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Zenith STOL Champion at 2023 New Zealand Bush Pilot Championships

Light Aircraft Design

Aeronautical engineer Chris Heintz, the designer of Zenith Aircraft Company’s line of kit aircraft, is one of the most qualified and knowledgeable light aircraft designers today. Heintz has the unique ability of being able to simplify design concepts and to clearly explain and illustrate light aircraft design and construction.

Aircraft Construction

By Ron Alexander


We’re very pleased to present this series of articles on aircraft construction by Ron Alexander of Alexander Aeroplane Company fame and EAA/SportAir workshops. These articles provide excellent “how-to” knowledge on building your own aircraft, and provide comprehensive information on FAA rules and regulations.

AutoCAD Drawings


Sample blueprints of the ZODIAC CH 601 HD and STOL CH 701 kit aircraft designs – view these detailed AutoCAD drawings online.

Aviation Education Links

Flying On Your Own Wings: A Complete Guide to Understanding Light Airplane Design, by Chris Heintz The long-awaited book by Chris Heintz – Flying On Your Own Wings – is as the subtitle states: A Complete Guide to Understanding Light Airplane Design. Aeronautical engineer Chris Heintz shares his knowledge and insights into the art and science of light aircraft design in this 300-page large format book and walks readers through the essential understanding and skills required to conceive , develop , build and even test-fly their own personal light airplane. Basic mathematics , essential aerodynamics and stress analysis are just a few of the chapters of this fascinating book. Heintz even provides a sample design to help would-be designers take their first step towards imagining and creating their own wings. Truly a beginner’s guide to everything you need to know in order to achieve that age-old dream: To fly on your own wings!

Standard Aircraft Handbook for Mechanics and Technicians, by Larry Reithmaier (Editor) Recommended by designer Chris Heintz, the Standard Aircraft Handbook is a “must-have” for the builder/owner of an all-metal aircraft. The Sixth Edition of this bestseller features coordinated step-by-step procedures, methods, and techniques… Details basic shop practices such as drilling and riveting; Shows you how to install electrical wiring and plumbing, and more…

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Sport Flying, by Dan Ramsey, Earl Downs, forwarded by Tom Poberezny The Federal Aviation Administration’s new sport flying license will let people earn their wings for a fraction of the time and cost of a traditional license. The Complete Idiot’s Guide, to Sport Flying introduces this new field of flying to consumers, and shows you how to fly smart—offering tips on how to get more flying fun for less money.

Go! (hardcover book), by DK Publishing – Includes foldout of the Zodiac kit airplane!

Getting Started on your Zenith Aircraft kit project