a comparison of the two aircraft kits.
Component Savannah CH701
Wing:
Wing struts Streamlined Welded tubing
Jury struts one each wing two each wing with bracing
Main spar pre-assembled All Partially
Rear spar - fabrication 3 pcs, fabricated 13 pcs, not fabricated
Rear spar - alignment Automatic No - must make template
Wing ribs - quantity per wing 8 7
Wing ribs - fabrication Formed and drilled Formed, not drilled
Wing ribs - slat supports holes drilled Yes No - must make template
Wing ribs - nose skin supports fabricated Yes No
Wing ribs - consistent flange width Yes No
Wing ribs - heat treated to retain shape Yes No
Slat ribs - fabrication Formed and drilled Formed, not drilled
Slat supports - fabricated Yes No
Flaperon ribs - fabrication Formed and drilled Formed, not drilled
Flaperons - arms fabricated Yes No - must make template
Flaperons - brackets fabricated Yes No
Wing top and bottom skins - fabrication Cut and drilled Partially cut, not drilled
Wing top and bottom skins - access panels Cut out, formed not cut out, not formed
Wing nose skins - fabrication Formed and drilled Formed, not drilled
Wing nose skins - slat slots cut Yes No
Wing rear skins - fabrication Cut and drilled Not cut, not drilled
Wing rear skins - flaperon slots cut Yes No
Wing tip - curved and crimped Yes No
Wing tip - skins cut and curved Yes No
Flaperon skins - fabrication Formed and drilled Formed, not drilled
Slat skins - fabrication Formed and drilled Formed, not drilled
Small parts fabricated All None
Rivet holes completely drilled and de-burred All None
Bolt holes completely drilled and de-burred All None
Note: There is a great deal of work required to drill rivet holes. First the holes must be marked on the part in a straight line at a specified separation. Then a pilot hole is drilled. Then the full size hole is drilled. Finally the part is turned over and all the holes have to be de-burred using a file and sandpaper. Sometimes you have to drill through two parts at once which makes alignment problematic, sometimes resulting in destroyed parts.
Drilling rivet holes is tedious and time consuming work, especially when you consider that there are approximately 14,000 rivets in each of these kits. That's 14,000 holes to be marked. 28,000 holes to be drilled and 14,000 holes to be de-burred. Yikes!! Well that's not quite correct - there are approximately 14,000 holes to be marked, 28,000 holes to be drilled and 14,000 holes to be de-burred in the CH701 kit. There are about 150 holes to be drilled in the Savannah kit. We think your time would be better spent flying so we did the other 13,850 for you.
Component Savannah CH701
Tail:
Horizontal stab - type Conventional Inverted
H. stab ribs - fabrication Formed and drilled Formed, not drilled
H. stab spars - fabrication Formed and drilled Formed, not drilled
H. stab skins - fabrication Cut and drilled Not cut, not drilled
Elevator ribs - fabrication Formed and drilled Formed, not drilled
Elevator spars - fabrication Formed and drilled Formed, not drilled
Elevator skins - fabrication Cut and drilled Not cut, not drilled
Elevator - trim tab Standard Optional
Elev. trim tab - panel, hinge and arm fabricated Yes No
Vertical tail Conventional 2 pce. 1 pce. full flying
Tail ribs - fabrication Formed and drilled Formed, not drilled
Tail spars and doublers - fabrication Cut and drilled Not cut, not drilled
Tail skins - fabrication Cut and drilled Not cut, not drilled
Small parts fabricated All None
Rivet holes completely drilled and deburred All None
Bolt holes completely drilled and deburred All None
Note: When we say small parts are fabricated we mean that these parts are completely formed, bent, drilled etc., so that they may be immediately riveted or bolted to the aircraft. Many hours can be spent shaping, cutting, bending and drilling a piece of metal into a part suitable for mounting to the aircraft. This can be very confusing, frustrating work. If such a part is damaged, the whole process begins again as the part cannot be bought.
The CH701 kit comes with a whole set of dimensioned plans and an assembly manual so that you can fabricate all the small parts. Most parts in a CH701 kit consist of a flat piece of aluminum, cut to the approximate dimensions required, with a part sticker attached. Additionally, scrap aluminum is supplied with the kit in case you make a mistake and have to start over again.
The Savannah is supplied with an assembly manual only and no scrap aluminum. That's because all the small parts (and large parts) are completely fabricated. This saves you hundreds of hours of difficult, mind-numbing, tedious, frustrating, confusing, hair-pulling ......need we go on.......work. This is why the Savannah kit builds so quickly and why it looks so good when finished.
Component Savannah CH701
Fuselage:
Skins - cut to size Yes No - must cut on marker line
Skins - drilled and cutouts complete Yes No
Skins - corrugated for noise reduction Yes Not available
Longerons - drilled twice every 40 mm. Yes No
Longerons - spliced No - 1 piece Yes
Stiffeners - fabricated All None
Wing attachments - fabricated Yes No
Firewall - fabricated Formed, drilled & cut Formed, not drilled, not cut
Firewall - pre-formed insulation panel Yes Not available
Firewall - stiffeners Cut and drilled Not cut, not drilled
Nose gear strut - fabricated Yes Yes
Nose gear strut - bearings Ball-bearing Nylon - not fabricated
Nose gear stop - fabricated Yes No
Control cables - fabricated Yes No
Control cables - tensioners installed Yes No
Floor - fabrication Cut and drilled Not cut, not drilled
Seats - front Completely done Much work to do
Seats - fabrication Cut and drilled Not cut, not drilled
Seats - upholstery Standard Optional
Baggage compartment - fabrication Cut and drilled Not cut, not drilled
Doors - fabrication Formed, cut & drilled Not formed, cut or drilled
Doors - frame material Formed alum. sheet Alum. tubing
Doors - gas cylinders Standard Not available
Instrument panel - drilled for instruments/gauges Yes No
Instrument panel - trim bezel fabricated Yes Not available
Cabin heating system - supplied Standard Optional
Cabin heating system - parts fabricated All None
Small parts fabricated All None
Rivet holes completely drilled and de-burred All None
Bolt holes completely drilled and de-burred All None
Note: There are many longerons and stiffeners made of aluminum angle in both kits. In the CH701, these angulars come in 4' lengths and must be cut to size or joined to make them long enough. Then you must draw a line the length of the angular and 10mm from the edge. Make a mark every 40mm or so where you are required to drill. Now drill a pilot hole, then drill the full sized hole while holding the angular against the part it will attach to. Then de-burr all the holes you have just drilled.
In the Savannah kit, the angulars come cut to the right length (up to 10' long) and are drilled and deburred.
Component Savannah CH701
Tools:
Pneumatic riveter - supplied Yes No
Clecos - # supplied 50 None
Skin tightening straps - supplied 5 None
Corrosion protection primer - supplied 1 liter None
Large flaperon/elevator deflection jig - supplied Yes No
Other jigs to be made by builder none many
Various hole saws - required No Yes
Numerous drill bits - required No Yes
Nicopress swaging tool - required No Yes
Drill press - required No Yes
Note: Because there are so many rivet holes to drill in the CH701, you will need 5 or 10 drill bits for each of the three sizes of rivets together with drill bits for the various bolt sizes. Also there are various sized hole saws required for larger holes where cables or tubes pass through. You'll need a chop saw with a non-ferrous blade for cutting the aluminum parts to the approximate size of the part you are fabricating (a hacksaw will work but takes hours) and a grinder and files for final shaping. A drill press is required for repetitive work where parts are bundled together and drilled through all at once. You'll need a work bench vise and a drill press vise. A large assortment of standard hand tools will be required.
Since almost all holes are drilled in the Savannah kit, you will need no hole saws and only one each of the three sizes of bits to drill a few holes. A small assortment of standard hand tools is also required. Since all parts are pre-fabricated, you will require no large power tools. A small air compressor is required for both kits.
Specifications Savannah CH701
MTOW (max takeoff weight) 1235 lbs. 1100 lbs.
Wing span 29' 5" 27' 0"
Wing area 139.5 sq.ft. 122.0 sq.ft.
Length 20' 2" 20' 11"
Height 9' 0" 8' 7"
Cruising speed 90 mph 80 mph
Top Speed 110 mph 95 mph
VNE 125 mph 110 mph
Glide ratio 10:1 Won't say
Assembly time - hours 160 - 250 1200 - 1600
Comparison Information
The above component comparisons were arrived at by an actual physical examination of a CH701 kit and a Savannah kit. Both kits were in their unopened original crates. Various people were involved in the examinations and comments were elicited from them all. Using the MD-RA 51% Amateur Determination Checklist, it was unofficially determined that 56% of the Savannah kit required builder input while a whopping 76% of the CH701 kit required builder input.
Looks, performance, quality, value for your dollar, kit components, and building time all combine to make the Savannah your best choice in an all-metal STOL aircraft.
Light Sport Certification
The 701 folks will tell you that their airplane meets the definition of a light sport aircraft and that a person with a sport pilot license can fly it. This is true. However, the 701 can't be built as a light sport aircraft, either S-LSA or E-LSA, because it does not qualify. It must be built as an amateur-built aircraft. Therefore all the new rules that make light sport aircraft attractive to owners are not applicable to a 701. The Savannah on the other hand is fully qualified as an S-LSA and E-LSA - as well as amateur-built.