New Airplane From Zenith Aircraft Company

The Zenith Aircraft Company and Vans Aircraft are my two favorite aircraft manufacturers. Chris Heintz (all the letters in Zenith is contained in the name Heintz) and Richard VanGrunsven are both brilliant aeronautical engineers and aircraft designers.

I particularly like the ZODIAC CH650 and the RV 10 aircraft.

Zodiac CH650 brief specs and performance:-

Two seats

Dual Sticks

Dual Brakes

Empty Wt - 362 kg

Useful Load - 235 kg

Gross Wt - 597 kg

Engine Lycoming 0-235 (115 HP)

Sensenich Prop

75% Cruise Speed at 8000' - 139 Kts TAS

Stall Speed VS1 - 45 Kts

Stall Speed VS0 - 38 Kts

Range - 575 NM

Endurance - 4.2 HR

CH650 is available as a complete kit from Zenith and factory built from AMD. A complete kit costs US$18,500 and an AMD built Zodiac is VFR US$99,900 (LS)/IFR US$114,900 (LSi) including FAR 33 certified Continental 0-200 (100HP) engine, TSO'd 6 pack panel but not including Nav/Com.

Garmin GNS 430 with GS- Nav/GPS/Com (TSO IFR) + GTX 327 with Mode C (TSO IFR)+ GMA 340 Audio Panel (TSO IFR) + another SL30 Nav/Com will set you back another US$20,000. That's a total US$134,900 for an IFR two seater.

To me this is a good value airplane:- IFR avionics, IFR & Night cockpit, FAR certified airplane including Continental Engine & Sensenich Propeller. Fast cruise speed, easy to maintain and light on fuel usage. Only setback is that it's got only 2 seats. It would be nice to get two more seats but that will push the price to more than US$200,000; in the RV 10 range of aircraft.

Zodiac Kit Plane

Zodiac LSA
You Tube Flying the Zenith Zodiac
You Tube Flying The Zenair CH650