Zenair Ltd is a Canadian

kit aircraft Homebuilt aircraft, also known as amateur-built aircraft or kit planes, are constructed by persons for whom this is not a professional activity. These aircraft may be constructed from "scratch", from plans, or from assembly kits.Armstrong, Kenn ...

producer founded by

aeronautical engineer Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is si ...

Chris Heintz and based in

Midland, Ontario Midland is a town located on Georgian Bay in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Huronia/Wendat region of Central Ontario. Located at the southern end of Georgian Bay's 30,000 Islands, Midland is the economic centre of the region, ...

History

The company was founded in 1974 when Heintz started to manufacture Zenith kits from his two-car garage. Heintz has introduced more than twelve kit aircraft designs. In 1992, Heintz licensed the kit manufacturing and marketing rights to

Zenith Aircraft Company __NOTOC__ Zenith Aircraft Company is in the exclusive business of designing, developing and manufacturing kit aircraft. The independent, privately owned company was formed in 1992 in Mexico, Missouri, centrally located in the United States, an ...

for the

STOL CH 701 The Zenith STOL CH 701 and CH 750 are a family of light, two-place kit-built STOL aircraft designed by Canadian aeronautical engineer Chris Heintz through his Midland, Ontario based company, Zenair. The CH 701 first flew in 1986 and ...

and the ZODIAC CH 601 designs, and has developed the new

STOL CH 801 The Zenith STOL CH 801 is a four-seat sport STOL aircraft developed by Chris Heintz and available in kit form from the Zenith Aircraft Company.Vandermeullen, Richard: ''2012 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide'', Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, Decemb ...

and the new

ZODIAC XL The Zodiac is a family of Canadian all-metal, two-seat, fixed landing gear airplanes that first flew in 1984. The aircraft have been produced as kits and completed aircraft by Zenair in Canada and Zenith Aircraft Company in the US.Vanderme ...

for Zenith Aircraft Company. In 1996, Chris Heintz and Zenair Ltd. obtained

FAA The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...

type-certification for the Zenith CH 2000, a two-seat low-wing aircraft based on his kit aircraft designs.

Aircraft Manufacturing and Design Aircraft Manufacturing and Design Co. (AMD) is a manufacturer of three aircraft- the Alarus CH2000, the Zodiac CH601, and the Patriot 150. The CH2000 is a two-seat, single engine aircraft used primarily for flight training purposes. The CH601 ...

(AMD) manufactures this aircraft as the AMD Alarus CH 2000. AMD also produces the CH 601 XL as a

Light-sport aircraft A light-sport aircraft (LSA), or light sport aircraft, is a fairly new category of small, lightweight aircraft that are simple to fly. LSAs tend to be heavier and more sophisticated than ultralight (aka "microlight") aircraft, but LSA restrictio ...

(LSA). In October 2012, four French universities selected the

Zodiac CH 650B The Zodiac is a family of Canadian all-metal, two-seat, fixed landing gear airplanes that first flew in 1984. The aircraft have been produced as kits and completed aircraft by Zenair in Canada and Zenith Aircraft Company in the US.Vanderme ...

as their instructional aircraft. In France, where the CH 650 is semi-certified in the CNSK category, the kit aircraft can be assembled by amateurs and still be used by Aeroclubs and schools for flight training and banner-towing purposes. Zenair Limited on November 15, 2012 announced that its FAA type-certificated CH 2000 trainer will be assembled in

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

, South America by a joint venture involving the Peruvian armed services, the

University of Perunas A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

and SEMAN, a local aeronautical facility. Negotiations to structure the long-term program have been ongoing for the past year, with Zenair staff traveling to Lima and a contingent of Peruvian decision-makers visiting the Ontario-based factory. Company founder Chris Heintz died on 30 April 2021, at his home in France at age 82.

Aircraft

Zenair Cricket The Colomban Cri-Cri, also spelled Cricri, is the smallest twin-engined manned aircraft in the world, designed in the early 1970s by French aeronautical engineer Michel Colomban. The name ''Cri-Cri'' comes from the nickname of Christine, o ...

- Kit *

Zenair Zipper The Zenair Zipper is a Canadian ultralight high-wing, single seat aircraft that was designed by Chris Heintz and produced by Zenair. The Zipper is a highly innovative design that strongly emphasizes portability over speed or carrying capacity ...

Zenair Zipper II Zenair Ltd is a Canadian kit aircraft producer founded by aeronautical engineer Chris Heintz and based in Midland, Ontario. History The company was founded in 1974 when Heintz started to manufacture Zenith kits from his two-car garage. ...

Zenair CH 50 Zenair Ltd is a Canadian kit aircraft producer founded by aeronautical engineer Chris Heintz and based in Midland, Ontario. History The company was founded in 1974 when Heintz started to manufacture Zenith kits from his two-car garage. ...

Mini Z *

Zenair CH 100 The Zenair Mono-Z CH 100 is a single-seat, single-engined Canadian light aircraft of the 1970s, that was designed by Chris Heintz. It is a smaller version of the Zenair CH 200 with a less powerful engine, which was sold as a homebuilt aircraft b ...

Mono-Z *

Zenair CH 150 The Zenith CH 150 Acro Zenith is a Canadian single-engine, low wing, all-aluminum aircraft designed by Chris Heintz and produced by Zenair in kit form for amateur construction. The aircraft is intended for aerobatic use and was introduced at ...

Acro-Z * Zenair CH 180 Super Acro-Z *

Zenair CH 200 The Zenair Zenith CH 200 and CH 250 are a family of Canadian single-engined homebuilt light aircraft. It is a low-winged single engine monoplane, that was first flown in France in 1970, with kits being made by the Canadian company Zenair from 197 ...

* Zenair CH 250 * Zenair CH 300 * Zenair CH 300 Tri-Z *

Zenith CH 400 The zenith (, ) is an imaginary point directly "above" a particular location, on the celestial sphere. "Above" means in the vertical direction (plumb line) opposite to the gravity direction at that location (nadir). The zenith is the "highest" ...

* Zenith CH 600 * Zenith CH 601 * Zenith CH 620 Gemini * Zenair CH 640 * Zenair CH 650 *

Zenith STOL CH 701 The Zenith STOL CH 701 and CH 750 are a family of light, two-place kit-built STOL aircraft designed by Canadian aeronautical engineer Chris Heintz through his Midland, Ontario based company, Zenair. The CH 701 first flew in 1986 and ...

Zenith STOL CH 750 The Zenith STOL CH 701 and CH 750 are a family of light, two-place kit-built STOL aircraft designed by Canadian aeronautical engineer Chris Heintz through his Midland, Ontario based company, Zenair. The CH 701 first flew in 1986 and t ...

Zenith STOL CH 801 The Zenith STOL CH 801 is a four-seat sport STOL aircraft developed by Chris Heintz and available in kit form from the Zenith Aircraft Company.Vandermeullen, Richard: ''2012 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide'', Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, Decembe ...

Zenith CH 2000 Alarus The AMD Alarus CH2000 is a two-seat, fixed tricycle gear general aviation airplane, used primarily for flight training, that was designed by Chris Heintz. It is manufactured by Aircraft Manufacturing and Design Co. in Eastman, Georgia. It is a ...

* Zenair CH 8000AG, made in

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...

by AviaMaster Aircraft Ltd. * Zenith Aluminum Floats - started 1978

References

External links

Company websiteZenith Aircraft Co. websiteThe Zenair Newsletter

Aircraft Manufacturing & Development website archives
on

Archive.org The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...

Chris Heintz Light Aircraft Design History

Article about the CrossCanada flight from Sport Aviation Magazine
{{authority control Aircraft manufacturers of Canada Companies based in Ontario Midland, Ontario Manufacturing companies established in 1974 Canadian companies established in 1974 1974 establishments in Ontario