Zenith Aircraft Updates: Zenith.Aero
August 17, 2012:  Here's a summary of the latest news and updates from Zenith.Aero, the online community for Zenith builders, owners, and flyers.  This was sent by email to all members of Zenith.Aero.  If you did not receive this email, check your privacy settings or your spam mail folder.  Subscribe to our general Mail List.
	August 17, 2012:   We're finalizing plans for our Open Hangar Day coming up next month.  Starting on Friday (September 21) we have some great new seminars and workshops scheduled, and we'll be celebrating Zenith Aircraft Company's 20th anniversary on Friday evening at the Zenith banquet dinner. We're thrilled to have Rod Hightower, EAA's president and CEO, as our special guest, and we have some fantastic door prizes to give away.  Plan now to join us for our Open Hangar Day celebrations!
	The Zenith.Aero website is the online community for and about Zenith builders, owners, and flyers.  There are more than 3,170 members (from around the world), with active discussions and blog posts about building and flying Zenith airplanes!  Here's an unusual request from earlier this week on the free "for sale / wanted" forum (that could prove to be an interesting opportunity for a fellow Zenith owner):  Dan Robinson is wanting to sell or trade his STOL CH 701 to buy or trade for a Zodiac CH 601 / 650.  Why?  "I bought the 701 to commute to my cabin in Northern Michigan on weekends. Now I'm buying a place in Florida so I need speed and endurance."
	Fellow Zenith builder and pilot Earl Downs reports that he's just recently received a FAA Letter of Deviation Authority (LODA) to provide commercial training in the  Zenith that he built himself:  Earl is a CFI and a sport pilot designated flight test examiner who built a Zenith Zodiac CH 601 XL-B, and he is now approved for the following training in his Zenith: Transition training, preparation for first flight testing of this type of aircraft, and training on the operation of the Jabiru 3300 engine and Grand Rapids Technology (GRT) Engine Information System (EIS).  We're thrilled that Earl is now approved to provide this training to the Zenith community. For more information Earl can be reached in the evening (central time) at 918-840-2200 or email.  He is based out of Cushing, Oklahoma.
	New updated Flight Simulator files for both the Zenith CH 650 and the STOL CH 750. We've recently released all-new flight simulator aircraft files for X-Plane 10 to allow you to fly your favorite planes from your armchair.  X-Plane 10 is the leading flight simulator program and boast's that it's "not a game, but an engineering tool that can be used to predict the flying qualities... with incredible accuracy" and the software comes with the scenery of the entire Earth.  View screenshots of the planes in action: Zenith CH 650 and the STOL CH 750.
	Stephen Smith of Santa Rosa, California, continues to amaze us as he flies his Zenith around the country, documenting his trip with awesome photos!  Here are his reports from his two most recent trips this past month: "Desert, mountain and river flying trip through California, Nevada, Oregon and Idaho" (with a Zenith STOL) and "1,403 mile trip to Solvang with return via the Sierra Nevada Mountains under God’s leaky parasol" (View the video slideshow)
	As mentioned previously, "Aviators By Design" was busy working on a STOL CH 750 in the EAA Homebuilders Hangar during AirVenture. AOPA Live reports on this worthwhile project.  Watch a "time lapse" video clip of the build project, and listen an AvWeb podcast about the project involving teens learning to build and fly airplanes.
	Check out the new T-shirts and hats available to commemorate Zenith Aircraft Company's first 20 years!
	Zenith Aircraft on Facebook Updates and new photos are added nearly daily on Zenith Aircraft's popular Facebook page.  Be sure to "Like" the Zenith page to receive updates automatically.
	New Builder Completions:  Check out the new photos added daily on Zenith.Aero There are now more than seventeen thousand photos from Zenith builders, owners and pilots, including photos of new completions, including Les Bolen's new Zenith CH 650 with the new UL Power firewall-forward installation.
Here are some additional great new photos and material on Zenith.Aero: