Winner: STOL Championships

STOL Champion!

Congratulations to Deane Philip for taking first place in his Zenith STOL aircraft at the New Zealand Bush Pilot Championships in Omaka, New Zealand, on Saturday, February 3, 2018.

Watch the video of the incredible short take-off and precision short landing:

We also congratulate Chris Anderson for taking second place with his Zenith STOL in the national competition. Deane's STOL CH 701 "Sky Jeep" is powered by a 130-hp Viking engine (Honda auto conversion) and Chris Anderson's Zenith STOL is powered by a 120-hp Rotax 912ULS "big bore EFI" engine.

Deane Philip (above), of Christchurch, New Zealand, has been flying for five years and has logged 570 hours in his Zenith STOL over that time. Asked how he practiced for the STOL competition, Philip explains that "every take off and landing is a focused precision attempt. All of my flying is off-airport and the places we land and take-off from you need to be on point. Even when leaving and arriving at my home field I use the runway threshold line as a target point to continually hone my skills. An average outing will consist of 10 to 20 off field landings instead of just flying from A to B. This is the type of flying where the Zenith STOL truly excels."

First introduced in 1986, the STOL CH 701 aircraft was developed as an "off-airport" short take-off and landing kit aircraft to fulfill the demanding requirements of both sport pilots and first-time builders. Aeronautical engineer Chris Heintz combined the features and advantages of a "real" airplane with the short-field capabilities of an "ultralight" aircraft in the CH 701 design.

With form following function, the Zenith STOL features fixed leading-edge slats for high lift, full-span flaperons (both ailerons and flaps), an all-flying rudder, and durable all-metal construction. Read more about the unique design features of the Zenith STOL aircraft.

While the basic design has remained the same, many significant improvements have been introduced over the years, including a higher useful load, easier and quicker build kits, and more detailed drawings and step-by-step assembly instructions.

The popularity of the original CH 701 has grown over the years and the original design has expanded into the STOL CH 750 and four-seat CH 801 aircraft (based on the original CH 701 design).

Last year, Zenith Aircraft introduced the latest variant, the popular STOL CH 750 Super Duty, with increased cabin size and higher load carrying capability, and the CH 750 Cruzer model is a faster "on-airport" version of the STOL CH 750.

Zenith Aircraft kits have become significantly easier and quicker to build over the years. New kits take just a few hundred hours to assemble, requiring only simple skills and tools to put together. New technology, including the extensive use of CNC drilling and cutting equipment in the kit parts manufacturing process, makes building a kit aircraft quicker and easier than ever before, while Zenith Aircraft's

extensive experience in the industry assures builders with available expert technical support and quality blueprints and assembly manuals (which include detailed step-by-step photo assembly guides). Zenith's kits are supplied complete, with standard factory-riveted wing spars, factory welded steel parts, and all hardware included to complete the aircraft. Kit builders can choose to "buy-as-they-build" from component (section) kits or they can purchase the full kit in one large box. Watch a video explaining the new kit features.

Zenith kits continue to represent exceptional value: The kits are supplied ready for assembly, with factory-finished wing spars, and all hardware required to assemble the entire airframe. Available Quick Build Kit are even faster to build (available at additional cost). Zenith Aircraft also sells component kits to builders who prefer to "buy-as-they-build" and complete engine firewall-forward packages and avionics kits are also available.

ZENITH WORKSHOPS

If you have yet to attend a Zenith workshop at the kit aircraft manufacturing factory in Mexico, Missouri, plan to attend one in 2018! Here's the schedule for the next few months:

February 8 & 9 | March 8 & 9 | April 26 & 27, 2018

Zenith Aircraft Company's factory workshops have become popular with sport aviation enthusiasts, giving them the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience in building their own Zenith Aircraft kit plane. Participants get to actually start assembling kit parts 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 Zenith CH 650 cruiser or the high wing Zenith CH 750 series.

The factory workshops make 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 hands-on building skills. Demo flights are part of the factory workshop experience in a Zenith factory demo airplane!

Stay connected to Zenith Aircraft Company:

Facebook

YouTube

Instragram

Zenith.Aero

Zenith Aircraft

Zenith Aircraft Company | 573-581-9000 (Mon - Fri 8-5 Central) | Email | Website