Zenith Open Hangar Day / Builder Fly-In Event - Latest Schedule Update

Here's the latest information on our upcoming Open Hangar Day / Builder Fly-In Gathering: We've added Wayne Lanza of Composite Design to the list of participants. Composite Design manufactures the power panel used in our STOL CH 750 instrument panel. This is a self-contained power distribution console that dramatically simplifies installation of the aircraft electrical system. Wayne will be available Friday afternoon and Saturday to answer questions you may have about the power panel and light aircraft electrical systems.

As mentioned last Friday, Dean Vogal, a top rated Rotax instructor in the Rotax Flying and Safety Club (RFSC), will attend our Open Hangar Day events and will put on a two-hour workshop on the Rotax engine! See below for details.

Our 19th annual Zenith Aircraft Company "Open Hangar Day and Builder Fly-In" is in less than one week and we've finalized our schedule of programs. We're pleased to be able to offer some all-new seminars and participants this year, with programs of interest to all, whether you're a new or existing builder, or if you're already flying your completed Zenith. New participants this year include EAA, Rotax, Aircraft Spruce & Specialty, and Matco wheels and brakes. Starting on Friday afternoon, September 17, the following seminars have been scheduled. Note that the presenters will also be available on Saturday to answer questions and for mini-seminars and workshops. Group sizes are limited - we strongly recommend you pre-register now if you plan to attend these Friday afternoon activities:

A complimentary "hotdog and soda" lunch will be available at noon on Friday, September 17, compliments of AmZac Light Sport Aviation.

12:30 pm, Friday, September 17:

Painting Your Homebuilt: Mike Loehle of Lohle Aero Coatings will discuss aircraft painting, with in-depth information on painting your Zenith aircraft using Loehle Aero Coatings high quality aircraft finishes.
ULPower engines. A&P mechanic / pilot Gus Warren will discuss and show you the new lightweight ULPower engines from Europe.

2:00 pm, Friday, September 17:

Jabiru Aircraft Engines, presented by Zodiac builder/owner Mark Stauffer of JabiruUSA. This informative workshop will cover everything you've always wanted to know about operating and maintaining the popular Jabiru aircraft engines, including the 4-cylinder Jabiru 2200 and the 6-cylinder Jabiru 3300.
Garmin Avionics, maker of the popular avionics systems installed in many Zeniths, will show the
latest innovations and features available from Garmin.
NEW Rotax aircraft engines workshop, presented by Dean Vogal. Learn all about the Rotax 912 series
light aircraft engines, popular in the STOL CH 701, STOL CH 750 and the
Zodiac series aircraft. Dean Vogel is a top-rated instructor in the Rotax Flying and Safety Club (RFSC),
He is a 1982 graduate of the USAF Academy, and he spent a total of 14
years in the Air Force maintaining and flying jets. He then worked 13
years with Cirrus Design, helping to take the company from 10 employees
to 850. Dean Vogal has tremendous experience with maintaining and
overhauling the Rotax engines that are popular in so many Zeniths and
other Light Sport Aircraft. Dean and his company, Aero Technical Institute, is the main training arm of Lockwood Aviation in Sebring, Florida. This will be a two-hour seminar.

4:00 - 5:00 pm, Friday, September 17:

How EAA Can Help You Build and Fly Your Own Aircraft: Charlie Becker from the Experimental Aircraft Association hosts a seminar on EAA's available resources to help builders, owners and pilots of amateur-built aircraft, including the technical advisor and flight advisor programs, as well as details on Sport Pilot / LSA rules.
Inspecting and Pre-Flighting your Zenith Aircraft, by Mat Heintz and Gus Warren. A&P mechanic / pilot Gus Warren will discuss and show you how to thoroughly inspect your completed Zenith aircraft prior to your first flight, and how to adequately preflight your aircraft before every flight. This seminar is highly recommended to all builders, owners and pilots of Zenith aircraft (especially second owners), and will include an actual inspection using a itemized checklist.

6:00 – 9:00 pm, Friday, September 17:

Zenith Builders Banquet at the Elks Lodge (next to the airport). Fun and informal buffet dinner gathering of Zenith enthusiasts, builders, pilots and employees. Some great door prizes will be awarded. RSVP soon as space is limited. Click here to purchase your ticket(s) now, or purchase the dinner tickets in advance in the Zenith offices. Cost: $15.00 per person. Cash bar, opens at 5 pm.

Note: The above schedule is tentative and subject to change. Keep checking this page for the latest updates. 09/02/2010

Saturday, September 18: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm: The Zenith Aircraft kit production facilities will be open for factory tours and Zenith's factory-demonstrator kit aircraft will be on display. Company staff will demonstrate kit production and fabrication techniques used in producing the all-metal kit aircraft parts made at the Zenith Aircraft factory, including cutting and pre-drilling kit parts on the CNC router, forming and hand finishing wing ribs and other kit parts, and aircraft aluminum welding demonstrations. Complete aircraft kits, parts and components will also be on hand.
Additional participants and activities include:

Hands-on Workshop: Visitors will be given the opportunity to "build their own" aircraft-aluminum binder for their Zenith documentation, as well as a custom made wheel chocks assembly project.
Charlie Becker from the Experimental Aircraft Association will attend and host a seminar on EAA's available resources to help builders, owners and pilots of amateur-built aircraft, including the technical advisor and flight advisor programs, as well as details on Sport Pilot / LSA rules.
Garmin Avionics. Tim Casey, Garmin's sales manager for portables, LSA, and Experimental Aviation Markets, plans to attend to answer questions on installing and operating Garmin avionics in Zenith aircraft.
HomebuiltHelp.com offers a complete line of "how-to" videos available on DVD, and will have the popular DVDs available for preview and purchase.
Wayne Lanza of Composite Design will showcase the company's new Light Sport Power Panel used by Zenith Aircraft Co. and supplied in the STOL CH 750 instrument panel kit.
Gus Warren of FlyWithGus.net plans to fly in from Florida in a STOL CH 750 powered by a lightweight ULpower engine, and will be on hand to show this modern new European aircraft engine. Gus will also be available to answer questions about Sport Pilot and Light Sport Aircraft (LSA), and professional builder assistance.
Mark Stauffer, builder and owner of a Zenith, will represent Jabiru USA, distributor of Jabiru engines, the line of lightweight aircraft engines popular in many Zeniths. Mark will be available to answer your engine installation, operation and maintenance questions.
AmZac Light Sport Aviation is a new builder assistance center located in Mexico, Missouri. It was established to help builders get their kit project completed and flying sooner, and to provide kit assembly facilities to builders who do not have the needed space. Diane and Billy Carter from AmZac Light Sport Aviation will attend with their STOL CH 750 project to meet with builders and answer building questions.	AmZac Light Sport Aviation
Jon Croke, editor of the "Zenair Newsletter," will be available to sell back issues of the newsletter, renew your subscription, and interview builders and suppliers for future issues of the builder newsletter. The official newsletter is published six times per year, and each issue comes with a companion DVD.
Mike Loehle of Loehle Aero Coatings will discuss aircraft painting, with in-depth information on painting your Zenith aircraft with Loehle Aero Coatings high quality aircraft finishes.	Loehle Aero Coatings
A representative from Aircraft Spruce & Specialty will attend to hand out catalogs and showcase some of the thousands of items offered by this homebuilders and pilots superstore.
Dynon Avionics sent us a brand new glass panel SkyView demo unit which we'll have mounted in a STOL CH 750 instrument panel, demonstrating this new next-generation glass panel with 10" display.
Russell Lepre from FlightCrafters, a leading provider of professional builder assistance and quick-build kits, will attend to meet with builders and answer building and flying questions.	FlightCrafters
Chuck Preston from Kitplanes magazine will be on hand to answer questions about the popular magazine dedicated to homebuilt aircraft.
George Happ from Matco Mfg., maker of light aircraft wheels and brakes used on many Zeniths, will be on hand to discuss the company's products and how to best install and operate them on your Zenith.
Viking Aircraft Engines makes a Honda-based 100-hp engine conversion for light aircraft. Jan Eggenfellner is planning to fly-in a Zodiac CH601HDS powered by one of his new conversions.	Viking Aircraft Engines
AeroLEDs, the latest LED (light emitting diode) aircraft lights, including wingtip mounted strobe / nav lights as well as an assortment of new landing lights.
Zenith Aircraft kits, options, and parts will be on display and available to order.
Customer Projects: Existing Zenith Aircraft builders and owners enjoy sharing information and details about building and flying their aircraft, and will be available to discuss construction, finishing (paint, upholstery, avionics, alternative engines, etc.) and flying their aircraft creations. Builders and pilots: Bring your photos to share with fellow builders, and let us know if you would like some indoor space for a display or presentation. Other products and services for Zenith builders and flyers. (Contact us if you are interested in showcasing products or services that are of interest to Zenith builders and flyers).

Join us for the annual group photo at 10:30 in front of the Zenith Aircraft factory!

Zenith Builders and Pilots: Owners of completed Zenith Aircraft are encouraged to fly-in for the activities and to show off their completed project to fellow builders (we will provide tie-down space and help facilitate ground transportation if possible). Let us know of any special needs or requirements.
If flying in, please bring your own aircraft tie-downs, especially if staying overnight. If flying in with your Zenith plane, please park your airplane as close to the Zenith factory as possible on Saturday. We'll try to position and group all Zeniths in front of the factory for the group photo at 10:30 am. If driving in, please bring yourself a folding (lawn) chair if possible. We will have chairs and picnic tables, but we sometimes run out... Let me know if you're coming in early and are available to help with some set-up tasks...

Check the official Open Hangar Day website for the latest updates and schedule.
Note to builders: You can arrange to pick-up parts at the Open Hangar Day if the parts have been ordered, paid for and confirmed prior to the Open Hangar Day.

A note about accommodations: Local hotels are already all booked. However, there are many more hotels in the general area, as well as camping sites. Click here for additional information on accommodations. We can help you to carpool if you are flying in and need a ride to and from a local hotel.

I look forward to seeing many of you once again, and look forward to meeting with new builders!

Sebastien Heintz

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