Zenith Throws Open Its Doors for “Fly-In to Summer”

If you’ve ever wanted to see where all those Zenith kit parts come from, June 20th is your chance to find out firsthand. Zenith Aircraft Company is hosting its annual “Fly-In to Summer” Open House at its factory on the Mexico Memorial Airport (KMYJ) in Mexico, Missouri, and the welcome mat is out for builders, flyers, and anyone curious about getting into homebuilding.

The event runs Saturday morning, June 20th, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This is the informal, low-key counterpart to Zenith’s big September gathering—no registration tables, no packed seminar schedule, just an open factory and a friendly crowd. Visitors can take self-guided tours through the production floor, where every Zenith kit part is manufactured, and watch demonstrations of how those parts come together into flyable airplanes.

There’s a little more elbow room this year, too. Zenith recently wrapped up a 12,000-square-foot expansion of its factory, and the additional space will be on full display. Out on the ramp, the company’s factory demonstrator aircraft will be parked for close inspection, and customer-built airplanes are expected to fly in throughout the morning—always one of the best parts of any Zenith event, since you get to talk shop with the people who actually finished the build. Coffee will be flowing early, and a local food truck will be on hand with a hot lunch.

For builders weighing their first project, the Open House is a useful primer on what Zenith has spent more than thirty years perfecting. The company’s kits, designed by aeronautical engineer Chris Heintz, are aimed squarely at the do-it-yourself sport aviation market. The STOL CH 701 and STOL CH 750 have built their reputation on genuine short takeoff and landing performance, while the high-wing CH 750 Cruzer and the sleek low-wing CH 650 cover the economical two-seat cross-country mission. The newest addition, the STOL CH 750 Super Duty, adds a rear jump seat to the proven STOL formula.

What keeps drawing newcomers is the accessibility. Most builders finish their airplanes in 400 to 500 hours from a complete kit, and Zenith offers plenty of off-ramps along the way—component kits for those who want to tackle it in stages, or plans-only scratch-building for the truly hands-on. Buyers also get wide latitude in choosing engines, avionics, and custom options to suit how they actually intend to fly. For anyone who wants to go deeper, Zenith runs monthly hands-on workshop classes at the factory.

The “Fly-In to Summer” Open House is also a fine warm-up for the main event. This September marks the 35th annual Zenith Homecoming, a two-day affair on September 18–19 featuring educational seminars, hands-on workshops, flying demonstrations, and the traditional Zenith Banquet dinner.

For now, though, point the nose toward Mexico, Missouri, on June 20th. Details are available at zenithair.com, with the event also listed on Zenith’s Facebook page and previewed in a short event video.