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Zenith Aircraft Company's 

"Fly-In to Summer" Open House

Saturday, June 17, Mexico, Missouri

You're invited to join us at our informal "Fly-In To Summer" Open House & Fly-In at the Zenith kit aircraft factory in central Missouri, as we welcome in the Summer 2023 flying season! The Zenith Aircraft factory will be open from 8:00 am - 1:00 pm on Saturday morning, June 17th, for self-guided factory tours, demonstrations, and more. We'll also have coffee in the morning and lunch will be available at the airport! Come visit the factory, and see the Zenith demo planes.

Whether you are already building, thinking about starting to build or already flying your Zenith Aircraft, you are invited! Note that in contrast to our annual late summer Zenith Homecoming & Open Hangar Days in September, the June event is very informal and unstructured with no scheduled activities. Owners of completed Zenith Aircraft are encouraged to fly in for the day to show off their completed project to fellow builders. Zenith builders: Please let us know ahead of time if you plan to pick up parts or kit supplies so that we can have your order ready for pick-up on Saturday!

In our last email newsletter we featured Patrick Hoyt's demo flight in the Zenith CH 750 Cruzer light sport aircraft, where he discussed why he was building a second Zenith kit. Today, we feature his wife Mary's demo flight in the CH 750 Cruzer. Watch the video as Zenith Aircraft's Roger Dubbert takes Mary flying, and listen in as they discuss the workshop experience and why they are build another Zenith kit, 17 years after building their first.

Transition, Familiarization and Refresher Flight Training

Once a kit aircraft has been successfully completed (finished, registered and inspected) it is ready for its first flight and enters the "phase one" flight test program (historically a 40-hour program, or the newer task-based flight test program).

Kevin Purtee helps Zenith owners and flyers prepare for their first flight by providing familiarization, transition, and refresher flight training. Kevin is a highly qualified flight instructor with a career dedicated to aviation: "Many of our students are rusty pilots, and choose to train to proficiency versus training to a certain number of hours... Flight training includes all the typical flight maneuvers: takeoffs, landings, traffic patterns, stalls, emergency procedures, slow flight, etc. We concentrate heavily on landings. We have a well-built CH 601XL-B with a Lycoming O-235. It’s optimized to take two full-sized adults flying on a hot Texas day. It’s a working airplane: strong, airworthy, and it flies well."

Kevin and Shelley own and operate K&S Aviation Services in northeastern Texas (two hours east of Dallas) and provide training in their low-wing Zenith. Check out their Facebook page or call them for details: (903) 423-0054

Many builders perform their own first flight in the aircraft that they built themselves, while others may choose to have the first flight performed by another qualified pilot. First flight preparedness is another reason to obtain professional training (and typically an insurance requirement).

Phil Cook, an accomplished Zenith CH 750 builder/pilot himself, and owner of Lavion Aero flight school, offers Zenith transition training and first flight preparedness training and assistance. Phil offers to travel to the builder's location for first flight assistance (including first flight with the owner/pilot) in the actual aircraft built by the owner.

Whether the original builder or buying a used Zenith, obtaining transition and refresher flight training is highly recommended in the Zenith that you plan to buy, including transition training for the engine and avionics.

Build It. Fly It!

We invite you to join us next week at our next hands-on factory workshop, right before the "Fly-In to Summer" Open House event (see above), on Friday, June 16th & 17th at the Zenith kit aircraft factory in central Missouri. Participants start assembling the rudder tail kit under the direction and guidance of factory professionals, and "graduate" 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.

The Zenith factory workshop experience is more than gaining valuable hands-on experience in building one of Zenith's popular kit aircraft. In addition to completing assembly of their own rudder tail section (from a kit), workshop participants tour the kit aircraft factory, seeing first-hand how all the kits are made, and everyone gets the chance to go up for a demo flight in the aircraft that they are thinking or starting to build!

Cost of the workshop class is just $375.00 (or $425 for the CH 750 Super Duty model) and includes the complete rudder kit for a Zenith aircraft. Additional helpers (spouse, friend or children) are encouraged to attend and can participate at no additional charge. The hands-on workshop makes an excellent getaway for you and your spouse or a friend! Spend a couple of days at the Zenith Aircraft factory and meet with fellow aviation enthusiasts - all while gaining valuable building skills and tips.

Do you know someone who may be interested in building and flying their own aircraft? Share this newsletter with them by simply forwarding this email or share this web page link.