FAA Suspends New Certification of Zenith CH 601XL and CH 650 Aircraft

The ongoing saga of the Zodiac series took a new turn Thursday, November 12, as the FAA advised Designated Airworthiness Representatives that they could not issue new airworthiness certificates until the applicants could prove the aircraft had undergone modification. An extensive set of modifications designed by Zenith has been announced, and the materials kits for Experimental/Amateur-Built versions should be available soon. Until these aircraft can be modified, both Zenith and the FAA have recommended a voluntary grounding of the aircraft. Reports in other media that the FAA has unilaterally grounded the aircraft appear to be incorrect.