Prolific Designer To Receive Presentation And Be Toasted At Banquet

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh has scheduled an official tribute to legendary experimental aircraft designer Burt Rutan this year, and the upcoming display of many of his designs has been widely publicized, but there are also other designers whose work will be showcased.

Chris Heintz

One of those designers is Chris Heintz who, like Rutan, worked as an aeronautical engineer for established aircraft manufacturers (in Heintz's case Aerospatiale, de Havilland, and Avions Robin) before focusing on his own, experimental designs. Heintz, like Rutan, has also been a frequent speaker over the years at AirVenture and other shows. A dozen of his designs have been produced by the Zenith Aircraft Company, including the Zenith CH 2000, which earned an FAA type certificate.
 
Heintz will be honored by EAA this year on opening day of AirVenture, Monday, July 25 at ConocoPhillips Plaza (formerly the Aeroshell Square), where one example of each of his designs will be on static display. EAA will make a special presentation to Heintz at 10 AM, followed by a special homebuilt review. A Wednesday night banquet for the designer will be held in the Nature Center, and EAA Founder Paul Poberezny and current EAA Chairman Tom Poberezny are expected to be in attendance.

Joe Scheibinger, who has been the lead organizer for this year's "Zeniths to Oshkosh" activities, says of the banquet, "We already have many early reservations but we still have space left! If you'd like to attend I suggest you order your tickets ahead of time by mail. Tickets will also be available at the Zenith Aircraft booth, in the North Aircraft Display, 640 and 641. These remaining tickets will go fast!"
 
Among the Zenith owners planning to be at Oshkosh is Andy Elliott, who flies a Zenith 601XL with Corvair power, and is looking for others interested in group flights during the homebuilt review flights on Monday, and possibly a group arrival flight on Sunday. Find Andy's contact info, and details on Chris Heintz Day at Oshkosh, using the FMI link below.

FMI: www.zenith.aero/profiles/blogs/zeniths-to-oshkosh