If you want to get a closer look at the most popular kit-built airplanes in the world, you must attend this Homecoming Event!

                                    (Super701's flyby/arrival to the event)

The Annual Homecoming is an amazing aviation event hosted by Zenith Aircraft. They hold this event in September every year and have many activities for all attendees, fly-in or drive-in. You can learn about building and flying your own airplane with educational seminars. A tour of the facility allows visitors to see how the aircraft components are built, including the CNC machines which make the experience easier than ever for the builder. During the tour, you can also put your hands on all the basic handtools that are required to build these airplanes. You can even sign up for a hands-on Introductory Workshop. The workshops are coordinated by Zenith Aircraft staff and held right in the factory. Small group sizes make the workshops very productive and educational. This allows you to learn about the blueprints, sheet metal construction, and assembling the airplane rudder of your favorite all-metal airplane, all with the supervision and help of the Zenith personnel. If you were lucky, you might have attended the workshop that happened just before the Homecoming.

The Zenith Homecoming is a 475 mile cross-country for me. I made one stop along the way, but did meander quite a bit at times to get a closer look at the unique, beautiful, (and flat) farming landscape of the midwest.

I also followed a few rivers to view all the traffic.

Check out the full 360 picture at this link:   360 pic of the barge traffic

Of course, I also drooled over all the river sandbars, but I refrained from spending a lot of time on playing on them because I was wanting to get to Mexico to hang out with everyone and also to help out with some demo flights.

I completed building my Super701 barely over 2 yrs ago and have now attended two Zenith Homecomings with it. I highly recommend this event to anyone who has not taken the opportunity to be a part of it. I am convinced that our Zenith family is the best aviation/aircraft family in the world and I hope to be able to attend these Homecomings for many years to come. The weather was excellent and the turn-out for the event was phenominal, with people travelling from all over the US to attend. There are plenty of demo rides and also STOL/flying demonstrations at the Homecoming where people can get a closer look at these wonderful aircraft and their short field capabilities.

I have given dozens of demo rides at events in the last two years and it is an absolute pleasure to see the reactions of passengers as they get a chance to experience what it is like to fly in a Zenith aircraft, especially when it is their first time. I may also be one few, who has not taken a demo ride with Zenith's popular Roger Dubbert, but have given him a demo ride in my 701!

Even the after-hours campfire in front of the Zenith factory is something you should not miss! The stories, talks, and fellowship are second-to-none.

I headed home just after lunch on Sunday with a headwind, which takes a little more time in a slow airplane, but I still would not even consider trading it for a faster plane. The low and slow flying is the most fun anyone can have in aviation. I made it home about an hour after dark, which gave me a chance to see some night scenery that is gorgeous in it’s own special way.

Check out the full 360 picture at this link: Night Flight/City Lights

After returning home from around 3,000 miles flown in September, the Super701 had it’s 400hr inspection and service. I am proud to report that no issues requiring unscheduled maintanence have been found with either the robust CH701 or the ULPower 350iS engine.

I hope to hang out with all of you at the 30^th Annual Zenith Homecoming in 2021!

Until then, Happy Flying!

P.S. I am also planning to attend the Sun n Fun Holiday Flying Festival where I will competing in the National STOL event like the one in TX back in March.

Zenith is hosting a hands-on Workshop at the Sun n Fun event, which will be another great opportunity to check out the skills of building your own metal airplane!

I hope you see you all in Florida this December!