MEXICO, Mo. — Most people would not buy an automobile without taking it out for a test drive, so Zenith Aircraft encourages people to attend a builders’ workshop to test their aptitude for building before buying an aircraft kit. That is why 70% to 80% of the people who attend a Zenith workshop put off […]
Experimental Aircraft
Homebuilt accident rate drops 30%
OSHKOSH, Wis. — Heightened safety efforts by the aviation community and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) are showing positive results, as fiscal year 2013 figures from the FAA indicate that fatal accidents in amateur-built aircraft in the U.S. declined by 30% when compared to fiscal year 2012. The totals, which include accidents during the 2013 […]
Quicksilver collaborates with defense contractor
TEMECULA, Calif. — Quicksilver Aeronautics has produced more than 15,000 kit-built aircraft since the early 1970s, but so far it has not been a player in the U.S. defense community. Thanks to a collaboration with IDENT, LLC, that may be changing. IDENT has submitted a proposal for support and expansion of U.S. border security, using […]
Zenith slates factory workshops
MEXICO, Mo. — Every month Zenith Aircraft hosts a two-day workshop for people who want to learn about the basics involved in building a metal aircraft. Some people attend to build the rudder for the complete kit they are ordering. Others just want to sample the types of work involved in aircraft construction. The workshop in […]
Pipistrel introduces Sinus Flex
Pipistrel has introduced the Sinus Flex, a new model that adds Flex wingtips to the Sinus. Sinus Flex model is identical to the standard Sinus, with the added bonus of interchangeable wing-tips, according to company officials. The outer 5-foot portions of each wing can be replaced with the short winglets of a Virus model. “You […]
RANS S-20 Raven passes load testing
RANS’ Randy Schlitter reports that the company’s new S-20 Raven has passed a battery of static load tests and the final version of the airframe is entering full production. Testing of the fuselage included vertical and horizontal stabilizer, rudder and elevator, control system, and landing gear. The fuselage proved to be more than adequate, passing all testing […]
Lancair Landing scheduled
LOBO — the Lancair Owners and Builders Organization — has again partnered with Lancair International Inc. to organize the third annual LOBO/Lancair Landing. Scheduled for Oct. 4-6 at the Hilton Greenville in Greenville, S.C., the educational event will be preceded by LOBO’s Ground School on Oct. 3. The event is a change to bring together […]
Zenith Open Hangar Day and Fly-In Sept. 21
MEXICO, Mo. — Zenith Aircraft will host its 22nd Annual Open Hangar Day and Fly-In Sept. 21. The event, which typically draws hundreds of people, is staged for the benefit of Zenith builders, owners and enthusiasts. Scheduled activities begin on Friday, Sept. 20, when a series of seminars on powerplants, wiring, avionics, and issues like […]
Love at first sight, before first flight
Retiring often means down-sizing your life. You move out of the four-bedroom house into a two-bedroom condo because now that the kids are grown and gone, you no longer need all that room. Down-sizing also applies to airplane ownership. Karen Smith of Bancroft, Ontario, Canada, who recently retired after 34 years in the aerial photography […]