Your Zenith is not a 172
Zeniths are incredibly safe and capable airplanes, but they handle differently than the standard trainers you learned in.
The Reality:
• Control Forces: Light and sensitive. You cannot
manhandle the stick.
• Rudder Authority: It’s
not a footrest. You need active inputs to stay coordinated.
•
The Flare: The high-drag airframe bleeds energy
very quickly. If you aren't ready, you will drop it in.
•
The Noise: The fuselage "oil-canning" in a slip is
normal, but terrifying if you don't expect it.
Choose Your Mission
Most of our clients fit into one of these categories. We have a specialized curriculum for each.
01. New Build & Phase 1
You just finished building. Now you need to test the plane and train the pilot simultaneously.
- • First Flight preparation
- • System shakedown & testing
- • Building muscle memory
02. Delivery & Transition
Bought a plane cross-country? Skip the long ferry flight. We safely deliver the aircraft to your hangar, then provide transition training on your home turf.
- • Professional aircraft relocation
- • Training in your local airspace
03. Transition Only
For insurance requirements or Flight Reviews in an existing Zenith.
- • Insurance checkouts (5-10 hours)
- • Advanced STOL techniques
- • Biannual Flight Reviews (BFR)
04. Train in "Lazer Chicken"
Don't have your bird yet? Train in ours.
We are currently finalizing our LODA (Letter of Deviation
Authority) to offer training in our factory-spec Zenith.
- • Train before your build is finished
- • Experience a tuned Zenith platform
- • Pending FAA LODA Approval
Squawks Happen
New builds rarely have zero squawks.
When you are doing Phase 1 or a long ferry flight in a new-to-you
experimental, things will pop up. High CHTs, rigging adjustments, or
avionics glitches are part of the process.
A standard CFI might pack their bags and leave when the airplane
isn't 100%. We stick around.
We use our builder experience to help you diagnose and fix the issue
right there on the ramp so we can get back in the air and finish
your training.
We've Seen It Before
We don't just teach theory; we manage reality. Recent squawks we
helped owners solve to keep training on track:
• Cooling: Identified water contamination in a
waterless coolant system that was causing "mystery" overheating
during stall tests.
• Starting: Diagnosed a
"dead" ECU on a ULPower engine that turned out to be a voltage
threshold issue.
• Rigging: Adjusted heavy
wings and flaperon reflex on the ramp to fix handling issues.
Zenith Transition Training
Use your plane or ours (add rental fees). We come to you.
+ Expenses (Travel & Lodging)
Why Train With a Builder?
Most CFIs have never held a rivet gun. They teach you to fly;
we teach you to operate an experimental.
We cover the quirks, the Rotax/Lycoming/UL Power/Jabiru/
management, and the specific issues with CH601/650/701/750
series.
The Result: You don't just
get a logbook endorsement; you get confidence in your build.
What's Included
- ✓ Flight Instruction: Stick & Rudder skills specific to high-lift STOL wings.
- ✓ Ground School: Systems review, performance limitations, and maintenance tips.
- ✓ Insurance Sign-off: We are approved by major experimental insurance brokers.