Last week we hosted our first (and hopefully only!) "Oshkosh Week" at the Zenith aircraft kit factory in Mexico, Missouri. With the annual EAA AirVenture show canceled this year because of the COVID-19 global pandemic, we decided to open our factory to builders (and pilots) so that they could continue to "aviate" and work on their kit aircraft projects. We limited group sizes and activities…

Saturday, April 4, 2020 - Mexico, Missouri

Like everyone else, Zenith Aircraft Company has been impacted by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. While the Zenith Aircraft kit factory is located in a fairly rural area and there have been no reported cases of the coronavirus in the immediate area, the response to this pandemic needs to be widespread and is affecting all of us. For the past few weeks…

A well-known national aviation insurance company is working on a print advertising campaign, and they are looking for a specific photo showing an airplane being built in a home garage. See below sample (keeping in mind this is just a sample).

Are you currently building your Zenith in your garage, and is your project at a stage where it is well recognizable as an airplane? They want to arrange a photo shoot with you (or alternatively use a suitable file photo of your project in your…

Roger and I recently returned from central Florida where we held a hands-on kit aircraft building workshop and hosted a Zenith fly-in gathering together with Wheels and Wings. What a productive workshop and fun time meeting with new and existing Zenith builders and flyers!

Day One: Rudder workshop class and demo flights (Friday, January 24, 2020): Watch the…

Zenith Aircraft Company had another great year at EAA Oshkosh AirVenture 2019.

• (Read Part One of my Oshkosh 2019 report)

First things first: Thanks to all who flew in to the EAA Oshkosh 50th anniversary fly-in! And…

I was starting to write my Oshkosh 2019 follow-up report, but the highlight of this year's Oshkosh experience for me actually happened after flying home from the event, when I received the following email letter:

"Mr Heintz, from the time I was a boy I loved airplanes. Life, as it does many times, prevented me from becoming a pilot until I was 40 years…

Here's my report of the 2019 Sun 'n Fun fly-in earlier this month (April 2 -  7) in Lakeland, Florida, with photos and videos of the trip to and from Lakeland from the…

Here's a brief follow-up report of the 2019 Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo, where we hosted, once again, the hands-on workshops during the four-day Expo. Watch the video:

As you can see in the above…

Check out the latest episode of The Traffic Pattern blog as I discuss Zenith Aircraft and kit airplane building and flying. The new episode premieres tonight and is hosted by air traffic controller …

For the past several years we've had EAA (the Experimental Aircraft Association) supply Zenith Aircraft branded shirts, hats, and other accessories through their retail outlets at AirVenture Oshkosh and on their website. This arrangement was to make Zenith branded apparel more readily available to Zenith builders and pilots, while also providing a regular…

Since the devastation of Hurricane Florence last month in the Carolinas, I had heard several reports of a STOL CH 801 being used to fly in supplies to flooded areas in the aftermath of the hurricane.

Here is a brief report and photos:

 …

Here's my report of the 2018 Sun 'n Fun fly-in held last week (April 10 - 15) in Lakeland, Florida, with photos and videos of the trip to and from Lakeland from the Zenith Aircraft factory in Mexico, Missouri. Watch the…

One of my favorite aviation organizations is Able Flight, a charity whose mission is "to offer people with disabilities a unique way to challenge themselves through flight and aviation career training, and by doing so, to gain greater self-confidence and…

Here's my follow-up photo report of the 2018 Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo, and of our flight to and from Sebring, Florida.

We took two Zenith airplanes on the trip to Florida: I flew the Zenith CH 750 Cruzer with my daughter (below) while Roger flew the new…

NEW: EAA BARNSTORMING DEALS: Exclusive offer to EAA members

Get FREE admission to the Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo with your paid registration for the Zenith Aircraft hands-on workshop offered at the Expo! Sign up now for the…

Just this week, two EAA Chapters, that are actively building Zenith kits as a group project, are in the news! 

EAA Hotline featured this project (nearing completion) in Virginia…

I'm posting this a little late, but here's a video recap of the May 2017 Quality Sport Planes OPEN HOUSE and West Coast Zenith Fly-In, hosted by Doug Dugger at his facility at the Cloverdale Municipal Airport in Cloverdale, California (about an hour north of San Francisco).

Below, flying in Doug's newly completed Zenith CH 750 Cruzer powered by a…

Here's my report of the 2017 Sun'n Fun fly-in held last week (April 4 - 9) in Lakeland, Florida, with photos and videos of the trip to and from Lakeland from the Zenith Aircraft factory in Mexico, Missouri. Watch the videos for additional info (with narration) and check out some of our Facebook…

Following is my report on the 2017 Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo, held last week in Sebring (central Florida), with photos and videos of the trip to and from Sebring from the Zenith Aircraft factory in Mexico, Missouri.  Watch the video (below), "Recap of the Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo 2017," for a further summary of the 2017 event.…

Today, November 21, is Chris' 78th birthday. While most of you know Chris or are familiar with him and his work, I know many new Zenith builders and owners are not as familiar (since his retirement about six years ago) so below I am sharing an article written by aviation writer and friend Jim Cavanaugh in 2011 for the "Zeniths to Oshkosh" celebrations honoring Chris Heintz at EAA AirVenture.…