Zenith Pilots Win Big In STOL Competition
More than 40 pilots from around the island nation had gathered to participate in the contest.
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Zenith pilots, Chris Anderson, Jock Struthers and Deane Philip took first, second, and third place trophies in the third annual STOL and Precision Landing Competition in New Zealand on January 31, 2015. More than 40 pilots from around the island nation had gathered to participate in the contest.
Chris Anderson, in taking first place, was able to takeoff in just 22.8 meters, and with his carrier style landing he used up a mere 26.5 meters of runway (without arresting lines). The durable heavy duty landing gear on the Zenith makes heavy drop-ins and short landings possible without damage to the aircraft.
The event is staged annually as part of the "Healthy Bastards Bush Pilot Championships", sponsored primarily by Dr. David Baldwin of Bulls Flying Doctor Service. The term, "Healthy Bastards" comes from a video of the same name that is produced by New Zealand's flying Doctor corps.
Zenith STOL designs incorporate a number of features like slats, full span flaperons, a high lift airfoil, along with vortex generators and an inverted airfoil on the horizontal stabilizer to allow for crisp control at very slow airspeeds. For more information, visit ZenithAir.com.
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