Builders,
Continuing the series, here is one of the best known Corvair/Zeniths, from a very friendly and extremely talented builder-flyer, Ken Pavlou.
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Ken’s first flight was 10 years ago in 2014, but he started building in 2007. A family man with a challenging career in health care and a side line of residential property renovations, the project had to fit into the remaining hours. After a big push in early 2014, he completed the plane and flew it to Oshkosh, where it was autographed by the master himself, Chris Heintz.
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In the 900 hours since, the plane has made several return trips to Oshkosh and many trips up and down the east coast. People who thought of the 601 as a fun sport plane had there understanding of the planes capabilities expended when Ken shared videos like directly overflying JFK airport at night.
Corvair College 31 Barnwell, SC
2002 Mile Round Trip to Florida
Ken could select any engine he wanted for his plane, budget was not a factor. The appeal of the Corvair for him was the chance to build it himself, and the basic simplicity of the engine and systems. He built and flew a standard 100hp Corvair for the first 503 hours, and then he upgraded to a cost is no object 3.3L 125+hp engine with a stroked billet crankshaft. Ken is one of a handful of builders who have flown both ends of the Corvair power spectrum in the same airframe. He points out they each serve particular goals well.
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Ken is an accomplished pilot with more than three decades of flying and more than 6,000 hours in GA aircraft. He has nothing but praise for the 601/650 design and Zeniths support for it. When you select an aircraft to build, you are also getting ‘married’ to the company which provides it. Thousand of builders, Ken among they, will attest the Zenith factory and community of builders was a very good match for homebuilding ambitions.
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Above, Ken at one of my Corvair Colleges, where he was awarded the Cherry Grove Trophy for his long standing contributions to our Corvair community
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Ken’s 601XL, one of two in my front yard in Florida that day.
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Ken’s plane in New Hampshire, with two other Corvair Powered 601XL’s
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Ken, with his plane, on the flight line at Oshkosh.
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