NEW Builder and owner submitted photos and videos on the new
ZENITH.AERO Online Community for
Zenith Aircraft Builders & Flyers.
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First
Flight Video Clip from Australia
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First
Flight footage of Andy Elliott's Corvair-powered ZODIAC XL (November
24,
2008) in Arizona. |
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Zenair Europe's
Zodiac CH 650 (powered by a 100-hp Rotax 912 ULS engine) at AERO
Friedrichshafen on April 4, 2009. AERO Friedrichshafen (in
Germany) is the showcase for new products for the European sport
aviation scene.
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Designer Chris Heintz (retired)
visits with EAA President Tom Poberezny and Gary Worden (EAA
publications) at AERO Friedrichshafen (Germany, April 4, 2009). |
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Designer Chris Heintz (retired)
discusses the Zodiac design at AERO Friedrichshafen
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Zenair Europe
at AERO Friedrichshafen (in Germany). |
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The European ZODIAC CH 650E model over the French countryside |
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Flying the European ZODIAC CH 650E, powered by a 100-hp Rotax 912S
engine |
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A great view of the roomy ZODIAC CH 650 cabin, with a custom instrument panel. |
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View of the ZODIAC CH 650's open
canopy
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Great photo of the Zodiac, photographed looking backward from a
Zodiac.
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The European Zodiac CH 650 at the Blois fly-in
gathering in France, in front of a yellow
STOL CH 701
- Click here for more photos of the
European Zodiac CH 650
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...from Crate to Plane: Photos of
Don Honabach's Zodiac CH 601 HDS
project (Tempe, Arizona):
"I found this picture of the original
crate that plane parts were shipped in - these two pictures say it
all! From Day 1 and to today.."
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From the
zenith.aero online
community for builders and flyers:
Two impressed STOL CH 701 pilots
(at left) photograph a
Zodiac arriving at their dirt landing strip |
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Video Clip: Gus Warren of
FlyWithGus.net
flies a Zodiac CH 650 with the new
UL260I engine from
ULPower |
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From the
zenith.aero online
community for builders and flyers:
Canadian Zodiac CH 601 HD
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Flying a Zodiac somewhere in the Middle East...
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Video clip from Scott Laughlin (Zodiac CH 601 XL powered by a
Corvair engine):
"This morning my wife
asked me to skip work and take her flying. Since she almost NEVER asks
me to go flying I jumped at the offer. It was really cold and starting
to snow but we drove out to the airport anyway. The clouds were high
and the day was supposed to get better so we flew to York, Nebraska for
lunch.
We took the courtesy car into town and had a great lunch, then flew back
in warmer weather and sunshine. It was a great day!
Building was fun but flying is better."
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A Russian Zodiac
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From the
zenith.aero
online community for builders and flyers:
Great photo from Steve Smith showing an off-airport landing
"on a random dirt road in the middle of nowhere, Nevada"
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Also from the
zenith.aero
online community for builders and flyers:
A custom VW turbo
engine installation (with gear
reduction unit) on a Zodiac (in Brazil).
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Landing the Zodiac XL at Shelbyville, Tennessee
(December 12, 2008).
Sebastian and Roger (from the
Zenith Aircraft factory) flew the Zodiac XL demo plane to visit
JabiruUSA in Shelbyville (Tennessee). The flight was 390 miles (each
way), or a little under 3 hours. During the trip the demonstrator
Zodiac XL N9601Z passed 1,300 hours total time on the tach, powered
by the 6-cylinder Jabiru 3300 engine.
Click here to view the video clip.
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Zodiac XL on grass |
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Zodiac CH 601 with a custom Subaru engine installation |
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From the
zenith.aero online
community for builders and flyers:
First engine run-up (Jabiru 3300) in a new Zodiac |
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Landing a Zodiac... interesting paint scheme aligns with the horizon. |
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Zodiac CH 601 HD tail dragger |
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Landing on grass... |
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Zodiac - with a STOL CH 701
taxiing in the background... |
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Pasture "runway" in South Africa
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Grass field operations... |
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Flying in South Africa |
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The prototype Zodiac XL, N601CH, continues to fly on a weekly basis with
its original engine, paint, upholstery and instruments.
Here it is shown flying over the redwood forests of Northern California.
The Lycoming O-235 (115 hp) engine powers the prototype. |
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"Scorpio" Zodiac |
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Tony Graziano's ZODIAC XL
powered by the Jabiru 3300 (Buchanan, Tennessee):
"What a really
great flying machine! When I put it in the hanger, I immediately
look forward to enjoying the sky with it again. After three years
of flying my XL I just completed my third Annual Condition Inspection
last month with over 418 hrs and 815 landings.
As usual, no surprises.
"Fifty-five (55) landings in the past few months were on my farm onto
a bumpy grass/dirt 50x1500 down hill strip with an approach through the
trees and over power lines with the "strip" crossing a gravel road.
Take off from the farm is over 75 ft trees on my neighbor's
property. Once I have built
a shelter for my XL, I plan to have its home on the farm. My landings on
the farm are full flap "arrivals", but my mental Short Final Checklist
is: Carb Heat OFF, watch airspeed/sink rate, READY to GO AROUND - if
things do not look right. The XL is a tough bird."
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Video clip:
Zodiacs perform at an Asian airshow
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Fred Sturges of Belvidere, Illinois, taxies out for the first flight
in his Zodiac (September 10, 2008).
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Zodiac powered by the 100-hp Rotax 912S |
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Custom instrument panel |
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Zodiac CH 601 HD in Great Britain (with a couple more Zodiacs in the
background) |
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Four Zodiacs and a high wing STOL CH 701 in Romania |
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Tim Garrett flying his Zodiac at Creve Coeur airport
(St. Louis, Missouri) with a bridge spanning the Missouri River in the
background
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Tim Garrett in his his Zodiac, powered by the Jabiru 3300 engine.
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Tim Garrett is living with relapsing-remitting MS (multiple sclerosis),
and yet is pursuing his dreams of building and flying his own aircraft.
He recently flew to Springfield, Illinois and held an MS patient program
right inside the 1st Class Air FBO hanger with his Zodiac. Other MS
patients are challenged to go out and find their own dream, too, after
seeing his airplane.
(After the program, a squadron of F-18's landed and parked next to the
plane (see photo).
See the website:
FlyingWithMS.com |
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Taildragger Zodiac |
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Landing on grass... |
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Zodiac with a new Jabiru 3300 engine cowl. |
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Mountain flying in Europe |
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Zodiac XL rudder tail section... can you spot the second Zodiac rudder? |
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Matthew Walker's Zodiac in South Korea:
"I have had the plane flying for a few
weeks now. It flies great !!! I can take the Zenair up in windy
conditions and it is like being on rails on final approach.
"The Jabiru engine and prop also works well with the airframe.
"It is just near the end of rain season and still 35 degrees outside. I
am getting the plane painted in mid September when it cools down and we
have no problems with insects getting in the paintwork."
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Middle-eastern Zodiac |
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Comfortable side-by-side seating with
dual control sticks |
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Custom instrument panel includes the Dynon FlightDEK-D180 EFIS with the
HS34 HSI expansion module. |
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Zodiac CH 601 HDS
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From the
zenith.aero
online community for builders and flyers:
Bright yellow Zodiac |
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A Spanish Zodiac |
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Camping with the Zodiac at a fly-in |
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Gathering of Zodiacs |
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A plans-built (and modified) Zodiac
CH 601 taildragger
in Europe. |
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Two Zodiac aircraft: Front view and side view... |
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"The
Zenith literature package is easily the most complete package I
have received from any light aviation company, and Iā€™ve seen
many other good ones among the hundreds I have studied. Lots and
lots of information is presented with some lovely graphics. The
literature alone is impressive, but the volume of information will
keep you reading for hours. You can get a good idea of what you're
buying without ever leaving your chair."
