Will Introduce New Program At OSH

Zenith Aircraft Company is introducing a new Quick-Build Kit for its "Sport Pilot"-ready two-seat Zodiac XL at this year's EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, later this month. The new kit promises to reduce construction time for Zodiac XL builders by fifty percent: "Our aim has always been to make it quick and easy for first-time builders to assemble and fly their own aircraft" says Sebastien Heintz, president of Zenith Aircraft, "From what we've seen, nothing else compares to this new Quick-Build-Kit in ease of construction or required build time."

The standard kit for the Zodiac XL has long been recognized for its quick assembly time: Zenith Aircraft Company has in past years assembled and flown one of its standard airframe kits in just seven days during an annual EAA Oshkosh or Sun'n Fun fly-in convention.

 The new Quick-Build Kit aims at reducing kit construction time by over fifty percent: The company quotes an average airframe assembly time of 250 hours with the new Quick-Build Kit for its popular Zodiac XL. This remarkable feat is achieved by having the entire airframe factory-jigged before delivery. Nearly all major components have been pre-aligned with rivet holes pre-drilled: Once clecoed together in jigs, most sections are then taken apart again for easy shipping and final re-assembly by the builder. Virtually all drilling is done in the new kit and assembly is completed with easy-to-set blind rivets (which work just like "Pop" rivets).

Like the standard ZODIAC XL kit, the new Quick-Build Kit will to meet the "51% rule" for the amateur-built experimental aircraft category, and complete kits will be available for pick-up or delivery from three independent regional distributors starting this summer. Each distributor also plans to offer tech support and a range of builder assistance programs.

 "We strive to make our aircraft accessible to a wide range of amateur builders," says Heintz, "the Zodiac XL can be "scratch-built" very economically from plans-only; our standard kit provides all the parts necessary for airframe assembly and the new Quick-Build Kit option is designed for those really eager to fly in record time: it can be assembled and flown in just a few hundred hours!"

The Zodiac XL kit aircraft design meets the definition of the FAA's Sport Pilot rule, meaning that it can be operated by a licensed Sport Pilot even when registered as a standard "Amateur-Built - Experimental" kit aircraft. Registered under the standard "Amateur-Built - Experimental" category, owners may choose from a wide variety of engine types and custom configurations for their ZODIAC XL kit. Popular supported engine choices include the Jabiru 3300, Rotax 912S, Corvair auto conversions, or conventional aircraft engines such as the Continental O-200 or Lycoming O-235.

The ZODIAC XL model was developed specifically with the FAA's Sport Pilot / Light- Sport Aircraft category in mind to offer maximum performance and capabilities possible under the new FAA category.

FMI: www.zenithair.com