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Welcome to Zenith Aircraft Company

Welcome to the official home page for Zenair™ kit aircraft designs. Zenith Aircraft Online provides detailed information and resources on sport (experimental) aviation and our exciting line of homebuilt kit planes for sport pilots. For access to our previous site, please click here.

Zenith Aircraft

This is our Facebook home, where we keep you informed of the latest developments, news, coming events, and more, and share photos of some of our building and flying adventures. Zenith Aircraft Co. markets and manufactures aircraft kits, and holds monthly hands-on factory workshops at its base at Mexico Memorial Airport.

Zenith Aircraft

Zenith Aircraft7 hours ago

Let's go flying! Visit the Zenith Aircraft kit factory for a demo flight in your favorite aircraft!

Zenith Aircraft

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Zenith Aircraft

Zenith Aircraft2 days ago

Flying to a fly-in pancake breakfast this morning in the Zenith CH 750 Cruzer, hosted by the Jefferson City EAA Chapter 429

Zenith Aircraft

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Zenith Aircraft

Zenith Aircraft3 days ago

Productive first day at the hands-on kit aircraft building workshop at the Zenith Aircraft factory! Plan now to join us at the next workshop: November 16 & 17 in Mexico, Missouri! http://j.mp/zenith-workshop

Zenith Aircraft

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Zenith Aircraft

Zenith Aircraft4 days ago

Another great group of participants at the Zenith hands-on kit aircraft building workshop this morning the at the factory!

Zenith Aircraft

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Zenith Aircraft

Zenith Aircraft5 days ago

Let's go flying! Visit the Zenith Aircraft kit factory for a demo flight

Zenith Aircraft

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Zenith Aircraft

Zenith Aircraft6 days ago

Zenith Aircraft's Sebastien Heintz was at EAA headquarters today to speak about kit aircraft manufacturing at the GSC SolidWorks 2018 launch event

Zenith Aircraft

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About Zenith Aircraft Company

Zenith Aircraft Company is in the exclusive business of designing, developing and manufacturing kit aircraft. The independent, privately-owned company was formed in 1992 in Mexico, Missouri, centrally located in the United States, and is based in leased 20,000+ sq.ft. production facilities at Mexico Memorial Airport. Zenith Aircraft Company has acquired the exclusive rights to manufacture and market ZenairTM kit aircraft designs from designer Chris Heintz.

Zenith Aircraft Company is a proud member and supporter of the Experimental Aircraft Assoc. (EAA), the Small Aircraft Manufacturers Assoc. (SAMA), the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Assoc. (LAMA), and numerous other organizations dedicated to the advancement of sport aviation. Zenith Aircraft Company is continuously involved in projects devoted to aviation education and the advancement of sport aviation around the world. More...

Overview of the Zenith Aircraft


Name	Zenith CH650	STOL CH701	STOL CH750	Zenith CH750 Cruzer
Seating	2 Place	2 Place	2 Place	2 Place
Wing Style	Low wing	High Wing	High Wing	High Wing
Maximum Speed (sea level, continuous)	134 mph	85 mph	100 mph	118 mph
Crusing Speed (at 8000 ft TAS)	155 mph	92 mph	100 mph	118 mph
Stall Speed	44 mph	28 mph	35 mph	39 mph
Takeoff Distance	550 ft	60 ft	100 ft	350 ft
Landing Distance	500 ft	80 ft	125 ft	350 ft
Range	656 miles	372 miles	440 miles	520 miles
Kit Price (starting price)	$18,500	$14,000	$19,500	$21,500

Light Sport Aircraft and the Sport Pilot License

In 2004, the Federal Aviation Administration approved the creation of the Sport Pilot License and the Light Sport Aircraft Category. With this addition, flight became more affordable and achievable by the general population. Unlike Private Pilots, Sport pilots are not required to have an annual medical, and can fly with no more than a current driver's license (after successfully earning the Sport Pilot license).

Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) are single engine planes with no more than two seats, a maximum weight of 1300 lbs, a maximum stall speed of 51 mph and a maximum speed of 138 mph. Light Sport Aircraft can be homebuilt or purchased completed; however, there are many benefits to building your own aircraft.

When built according to the design, the CH650, CH701 STOL, CH750 STOL and CH750 Cruzer are all categorized as Light Sport Aircraft and would be an excellent choice for any Sport Pilot. More info...

Design and Construction College

How do planes fly? What creates lift? How are aircraft designed? How does a STOL (Short Take Off and Landing) Aircraft work? Design and Construction College is an online resource designed to provide the homebuilder with practical and technical information about flight, aerodynamics and aircraft design. More...

Chris Heintz, Designer

An accomplished aeronautical engineer, Chris Heintz is a graduate of the E.T.H Institute in Switzerland. As a young man, Heintz began to design and build his own all metal homebuilt aircraft incorporating simple construction methods throughout. As founder, president and chief engineer of Zenair Ltd. since 1974, Mr. Heintz has designed and developed more than 12 new aircraft models, which have been marketed as kit aircraft around the world. More than 800 aircraft are presently flying around the world in 48 different countries. Heintz designs have earned an excellent reputation among pilots, builders, the press, and aviation authorities for their durable all-metal construction, normal flight characteristics, reliability, and low maintenance requirements.

Chris Heintz does not only design, test and promote aircraft, he is also actively involved in all facets of general aviation as a long-time EAA member, frequently giving lectures and forums at chapter meetings and fly-ins. Heintz is also a sought-after light aircraft engineering consultant, consulting to governments, organizations, universities, and private individuals. While Heintz is now retired, he is still active as a designer and engineer, and has written a book on light aircraft design. More...

Engine Options

The Zenith aircraft are designed to provide attractive performance using efficient and lightweight new-generation aircraft engines, like the UL Power and Jabiru 3300, while also being suitable for traditional but heavier aircraft engines such as the Continental O-200 and Lycoming O-233 / 235. While all aircraft are designed within certain power and engine weight guidelines, Chris Heintz did not design these aircraft "around" a particular engine - to maximize the customer's choice of installed powerplant. Recommended power is 100 to 125 horsepower, up to 300 lbs. installed weight. More...

The New Sam Aircraft: New Ownership, New Design

SAM Aircraft assets (including the design and flying prototype) were acquired last year by the sons of aircraft designer Chris Heintz, the owners and operators of Zenith Aircraft Company (in the U.S.) and Zenair Ltd. (in Canada). Since that time engineers at Zenair Ltd. have been designing the SAM-EX, and kit production specialists at Zenith Aircraft have been preparing parts and assemblies for CNC manufacturing (to produce kit parts with final hole size match drilling, ready for assembly and riveting). More...