Zenith CH 701: A Proof of Concept Homebuilt on a Budget

I remember driving home from the hangar in March when I got a call from my wife. She told me that a letter had arrived from the FAA and that she had to sign for it. Immediately, my heart dropped. I vividly remember her reading it to me.

Subject: Letter of Investigation

Dear Mr. Stilson:

“Personnel from this office are actively investigating a complaint regarding an Experimental Amateur-Built aircraft.”

In 2025, I finished building a Zenith STOL CH 750 Super Duty. It took me two and a half years, 1,200 hours, and nearly a quarter of a million dollars. In the end, I was thrilled with the final product. It was a bespoke machine built specifically around my needs and preferences.

From the very beginning, I documented the entire build process online. The series ultimately surpassed 100 million views and, in a very short time, became the most-viewed kitplane build series ever.

As I worked through the project, I noticed a pattern in the comments that stuck with me. People thought the airplane was amazing, but many felt they could never afford to build one themselves.

This was not just a handful of people saying it. There were hundreds. They wanted to find a way into aviation and homebuilding, but the price tag on my Super Duty was simply out of reach.

A Different Kind of Build

That realization pushed me toward a new personal challenge. I wanted to learn whether I could build another capable airplane on a much smaller budget. I also wanted to document the process and demonstrate what could be accomplished for approximately the cost of a toy hauler with a couple of ATVs or a nice boat. My goal was to explore a more realistic middle-class pathway into homebuilding.

There are a thousand ways to approach an affordable airplane project. I decided on a hybrid approach. I wanted to begin with a new, easy-to-assemble kit that someone could still order today, while incorporating quality used components where it made sense.

Buying an incomplete or partially assembled kit might have been cheaper, but I felt that starting with a new kit was the better choice for this project. It would allow me to complete the airplane quickly while maintaining control over the workmanship and quality of the build.

I chose the Zenith STOL CH 701. Zenith had recently announced that the 701 kit had been updated to modern match-hole drilled standards. That meant a faster build of an airplane I was already comfortable constructing.

For the powerplant, I selected a mid-time Rotax 912 ULS. Instead of spending nearly $30,000 on a new engine, I spent approximately $8,000. I also chose modern, but affordable Dynon avionics that would provide a high-quality flying experience without overwhelming the project’s budget.

The kit arrived at my hangar in the middle of January 2026.

I immediately jumped into the work. The build gave me another opportunity to improve my skills, try a different approach to aircraft construction, and see how efficiently I could complete an airplane using what I had learned from my first project.

Before long, the series was attracting millions of views from people who were interested in the airplane and the process of building it.

As the project gained attention, my company, Wairworthy, also announced a sweepstakes involving a completed Zenith CH 701. My intention remained to finish the airplane, obtain its airworthiness certificate, complete the required flight testing, and fly it as my own aircraft. Any potential transfer of the airplane would take place only after those personal building and flying objectives had been accomplished.

About a month into the project, it had gained considerable traction. Of course, whenever something gets noticed, it also attracts criticism.

Someone filed a complaint about the project with the FAA.

At that moment, I had no idea the next three months would become one of the most educational parts of the entire project.

The Letter

The complaint caught me completely off guard. I have always considered myself a rule follower, and I take pride in building safe airplanes and operating them responsibly.

Receiving a Letter of Investigation brings with it a lot of unpleasant emotions. There was frustration that someone believed I was breaking the rules. There was guilt, as if I had done something wrong even though I believed I had not. And, of course, there was fear that the FAA might take some form of enforcement action against me.

After receiving the letter, I spoke with several people throughout the industry to get their perspective.

Fortunately, I was enrolled in AOPA’s Pilot Protection Services, which provided excellent legal guidance throughout the process.

I have heard stories of other people receiving Letters of Investigation and immediately feeling as though they were presumed guilty. Thankfully, my experience was different. The investigator from the Salt Lake City FSDO was professional, fair, and willing to meet with me personally to discuss the complaint.

Over several conversations, we reviewed the rules governing Experimental Amateur-Built aircraft. The central issue was the requirement that the major portion of an amateur-built aircraft be fabricated and assembled by people who undertook the project solely for their own education or recreation.

The complaint raised a question about whether the airplane was being constructed for that qualifying purpose or whether it was instead being built primarily as a sweepstakes prize.

That distinction mattered. Giving away or selling an amateur-built aircraft after it has been properly constructed and certificated is not the same question as undertaking the construction project for the purpose of producing an aircraft for someone else. The FAA’s investigation focused on why I had undertaken the build and whether the airplane met the eligibility requirements for an Experimental Amateur-Built airworthiness certificate.

One interesting part of the conversation was when the investigator explained that the aircraft had not yet reached the airworthiness certification stage. At that point, it was still a collection of parts being assembled into an airplane. None of my existing certificates were in jeopardy. The investigation would determine whether the completed aircraft qualified for an Experimental Amateur-Built certificate.

Fortunately, I had extensive documentation of the project and its purpose. My goal was to challenge myself to build and personally operate an affordable airplane, expand on what I had learned from my first build, and document the process for others who were interested in homebuilding.

I also intended to complete the aircraft, conduct its flight testing, and fly it as my own airplane. The aircraft had been registered in my name before the investigation began, which was one additional piece of the overall record considered during the process.

For roughly three months, we went back and forth while the FAA gathered information, reviewed the project, and asked questions about the circumstances surrounding the build.

The process forced me to think carefully about a distinction that may not be obvious to everyone watching a project online. The eventual disposition of an airplane and the purpose for which it was originally fabricated and assembled are not necessarily the same thing. For Experimental Amateur-Built eligibility, the purpose of the builder’s undertaking is critical.

In the end, the FAA determined that the airplane qualified as Experimental Amateur-Built, and it was issued an airworthiness certificate.

Back in the Air

While the investigation was stressful, I continued pushing forward with the build. Almost exactly five months after opening the kit, the airplane was complete and ready for inspection.

We made the first flight in late June with very few squawks. Task-based Phase I flight testing was uneventful, and shortly afterward we flew the airplane to ArtCraft Paint in Santa Maria, California, where it received its distinctive paint scheme.

This airplane is a celebration of affordable kitplanes, America’s 250th birthday, and the 40th anniversary of the Zenith CH 701. It has been incredible to see how far these kits have come, and I genuinely believe that if I can build one, just about anyone can.

I built my first airplane with absolutely no experience working with sheet metal. After building two Zeniths, I feel as though I have earned a college education in aircraft construction. The skills, confidence, and understanding that come from building your own airplane are difficult to replicate any other way.

More than anything, I hope this project encourages someone who has been sitting on the fence to take the leap. Homebuilding is not reserved for master mechanics or lifelong craftsmen. It is for ordinary people who are willing to learn, make mistakes, correct them, and keep moving forward.

This project began as a personal challenge to see whether I could build and fly a capable airplane on a realistic budget. Along the way, it taught me more about aircraft construction, certification, and the importance of clearly understanding the purpose behind an amateur-built project.

If this airplane convinces even one person to begin a project they never thought they could afford or accomplish, then every hour spent building it, including the stressful moments along the way, will have been worth it.