title: Zenair CH 300
text: # Zenair CH 300
  
  The Zenair Tri-Z CH 300 is a three-seat Canadian homebuilt light aircraft. A single-engined low-winged monoplane, the CH 300 first flew in 1977, with several hundred kits sold.
  
  ## Development and design
  
  The CH 300 is an enlarged three-seat derivative of the Zenair Zenith CH 200, designed by Chris Heintz in the mid 1970s as the Tri-Zénith. Like the CH 200, it is a low-winged monoplane of all-metal construction with a fixed nosewheel undercarriage, but is larger and more powerful, and is fitted with a rear bench seat capable of accommodating a third adult or two children, and is fitted with a forward sliding canopy. It is designed to be powered by an engine giving between 125 and 180 hp (93 and 134 kW).
  
  The first example made its maiden flight on 9 July 1977, with over 400 sets of plans sold by 1982. One CH 300, modified with extra fuel tanks and piloted by Robin "Red" Morris, made a non-stop trans-Canada flight between Vancouver International Airport and Halifax International Airport on 1–2 July 1978, covering the 2,759 mile (4,440 km) in 22 hours, 44 mins, setting three FAI Class C-1c point-to-point speed records.
  
  Plans for the CH 300 remained on sale in 1999. The Zenair CH 300 formed the basis for the factory built Zenair CH-2000, which first flew in 1993.
  
  ## Variants
  
  ### CH 300
  
      Basic model with tricycle landing gear
  
  ### CH 300 TD
  
      "Taildragger" model with conventional landing gear
  
  ## Aircraft on display
  
  * Canada Aviation and Space Museum
  
  ## Specifications (150 hp O-320 engine)
  
  Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982-83
  
  General characteristics
  
  * Crew: 1
  * Capacity: 2 passengers
  * Length: 22 ft 6 in (6.85 m)
  * Wingspan: 26 ft 7 in (8.10 m)
  * Height: 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
  * Wing area: 129.2 sq ft (12.00 $m^2)$
  * Aspect ratio: 5.48:1
  * Empty weight: 1,100 lb (499 kg)
  * Max takeoff weight: 1,850 lb (839 kg)
  * Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-320 air-cooled flat-four, 150 hp (110 kW)
  
  Performance
  
  * Maximum speed: 160 mph (260 km/h, 140 kn)
  * Cruise speed: 143 mph (230 km/h, 124 kn) (75% power)
  * Stall speed: 53 mph (85 km/h, 46 kn) (flaps down)
  * Range: 530 mi (850 km, 460 nmi)
  * Rate of climb: 1,000 ft/min (5.1 m/s)
  