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Check out the amazing paint job (celebrating America's 250th anniversary) of Carson Stilson's (aka Wairworthy) STOL CH 701 fresh out of the paint shop. Carson built this Zenith STOL to be affordable (spending around $63,000) and completing the aircraft in just five months! He's now getting ready to head eastbound to the EAA Oshkosh AirVenture fly-in convention that starts next week.
| The STOL CH 701 celebrates its 40th anniversary this year: First introduced forty years ago as a fun STOL backcountry flyer with "real" modern airplane features (including side-by-side seating, tricycle gear, and all metal construction), the venerable STOL CH 701 continues to be popular with sport pilots around the world, and the kit was recently updated to incorporate Zenith's modern final hole size match-drilled technology, allowing Carson to build the kit in under 400 hours. See Carson's Zenith STOL CH 701 at the Zenith booth (610 & 611) at Oshkosh next week and meet with Carson to learn more about this second Zenith that he's built (and that he will be giving away to a lucky winner later this year!) | "The iconic Zenith STOL design - born as the CH 701 back in 1986 - is marking its 40th anniversary, a milestone that feels both impossible and obvious when you stand next to one on the ramp and realize how thoroughly it has imprinted itself on the landscape of light utility experimentals," writes Kitplanes magazine (July 6, 2026). "Chris Heintz’s boxy little Sky Jeep, as so many call it, is now a multigenerational presence: pilots who first discovered short fields and gravel bars behind those leading edge slats are now bringing kids and grandkids to Zenith homecomings and handing them the keys. The factory in Mexico, Missouri, will host its 35th annual Homecoming Open Hangar Days and Fly-In this September, a reminder that the community around these airplanes has almost as much history as the airplanes themselves." | |
OSHKOSH 2026 The world’s greatest aviation celebration starts Monday, July 20th! Whether you're a current Zenith builder or owner, or just looking at starting on your own project, there is always something for Zenith Aircraft builders and flyers at Oshkosh! We have many activities scheduled during the week. Check out the Oshkosh Preview video as Zenith's Sebastien Heintz and Roger Dubbert discuss the upcoming event.
Here's a quick summary of Zenith Aircraft activities at Oshkosh: See the Zenith Aircraft Facebook event page for the latest updates, as well as the official EAA Oshkosh website.
Zenith Seminars (Forums): We have daily Zenith educational and informational seminars about building and flying your Zenith:
The are also a few "Homebuilts in Review" sessions scheduled during the week. Check the official schedule for locations and latest updates.
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Come check out the latest kit assembly features from Zenith Aircraft Company in the Zenith Workshop in the EAA AeroPlane Hangar (right next to the Zenith display #610 & 611). We'll have component kits on hand to demonstrate, featuring final hole size match-drilled parts and components, and rudder kits will also be available for assembly.
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Join us on Wednesday evening at Oshkosh for a "meet and greet" Zenith happy hour (at the Zenith booth), sponsored by our friends at Viking Aircraft Engines (booth right next to Zenith). Come visit with us and fellow Zenith builders/pilots before Wednesday's night airshow, starting at 4:30 pm at the Zenith and Viking booths.
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Zenith Banquet at Oshkosh.
Annual banquet at Oshkosh for and about Zenith builders, owners and enthusiasts! There will be a special program with updates from Zenith, and some great door prizes. The informal banquet will be on Thursday evening, July 23rd, at 7:00 pm, at the Mineshaft restaurant, located right next to the airport. Meet before dinner for cocktails starting at 5:30 pm. Call 920-237-1450 for details.
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Mark Seaver of North American Aerospace Holdings will be at the Zenith booth (#610 & 611) at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, and again at 1:00 pm on Friday, to showcase aerodynamic external fairing kits, flooring, seats, interiors and accessories that he manufactures for Zeniths. North American Aerospace Holdings was established to improve the aesthetics of your Zenith kit airplane by providing aerodynamic external fairing kits, flooring, seats, interiors, and more. Meet with Mark and see and discuss his current and new offerings.
WHEN: 1:00 pm, Wednesday, July 22nd. 1:00 pm, Friday, July 24th
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Women Build! The "Women's Introduction to Building An Aircraft Workshop" is back by popular demand next week at Oshkosh, where all women are invited to this overview workshop (led by women builders) about building an all-metal aircraft. Zenith donated aluminum 3-ring binder kits to allow the all-women participants to learn the basics of sheet-metal construction and how to use the assembly tools. The workshop class will be presented three times during the week (and the project will also be offered at the Zenith Homecoming in September).
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Oshkosh Bound!
Check out Joe Millette's video as he gets ready for the journey to Oshkosh, Wisconsin from his home in New Mexico.
"Getting ready to head to Airventure Oshkosh 2026 with the Cricket (aka Zenith CH 750 Cruzer). Looking forward to seeing you there."
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Parting shot: Zenith kit aircraft assemblies at the EAA AeroPlane Hangar at Oshkosh. | While there are countless beautifully built and finished airplanes to see at Oshkosh, make sure to take the opportunity to check out the workshop area in the AeroPlane Hangar to learn and experience how some of these aircraft are built and assembled, and to see the real beauty behind these great designs, and to learn how you can build your own! | | | | Know someone who would be interested in receiving this email newsletter? Share this web page link with them or simply forward this email to them. | | | | |
