Zenith Aircraft 2024 Homecoming Report

Thank you to everyone who visited and participated at the 33rd annual Zenith Aircraft Homecoming this past Friday and Saturday. We had a fantastic event once again with two full days of educational and fun activities at the Zenith kit factory in Mexico, Missouri. Check out the great photos of the various activities and watch the recap video of the 2024 Homecoming.

"A large crowd gathered at the Mexico Memorial Airport for Zenith Aircraft Company’s 33rd annual Homecoming fly-in and open hangar days on Friday, September 20th and Saturday, September 21st, 2024," reported local radio station KXEO. "This year’s event included a ribbon cutting ceremony organized by The Mexico Area Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the completion of Zenith Aircraft’s recent factory expansion."

In its cover story about the event, the local Mexico Ledger newspaper concluded: "You can tell just how much everyone cares about what they do at Zenith. It is truly inspiring to have something so unique and family oriented right here in Mexico, [Missouri]."

This year’s event also marked the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the low-wing Zenith CH 600-series designs by designer Chris Heintz. Zenith (anagram of Heintz) aircraft have been produced in kit form at Zenith Aircraft Company in Mexico, Missouri, since 1992 and the Zenith Homecoming and Fly-In event has been hosted annually ever since. "The annual fly-in is a homecoming for Zenith Aircraft customers from across the U.S.," reported General Aviation News about the event.

"Zenith hosted an informal outdoor dinner banquet on Friday evening on the Zenith ramp with more than 250 guests," reported KXEO.

The 2024 Zenith Homecoming event was a success by all measures (despite some weather on the second day of the two-day event), stated the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association (LAMA). The grass roots event provided both educational and fun activities for all visitors, made up primarily of Zenith builders, owners and pilots, as well as future builders and pilots, and enthusiasts.

Highlights included well-attended hands-on workshops, seminars, and panel discussions where experts, as well as amateur Zenith builders and flyers, shared their experiences. The Zenith Homecoming celebrates Zenith builders and flyers, and they came out in force once again, with several dozen flying into central Missouri from around the country in their beautifully finished Zenith kit aircraft.

"Every year, Zenith welcomes home customers from all over the country. As a small, family-owned business, it is important to maintain those relationships. Homecoming is an opportunity for aircraft enthusiasts to learn about the manufacturing process and get involved," reported The Mexico Ledger in its cover story about the Zenith Homecoming event. Visitors were able to see up-close all the airplanes that were flown in and meet with the owners (also usually the builders) of the custom-built airplanes.

Worth the Trip! We salute the pilots who flew in to the Homecoming in their Zeniths from across the country (pictured below, wearing commemorative Zenith Homecoming caps).

Jonathan Fay flew his "big tire" Zenith CH 750 Cruzer (pictured below) to and from the Zenith Homecoming (in Missouri) from his home in the Pacific Northwest, flying home in "about 1,560 miles today! My Zenith is amazing, and my Viking 130 keeps chugging along. Great to meet all the other builders and pilots at the Zenith Homecoming!"

Jim flew his Rotax-powered Zenith CH 750 Cruzer from Venice, Florida, by way of Michigan to meet up with his friend T.Y. The two each flew in to the Homecoming together, with T.Y. being the official first arrival for the 2024 Homecoming.

Jason Ready, a Zenith builder who drove in for the Homecoming from Canada posted on the Zenith Aircraft Flyers Facebook page: "Finally home from Zenith Homecoming. Roundtrip 3,438 km or 2,136 miles. Worth every minute of traffic, construction and fuel stops for all the inspiration, ideas and knowledge gained."

"It’s no secret that Zenith has no secrets. Every year, Zenith opens its hangars and airfield to customers and the community for a free homecoming celebration," stated The Mexico Ledger in its cover story about the Zenith Homecoming event. "Guided tours wound through the hangar, past the welding department, through the new expansion, and showcased the equipment. Everything was out in the open and it seemed like nothing was off limits."

Visitors learned how the all-metal aircraft kit parts are fabricated, while Zenith Aircraft staff and volunteers demonstrated the ease of the kit assembly with modern final hole size match-drilled parts. The educational seminars and hands-on workshops kept visitors busy throughout the day, learning about building and flying kit aircraft. Back by popular demand, volunteers hosted a women's only workshop to introduce women to kit aircraft building.

The late summer/early fall weather allowed for outdoor socializing and dining, with evening dinner events held outdoors on the ramp in front of the factory and surrounded by aircraft.

Select suppliers and vendors (who supply products and services needed to finish and fly kit aircraft) were invited to participate once again at the Zenith Homecoming, meeting with new and existing Zenith aircraft builders, owners and pilots, and sharing information about their services and products. Long time sponsors, such as Aircraft Spruce & Specialty, continue to support the Zenith Homecoming event year after year, and suppliers and sponsors offered great prizes that were awarded to lucky visitors. Once again, EAA Chapter 944 provided a hot breakfast of pancake and sausages both mornings, sponsored by Wheels & Wings (builder assistance services) on the first day, and by KITPLANES magazine and Avemco aviation insurance on the second day.

EAA’s Charlie Becker provided visitors with an update on FAA rules and initiatives affecting homebuilt aircraft and Sport Pilots, informing visitors about the FAA’s latest MOSAIC rule changes.

Sponsors and supporters of the event provided the popular prizes awarded to visitors, including Dynon Avionics, Avemco, Aircraft Spruce & Specialty, Garmin avionics, Sensenich propellers, Lavion Aero, AeroLEDs, iFly EFB, DUC propellers, EAA, Continental Aerospace, Citizens Bank, Lab One, and others.

Presented by the Chris Heintz Foundation, Inc., the annual Homecoming event has grown over the years to become the prime annual gathering (and “Homecoming”) for Zenith builders, owners and flyers. Organizers use the event to educate the Zenith community (made up of builders, owners and flyers) about building and flying Chris Heintz designs, with seminars of basic light aircraft construction as well as important educational seminars on ongoing airworthiness for existing CH-series light aircraft.

The strong Zenith community of builders and owners continues to make Zenith the number one brand of light sport aircraft (LSA) in the United States (based on actual FAA registrations)

For more than three decades Zenith Aircraft Company has been manufacturing easy-to-build and capable fun-to-fly aircraft kits designed by aeronautical engineer Chris Heintz. Zenith Aircraft produces kit aircraft for the DIY (do it yourself) sport aviation market, with superb short take-off and landing capabilities demonstrated by the STOL CH 701 and STOL CH 750 models, as well as economical two-seat cross-country cruisers: The high-wing Zenith CH 750 Cruzer and the sleek low-wing Zenith CH 650.

"Zenith Aircraft is a legacy company that has grown from a small operation to one of the largest kit manufacturers in the world over the past 32 years," reports In Flight USA magazine (September 2024) in its Zenith cover story. "If you have always dreamed of building your own airplane, now couldn't be a better time to get started under the wise expertise of the folks at Zenith Aircraft Company."

The Zenith hands-on workshop is an excellent way to learn about building your own kit aircraft and about the many advantages of owning and flying an airplane that you’ve built yourself. For many, building an aircraft is a very rewarding experience, and today’s modern kits make it easier and quicker than ever to build. Workshop fees are just $375.00 (or $425 for the CH 750 Super Duty model) and include the complete rudder kit for a Zenith aircraft. Additional participants (spouse or other family members) are encouraged to attend and can participate at no extra cost. Prior registration is required for the rudder workshop class and class size is limited. Here are the next workshop classes (held at the factory):

October 10 & 11 | November 7 & 8, 2024

With builder choices in mind, all Zenith aircraft kits are designed to offer builders a wide variety of suitable engines, avionics, and custom kit options. Zenith Aircraft builders typically build their own airplanes in 400-500 hours from a complete kit, or can choose to build from component kits, quick build kits, or scratch-build from plans (blueprints) only. The STOL CH 750 Super Duty, a short take-off and landing (STOL) airplane with a rear jump seat and increased load carrying capability, is the latest model from Zenith Aircraft, and an excellent candidate for operation as a Light Sport Aircraft under the FAA's updated MOSIAC rules.