Check out the popular Zenith planes and meet with their builders and owners at this informal Zenith fly-in gathering. Come out and meet with Ivan and Nicole Gromala from Quality Sport Planes and with Sebastien Heintz from the Zenith Aircraft kit factory. Jan and Alissa Eggenfellner of Viking Aircraft Engines will also attend to meet with Zenith builders, flyers and enthusiasts. All owners of completed Zenith Aircraft are invited to fly-in with their projects. Check out photos from past Quality Sport Planes Open House & Zenith Fly-In gatherings.
Come check out the Zenith planes (both low-wings and high-wings) at the QSP Open House and Zenith Fly-In: Ivan, an avid back-country pilot and fellow Zenith builder, will show off his newest projects, including a custom big-tire taildragger Zenith STOL that he has been flying this past year. Check out the video!
Above, Ivan Gromala, of Quality Sport Planes, at the High Sierra Fly-In’s STOL-Drag event last year with his Zenith STOL CH 750, powered by a Viking (Honda) engine.
BUILD IT, FLY IT!
Immediately before the Open House & Zenith Fly-In, on Friday May 5th, Quality Sport Planes is hosting a Zenith hands-on kit building workshop, together with Sebastien Heintz from the Zenith kit aircraft factory. Learn all about building your own Zenith by participating in this very affordable hands-on workshop and learn the skills and tools needed to build your own Zenith by building the rudder tail section. Plan now to join us at the workshop in Cloverdale, California. Group size is limited and prior registration is required.
FLY IT FORWARD Zenith staff enjoyed meeting with Zenith builders, flyers and enthusiasts at the annual SUN ‘n FUN aerospace expo earlier this month in Lakeland, Florida, and showing the latest kit aircraft models from Zenith Aircraft Company.
Zenith Aircraft’s Sebastien Heintz was proud to announce his ongoing support of Sun ‘n Fun’s Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE) youth aircraft building project, aptly named “Fly It Forward.” A second Zenith CH 750 Cruzer aircraft kit assembly was started on the Sun ‘n Fun campus during the aerospace expo and fly-in, with plans to complete the aircraft during next year’s Sun ‘n Fun expo, which will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the annual Florida fly-in.
On display at the Zenith booth at Sun ‘n Fun were a handful of customer-built aircraft, showcasing different engine installations and other customizations. Check out this video as Ramesh Nori shares details about the CH 750 Cruzer that he built himself from a Zenith kit, powered by a Corvair engine that he also assembled.
Zenith Aircraft’s shiny aluminum kit camper was also on display at the Zenith booth during the second half of Sun ‘n Fun week. The lightweight proof-of-concept DIY Zenith Camper (expertly built and finished by Scott and Alicia Sutton) was a popular and welcome addition to the Zenith aircraft kits on display.
Get a head start in building your own airplane by participating at an upcoming hands-on workshop class at the kit aircraft manufacturing factory in Mexico, Missouri, and learn all about the skills and tools needed to build your own. The workshop experience at the Zenith factory also includes a factory tour and demo flight, with participants “graduating” from the workshop upon completing construction of their own aircraft rudder tail section for one of Zenith Aircraft Company’s popular kit aircraft designs, including the high-wing Zenith CH 750 series or the sleek low-wing Zenith CH 650 cruiser. Plan now to join us at an upcoming factory workshop (see above for details on the California workshop):
The Zenith hands-on workshop is an excellent way to learn about building your own kit aircraft and about the many advantages of owning and flying an airplane that you’ve built yourself. For many, building an aircraft (from a kit) is a very rewarding experience, and today’s modern kits make it easier and quicker to build than ever before.
Standard workshop fees are just $375.00 (or $425 for the CH 750 Super Duty model) and include the complete rudder kit for a Zenith aircraft. Additional helpers (spouse or other family members) are encouraged to attend and can participate for free. Prior registration is required for the rudder workshop class and class size is limited.
Another popular way to get started building your own Zenith kit airplane is to have the affordable rudder kit delivered to you. If you want to be sure that you have the required skills or just want to learn more before committing to a design, Zenith Aircraft’s Rudder Starter Kit is for you. This very affordable kit includes the complete rudder tail section kit for the Zenith model of your choice and comes with a detailed and illustrated step-by-step assembly instructions. Developed specifically for the first-time builder, the starter kit costs just a few hundred dollars, and includes everything you need to start building your own Zenith kit aircraft.
Check out these Instagram short videos (by clicking on the individual photos above and below) from Carson Stilson as he builds his own Zenith STOL CH 750 Super Duty from a kit. Carson has been inspiring a younger generation to start building and flying on their own wings by sharing his build on social media: “Between Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, we have surpassed 11 million views in just a few months! It’s been amazing to see how many people are excited about the build. Absolutely wild.”
As Carson enthusiastically states in his videos about kit building, “if there was an adult lego set, this would be it!”
“One of the most coveted, yet challenging experiences in aviation is building your own airplane,” explains Carson about why he wants to build and fly his own airplane. “Experimental aircraft open up SO many opportunities when it comes to flying. Complete customization: building the plane to fit your needs exactly.”
Helping to make homebuilt aircraft ownership possible on nearly any budget, a Zenith can be scratch-built (from plans-only), from component “buy-as-you-build” kits, or from complete kits. Advanced Quick-Build Kits (QBK) are also available.
For just a few hundred dollars you can buy your own set of drawings (blueprints) for the two-seat Zenith model of your choice. Each set of drawings comes with its own aircraft serial number, and gives you unlimited access to Zenith Aircraft’s legendary technical support! Choose the model you’d like to build:
You can study the drawings and the included assembly manuals before buying the kit, or start to scratch-build your very own aircraft from the plans. While scratch-building requires additional tools and skills (compared to building from a factory kit), it is an excellent learning opportunity that can provide cost savings to the builder. Also, note that any needed individual kit part or component can be purchased from the factory (allowing the builder to choose which parts to fabricate), and remember also that the cost of the drawings can be directly applied toward the cost of the full kit (even if the kit is purchased months or years later!) Contact us or order online to get started. Drawings and manuals are in stock and ready to be shipped.
Cloverdale is located in the scenic wine country of northern California, a part of the country ideally suited for Zenith’s utilitarian light sport aircraft, whether flying along the Pacific Coast, flying up in the mountains, checking out the high deserts or landing on river gravel bars to go fishing and camping.
Order your rudder starter kit and have it shipped to your home where you can get started building your very own aircraft! Or, if you prefer, attend the next hands-on workshop at the Zenith Aircraft kit factory in central Missouri for the full workshop experience (including a demo flight!).
You can study the drawings and the included assembly manuals before buying the kit, or start to scratch-build your very own aircraft from the plans. While scratch-building requires additional tools and skills (compared to building from a factory kit), it is an excellent learning opportunity that can provide cost savings to the builder. Also, note that any needed individual kit part or component can be purchased from the factory (allowing the builder to choose which parts to fabricate), and remember also that the cost of the drawings can be directly applied toward the cost of the full kit (even if the kit is purchased months or years later!) Contact us or order online to get started. Drawings and manuals are in stock and ready to be shipped.
