The Zodiac is a family of

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

all-metal, two-seat, fixed

landing gear Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for takeoff or landing. For aircraft it is generally needed for both. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, such as the Glenn L. Martin ...

airplanes that first flew in 1984. The aircraft have been produced as kits and completed aircraft by

Zenair 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. ...

in Canada and

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 ...

in the US.Vandermeullen, Richard: ''2011 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide'', Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 77. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851 The latest models in the Zodiac family are the ready-to-fly AMD Zodiac LS and LSi produced by

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 ...

. The design has a single-piece

bubble canopy A bubble canopy is an aircraft canopy constructed without bracing, for the purpose of providing a wider unobstructed field of view to the pilot, often providing 360° all-round visibility. The designs of bubble canopies can drastically vary; s ...

Development

The Zodiac was developed by Avions Pierre Robin engineer Chris Heintz in the early 1970s. The Zenair CH 200 kit plane was developed as a

Homebuilt 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 ...

, meaning that consumers can purchase the plane as components to assemble it themselves. Variants of the Zodiac have since been manufactured in Canada,

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

, the United States and

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...

as a factory-assembled, ready-to-fly aircraft. The original Zodiac model was designed for a load factor of +/-6 g at the maximum gross weight of 1200 pounds; +/- 6.9g at 1050 pounds and 8.3g at 875 pounds. The empty weight of the prototype was 590 pounds. Heintz drafted the regulations for light-sport aircraft in Canada around the time he designed the Zodiac. He also played an important role in drafting the current light-sport aircraft (LSA) rules for the United States. Zenith Aircraft Company still produces kits and quick-build kits for the Zodiac kit for the homebuilt-market. The company also provides engine mounts and instructions for mounting the Stratus EA 81 engine in the CH 601 series. Chevrolet Corvair engines have also been employed. There are over 1000 Zodiac aircraft flying worldwide.

Operational history

Safety incidents and grounding

Wing-related incidents

In the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

, the Dutch government grounded the 12 Dutch-registered CH 601 XLs on 24 October 2008. The planes were banned from flying pending an investigation into their structural strength, following the crash of a European variant of the design (Rotax powered and maximum take-off weight) that killed two people. According to the Dutch government, since 2005 "at least seven accidents with Zenith CH601 XLs have happened in which one or both wings have failed". Zenair Europe investigated these accidents, concluded that none are due to a design defect and, after a first-hand review of the wreckage, also rejected suggestions that the aircraft in the Dutch accident experienced a structural failure. On 14 April 2009, the

NTSB The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and inci ...

wrote an urgent letter to the

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 ...

recommending that they ground all Zodiac CH 601 XLs, saying, "It appears that aerodynamic flutter is the likely source of four of the U.S. accidents and of at least two foreign accidents". The NTSB also wrote to

ASTM International ASTM International, formerly known as American Society for Testing and Materials, is an international standards organization that develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems, ...

, the body responsible for developing standards for light sport aircraft, recommending that those standards be changed in light of the investigation. The NTSB said that the type had been involved "in six in-flight structural breakups since 2006". Zenith Aircraft disputed the NTSB's conclusions and stated in a response on their website that " continue to believe wing flutter will not occur if the control cables are adjusted properly." They also cited Zenair Europe's disagreement with the Dutch government's conclusion that that accident was caused by flutter. AMD issued a safety alert in October 2008 mandating inspections of aileron control cable tensions. The company hired an independent consultant, Dr. Uwe Weltin, an internationally recognized flutter and vibrations specialist and head of the Institut für Zuverlaessigkeitstechnik at the

Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg The Hamburg University of Technology (in German Technische Universität Hamburg, abbreviated TUHH (HH as acronym of Hamburg state) or TU Hamburg) is a research university in Germany. The university was founded in 1978 and in 1982/83 lecturing fo ...

who concluded that when the CH 601 XL is built and maintained to Zenair specifications, there is "no tendency to flutter or divergence found within the flight envelope of the CH 601 XL". The company claimed that the report clears the Zodiac design of flutter-related concerns as long as CH 601 XL is built and maintained to Zenair specifications. In reacting to the NTSB recommendations the

Administrator Randy Babbit declined to ground the aircraft, and in a 13 July 2009 letter, stated, "Data indicates the CH-601XL has a safety record similar to other S-LSA and appears capable of safe flight and operations if maintained according to the manufacturer's recommendations." On 6 November 2009 an amateur-built CH-601XL broke up in flight over

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...

, resulting in the death of the pilot. Preliminary investigation of the accident revealed a failure mode similar to that seen in the earlier crashes, as both wings separated in flight. This brought the number of crashes to seven and deaths to 11. The FAA issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin on 7 November 2009 and strongly recommended that the aircraft not be flown until modifications detailed in an AMD Safety Alert are carried out. AMD and Zenith Aircraft issued documents the same day, mandating that the S-LSA version not be flown until the modifications were completed and recommended all aircraft be modified. The modifications included strengthening of the main and rear wing spar carrythroughs and the addition of aileron balance weights. The

Experimental Aircraft Association The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is an international organization of aviation enthusiasts based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States. Since its inception, it has grown internationally with over 200,000 members and nearly 1,000 chapt ...

also recommended grounding all affected aircraft until modifications are complete. In a statement issued by Zenith Aircraft, the designer, Chris Heintz, in response to the question "Why are you recommending this Upgrade Package? What has prompted this "180-degree" shift, from insisting that the CH 601 XL design was fine "as is", to now mandating a list of upgrades requiring more than a dozen modifications?" stated: On 12 November 2009 the FAA ceased issuing new Certificates of Airworthiness, requiring new registrants to prove that they have complied with the modifications before being permitted to fly the aircraft. In addressing the 6 November 2009 accident NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman said on 13 November 2009: The FAA completed an in-depth review of the CH601 XL and 650 and issued a report entitled ''Zodiac CH601 XL Airplane Special Review Team Report January 2010''. The FAA concluded: In reacting to the FAA's report the

's Vice President of Industry and Regulatory Affairs, Earl Lawrence, said, "The FAA did an excellent job with this investigation and deserves credit for thoroughly exploring all possibilities. EAA had vigorously pushed for comprehensive data on these accidents. We wanted to see the data, so aircraft owners knew exactly what modifications were needed and why they were needed immediately." On 20 April 2019 another wing failure accident in Bulgaria killed the pilot and passenger.

Variants

;Zenair CH 600 :The original version of the Zodiac, the CH 600, was designed by Chris Heintz and first flown in 1984. The aircraft was intended as a primary trainer. The original prototype was powered by a Volkswagen 1875cc engine converted for aircraft use that produced 65 hp at 3400 rpm. ;Zenair CH 601 HD :The CH 601 HD (for heavy duty) was the follow-on to the original CH 600 and incorporated many improvements to the design. The HD version had a gross weight of 1200 lbs and a standard empty weight of 530 lbs. Aircraft

kits Kits may refer to: *Kitsilano, a neighbourhood of the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada *Kits, an American taffy candy made by Gilliam Candy Company * KITS, a San Francisco, California radio station * Kottayam Institute of Technology & Sc ...

were marketed by

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, ...

in Canada and by

Zenith Aircraft __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, and ...

Mexico, Missouri , image_skyline = Audrain County Missouri Courthouse.JPG , imagesize = 250px , image_caption = The Audrain County Courthouse in downtown Mexico. , image_flag = , image_seal = ...

.Kitplanes Staff: ''1999 Kit Aircraft Directory'', page 76. Primedia Publications, December 1998. ;Zenair CH 601 HDS :The CH 601 HDS (for heavy duty speedwing) was a version of the HD with the wing span is reduced to and a wing area of just . The wing also featured a tapered design with a 34 inch chord at the wing tip. ;Zenair CH 601 UL :The UL version of the CH 601 was specially designed for the

Advanced Ultralight Aeroplane category that was introduced in 1991. Heintz was instrumental in the creation of the category as the author of the standards and used the CH 601 as a model for the category. The UL version had a reduced gross weight of 1058 lbs, the maximum allowed in the category. When the gross weight for the AULA category was increased to 1200 lbs in 2001 the CH 601 UL had its gross weight increased to the 1200 lb mark also. The UL version was supplied in 51% or 85% kit or completed form by Zenair in Canada and was designed for engines of . The aircraft did not neatly fit any US categories and US buyers were advised to consider the HD instead.

Canadian Owners and Pilots Association The Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) (french: Association canadienne des pilotes et propriétaires d'aéronefs) is a federally registered not-for-profit association that provides information and advocacy services for Canadian pilot ...

: ''COPA Guide to Ultralights'' 10th Edition, October 2006, pages 9-10. Canadian Owners and Pilots Association ;Zenith CH 601 XL :The CH 601 XL was first flown in 1991 as an improved version of the HD developed for the amateur-built market and also for the American

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 ...

category. The XL features many incremental improvements over the HD, including a new wing design, wing fuel tanks to replace the fuselage tanks of the HD, new landing gear design and a new canopy. ULPowerCH650

;Zenith CH 650 :Modernized version of the 601, with a larger cockpit, a larger canopy with more headroom, swept-back fin and rudder and engine options that include the Jabiru 3300,

Continental O-200 The Continental C90 and O-200 are a family of air-cooled, horizontally opposed, four-cylinder, direct-drive aircraft engines of 201 in³ (3.29 L) displacement, producing between 90 and 100 horsepower (67 and 75 kW).''Federal Aviation Admini ...

and

Rotax 912ULS The Rotax 912 is a horizontally-opposed four-cylinder, naturally aspirated, four-stroke aircraft engine with a reduction gearbox. It features liquid-cooled cylinder heads and air-cooled cylinders. Originally equipped with carburetors, later ...

. One hundred had been completed and flown by December 2011.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12'', page 129. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X ;Zenith CH 650E :Version for the US light-sport aircraft category.Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: ''World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16'', page 88. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ;Zenith CH 650Ei :Version for the European microlight category, with a gross weight of and a

engine of . Manufactured as a ready-to-fly aircraft by ICP srl in Italy. ;AMD Zodiac XL & XLi :The completed US

compliant version of the XL is the AMD Zodiac produced by

of Eastman, Georgia, USA. The aircraft is available in two versions, the XL, and the XLi. The XLi is IFR equipped for night flying and instrument flight conditions, while the XL is only equipped for VFR day and night flying. ;AMD Zodiac LS and LSi :Zodiac CH 650 in VFR and IFR versions. Standard engine is the

Specifications (AMD Zodiac XL)

References

External links

AMD website archives

Zenith Zodiac
{{DEFAULTSORT:Amd Zodiac 2000s United States sport aircraft Aviation in Canada 1980s Canadian ultralight aircraft Homebuilt aircraft Light-sport aircraft Low-wing aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft

Zodiac The zodiac is a belt-shaped region of the sky that extends approximately 8° north or south (as measured in celestial latitude) of the ecliptic, the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year. The pat ...

Zenith aircraft Zenair aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1984