Zenith Aircraft Company is returning to southwestern Texas to host its hands-on kit aircraft building workshop. The two-day workshop will be held Feb. 11-12, 2022, at Boerne Stage Airfield (5C1).
The workshop will start on Friday morning, Feb. 11, inside a private hangar at Boerne Stage Airfield and will conclude the following day. Also on Saturday morning, Feb. 12, Zenith will host an informal regional fly-in gathering for Zenith aircraft owners and enthusiasts.
“We have an active community of Zenith aircraft builders and pilots spread throughout Texas,” said Sebastien Heintz, Zenith Aircraft’s president. “We look forward to seeing many of them and their flying Zenith projects.”
Zenith Aircraft’s hands-on workshops are primarily for first-time kit airplane builders who are considering building their own aircraft and are unsure if they have the required skills, workspace, and tools. During the workshop each participant builds and assembles a rudder tail section from a standard Zenith kit.
In the process of building the rudder assembly, participants tackle many activities including learning how to read drawings (blueprints) and work with assembly instructions (manuals) under the guidance of factory staff. They learn the procedures for putting together an aircraft assembly, including drilling and blind riveting. In the end, they have an assembled rudder that is ready to install on a Zenith kit airplane.
“The rest of the kit is constructed the same way as the rudder, using the same tools,” said Heintz. “Participants get far more out of the workshop than just a finished aircraft rudder: They go home with the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to build their own airplane. Most importantly, they learn that kit building is enjoyable and something that can engage the whole family. Many of our prospective builders bring their spouses or other family member, who often encourage them to move forward with the rest of the kit.”
Workshop fees are $375 (or $425 for the CH 750 Super Duty model) and include the complete rudder kit for a Zenith aircraft. Space is limited and prior registration is required, he noted.
To learn more about the workshop program, go to ZenithAir.com or call 573-581-9000.