Sebastien Heintz (center) with brothers Matt and Nick (at right), and son Calvin and Roger Dubbert (at left) at the EAA Aviation Museum.

Zenith Aircraft's Sebastien Heintz was inducted into EAA's Homebuilders Hall of Fame at a dinner ceremony on October 16, 2024 in the Eagle Hangar of the EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh.

As reported in the October issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine (page 12), "EAA is proud to honor new inductees into our Sport Aviation Halls of Fame. These inductees...have dedicated their lives to aviation and join an esteemed group of individuals who represent the spirit of EAA in the highest form."

"Sebastien Heintz has successfully taken the mantle of his father’s legacy in promoting sport and homebuilt aviation," reported Plane & Pilot magazine recently: "Under Sebastien Heintz’s leadership at Zenith, his fortitude and direction have proven that the marketplace rewards those companies that value their customers and consistently provide the support critical to kit aircraft builders."

Sebastien Heintz stated that he is especially honored by the recognition since his father was inducted to the EAA Homebuilders Hall of Fame exactly 25 years ago.

"It's such a privilege to continue my father's legacy," said Sebastien Heintz. Zenith kit aircraft models were designed by aeronautical engineer Chris Heintz.

At left, Chris and Annemarie Heintz in 1999 in Oshkosh where Chris was inducted into the EAA Homebuilders Hall of Fame

What better way to demonstrate an aircraft's precise handling and slow flight capability than by flying it "through a box" that's narrower than the actual wing span of the airplane? (How's that even possible, you may ask yourself?)

Watch the video (from Europe) as a STOL CH 701, expertly piloted by Michael Tworakowski, is flown through an 8 meter wide box (that's just over 26 feet) in the Zenith that has wingspan of 8.23 meters, or 27 feet.

Designed by aeronautical engineer Chris Heintz, Zenith aircraft are designed for precise handling capability, especially useful at slow speeds. Check out the article by Heintz where he explained many of the design concepts that continue to make the Zenith STOL aircraft such an effective design: "My STOL designs have sometimes been called ‘ugly’ because of their unconventional shape. However, with form following function, a study of the unique shapes shows the inherent beauty of these aircraft in their interesting, unique and highly effective aerodynamic features."

Heintz concludes, "As a designer, it is truly rewarding to see how my designs have been put to use around the world, whether for mission or relief work in remote areas, or a recreational pilot writing me that the plane ‘takes off like a cork out of a champagne bottle!’"

"CH 750s are known for their excellent low-speed handling, gentle stalls, good visibility over the nose, and their short takeoff and landing capability"

While for most Zenith customers, building their own aircraft rivals the fun and excitement of flying in the aircraft (that they've built themselves), sooner or later some of the many Zeniths flying around the country are offered for sale as used airplanes.

In the recent article titled "Buying Used — Zenith STOL CH 750, Backcountry on a Budget,"

(ByDanJohnson.com, October 3, 2024), author Mark Timney notes that "purchasing a used airplane can be risky because it’s sometimes difficult to determine whether the aircraft has been taken care of properly. Buying a used kit aircraft? Even riskier. Not only do you have to worry about wear and tear, but also whether the builder knew what they were doing. But that doesn’t mean buying one is foolish. It might allow you to find an aircraft that truly fits your needs, and possibly save you money because its home-built origin will likely reduce the price."

Rob Hunker of Colorado completed his Zenith STOL CH 701 (from a kit) more than 24 years ago, and sent us this letter upon retiring from flying and selling his aircraft to a new owner: "My first flight was on April 4th, 2000 and my last flight on October 9th, 2024. Over the 24 years I logged 1,348 hours flying mostly at altitude between 9,000 and 12,000 feet in the West Elk Mountains of Colorado. Your customer support and with all of your company family has been of the highest caliber. Thank you to the entire Zenith team. I am truly grateful for the flying experience you have offered via the 701."

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):

November 7 & 8 | December 12 & 13, 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.