Zenith Aircraft Company is introducing its new light aircraft design at the Sun'n Fun Fly-in. The all-metal two-seat CH 750 Cruzer is the latest design from Chris Heintz. While influenced by its well-known STOL predecessors (the STOL CH 701 “Sky Jeep,” CH 750, and four-seat CH 801 sport utility aircraft), the CH 750 Cruzer is an all-new design.

“Our STOL CH 750 design has been a huge success in large part thanks to its easy cabin access, fantastic visibility, and for its room -- side-by-side comfort for two adults,” says Sebastien Heintz, president of Zenith Aircraft Co. of Mexico, Missouri. “However, many customers do not need off-airport capability or extreme STOL (short take-off and landing) performance. We've optimized the new design for cruise and typical (airport) operations, while retaining the popular cabin features of the STOL CH 750.”

The Zenith CH 750 Cruzer features an all-new airfoil supported by a single streamlined strut. Compared to the STOL CH 750, the empennage has also been redesigned for its new mission, with a symmetrical stabilizer and a shortened horizontal tail span. The vertical tail features a fin and rudder (replacing the traditional all-moving vertical tail design of the Chris Heintz STOL series).

In keeping with its mission, the Cruzer is fitted with 5.00 x 5 aircraft wheels and new wheel fairings. The instrument panel of the new design is also wider and more conventional than the STOL CH 750 (that has a narrower instrument panel to improve forward visibility in extreme nose-high attitudes associated with STOL flying).

“We've retained some of the most popular features of the STOL CH 750, while optimizing the new design for cross-country flying,” says Heintz.

The Zenith CH 750 Cruzer introduced at Sun'n Fun was flown to the show by Heintz (1,000 miles from the factory in Missouri) and is equipped with the UL350iS 130-hp fuel-injected UL-Power engine and the latest Dynon SkyView glass panel display system.

As equipped, the aircraft weighs 780 lbs., providing a useful load of 540 lbs. at the 1,320 lbs. LSA gross weight limit. Cruise speed is 118 mph, rate of climb is 1,200 fpm, and stall speed is 39 mph.

The new design utilizes the same firewall as the STOL CH 750 and the low-wing Zenith CH 650, meaning existing firewall-forward engine packages are readily available, including the Continental O-200, Rotax 912 series, Viking (Honda), Jabiru, Corvair, and others.

Complete airframe kits for the new design are offered by Zenith Aircraft Company. As with other all-metal Zenith kits, this newest model will be built using the latest modern manufacturing (CNC) technology to offer matched-hole assembly throughout. The new easy-to-build kit draws upon Zenith's decades of experience in the kit industry, requiring under 400 hours to assemble the airframe from the kit (requiring only basic skills and simple hand tools). A quick-built kit option will also be available.

Component kits are scheduled for delivery starting next month. As with other Zenith designs, blueprints (drawings and illustrated photo assembly manuals) will also be available separately for scratch-builders.

Zenith Aircraft Company will be releasing both building (kit assembly) and flying video clips of the new design shortly on its website, as well as detailed design data and kit and options pricing information: www.zenithair.com