Zenith Aircraft ‘Homecoming’ to Feature Open Hangar Days, Fly-In

The annual fly-in event is a homecoming for Zenith Aircraft customers from across the U.S., with many of the company's customers flying into central Missouri in their completed Zenith kit aircraft, whose parts and components were all made at the factory in Mexico, Missouri.

The open hangar days and fly-in event includes two full days of activities, with educational seminars and workshops, an aircraft show, contests, social activities, as well as a Zenith banquet on Friday evening.

This year, the company is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the low-wing Zenith CH600 series designs by aeronautical engineer Chris Heintz, as well as showcasing its newly expanded Zenith Aircraft kit factory and hangar showroom. Factory tours (of the modern kit aircraft factory), aircraft building and flying demonstrations, and other activities also are planned for all visitors.

On Friday, September 20, educational seminars begin in the morning and take place throughout the day featuring various airframe (aircraft fuselage, wings, and tail), engine, avionics seminars, with suppliers such as Dynon and Garmin avionics, Corvair and Viking auto engine conversions, and more participating.

The knowledge gained from these educational seminars gives the individual aircraft kitbuilders an opportunity to learn more about the choices they have in building and finishing their own aircraft.

Charlie Becker, director of chapters and homebuilt community manager for the Experimental Aircraft Association, will speak about government topics affecting sport aircraft owners and builders, including Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC), task-based phase 1 flight testing, letters of deviation authority (LODAs), BasicMed, and fuel issues. There will be additional seminars and panel discussions on topics of interest to Zenith builders and flyers, including flight safety (transition training and first flight preparedness).

Friday’s activities conclude with the popular Zenith Aircraft banquet (catered BBQ) to be held outdoors in front of the Zenith Aircraft factory with the planes (weather permitting) with special guest speakers and entertainment.

Saturday’s schedule is also packed with activities, including:

Hands-on building projects in the Zenith factory are being planned, including a women-only introduction to aircraft building workshop class. There will be Zenith Aircraft presentations on aircraft kit construction, as well as representation from more than a dozen vendors of products and services for Zenith customers (avionics, engines, insurance, etc.).

Area hotels sell out well in advance of the event, but there will also be free camping available at the Mexico airport.

Further details are available on the Zenith Aircraft website, with a detailed seminar and events schedule to be published closer to the event date.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on Kitplanes.