Experimenter

April 2014

Experimenter is a magazine created by EAA for people who build airplanes. We will report on amateur-built aircraft as well as ultralights and other light aircraft.

Issue link: http://experimenter.epubxp.com/i/287214

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EAA Experimenter 9 ZENITH AIRCRAFT COMPANY has now shipped 10,000 sets of plans to aircraft builders in more than 50 countries. Most sets of plans are sent with complete or par- tial aircraft kits, though some go to builders who prefer to scratchbuild the aircraft. "We allow our customers to choose how to build their own airplane, whether as a scratchbuild project or from a complete kit or anywhere in between," Sebastien Heintz, president of Zenith Aircraft, said. "It's not uncommon to see people begin with basic materials and then upgrade to a quick-build kit; others might start with a quick-build rudder kit and then order basic materials for a scratch-build program because they enjoy the construction process. By far, how- ever, most opt for the complete kits so they can get to the fl ightline faster." With options for straight or amphibi- ous fl oats, skis, and tundra tires, Zenith aircraft can be used for a wide range of mission profi les. Detailed plans for the two-seat Zenith Aircraft designs start at $425 a set. Richly illustrated, the sets contain step-by-step guides with all the information needed to build a complete airplane. Blueprints are professionally drafted using modern computer-aided design software. Zenith Aircraft will host its fi rst "En- gine Day" at Sun 'n Fun on Friday, April 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will be staged at the Zenith exhibit booth and is open to everyone. Zenith has invited all major manufac- turers of 65- to 150-hp engines to partici- pate by putting their fi rewall-forward pack- ages on display for Zenith kit customers and the public. Engine reps will be on hand to discuss the features of their powerplants. Meanwhile Zenair Aircraft, Mid- land, Ontario, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Over the past four decades, aeronautical engineer Chris Heintz, founder of Zenair Air- craft, has developed a dozen aircraft designs. Today, Zenith Aircraft Com- pany markets kits for four of Chris Heintz's most popular and versatile concepts: the original STOL CH 701 Sky Jeep, the STOL CH 750, the CH 750 Cruzer, and the low-wing CH 650. Additional Heintz designs are built and sold by Zenith's sister company, Zenair Ltd. in Canada. For more information about Zenith aircraft designs, visit www.ZenithAir.com . Zenair Celebrates 40 Years; Zenith Ships 10,000th Kit SAM AIRCRAFT, HEADQUARTERED at Lachute Airport near Montreal, Quebec, is releasing complete read-only SolidWorks fi les to Sam customers. These fi les allow the builder to see exactly how every piece of the airframe is assembled. Images can be rotated, fl ipped, zoomed, and manipulated visually to allow the builder to see the components and the part number, just as if he had an exemplary piece in his hands. And like having a professional builder helping, many models also have detailed tips and explanations. Right on the drawing are tips such as "Start riveting the skin from the center outward." You don't want to read that after you've nailed down the perimeter! Sam President Thierry Zibi said, "I know a few other manufac- turers use SolidWorks, but I believe only Sam routinely releases these drawings to customers. As a builder myself, I know how much easier and better it is to see a proper example of the con- struction as building goes along. I also know that it's helpful for the occasional helper, who can study what's expected before he or she starts helping." The drawings are released with each sub-kit (tail, fuselage, wing, etc.) and are free of charge to customers. "We just want the customer to have the best result, as easily as possible," Zibi said. "Our 3-D drawings [models] are a friendly visualization of the blueprints, with infi nitely more perspectives and including every detail; it's like having the actual part to look at—without taking up the extra space." He laughed and added, "And you can't dent the drawings." The Sam LS is a tandem, retro-look, metal aircraft powered by the 100-hp Rotax 912 S, and with a Sensenich ground-adjustable composite propeller. Conforming to Canadian advanced ultralight rules and to the U.S. light-sport aircraft standards, the Sam is avail- able as a ready-to-fl y special light-sport aircraft, as an experimen- tal light-sport aircraft, or as an amateur-built experimental kit. Learn more at www.Sam-Aircraft.com . Sam Aircraft Offers SolidWorks Files E A A E X P _ A p r 1 4 . i n d d 9 EAAEXP_Apr14.indd 9 3 / 3 1 / 1 4 9 : 4 1 A M 3/31/14 9:41 AM

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