"Matthew P. Cummings" wrote in message

aware that the specs that Zenith claim for the plane are optimistic. In
reality they rarely meet them, that includes weight and most definitely
speeds. The weight could be done by excluding much of the typical
avionics, but if you equip it like a 150 using certified engines it will
not meet the weight specs. The one I flew didn't. I suspect it will be

Your argument now has come full circle. The standard engine for the Zodiac
is the Rotax 912S; an O-200 Continental would weigh about 70lbs more. This
was what I already mentioned in my first post about the EAA wanting a full
1,300 lbs gross weight to allow more engines. As it now stands, a Zodiac
will meet the 1232 lb requirement only by using a Rotax. If the gross weight
were increased to 1300 lbs, you could use a Jabiru 3300, Continental O-200,
a Lycoming 235, or Franklin 4A-235 and still meet the weight requirement.

However, the price you quote is twice that of a typical 150, and the one I

No. You cannot buy a new C 150 for anywhere near that price. It is
ridiculous to compare a 25 year old aircraft with one that is brand new. If
you actually add up mainenance costs and avionics upgrade cost, your cheap
150 costs more than a Zodiac, not less.

BTW, was the factory plane you flew in an HD, HDS, or XL model? My guess is
that it was an HD. The HD uses the 80 HP Rotax 912 and easily meets the
weight requirement, however it doesn't fly as fast as the HDS. It wouldn't
surprise me a bit if a stock 601 HD with 80 HP would not be faster than a C
150 with 100 HP. A stock 601 HD would easily meet all reqirements for Light
Sport except I believe the stall speed is a couple of mph too high at gross
weight. The HDS flies faster with its shorter wing and higher wing loading
but wouldn't be close to the stall requirement. The XL is a heavier version,
designed for 100 HP, with more wing area and designed for Light Sport.