SPLOG By DAN JOHNSON

Bad as in-flight break-up accidents are, many opinions blur the big picture. Last spring NTSB recommended FAA “ground the fleet,” so to say, of Zenith Air and AMD’s CH-601 aircraft. FAA chose further study. When additional CH-601s became involved, media outlets and other organizations jumped on the bandwagon.

Let’s review: The focus is on the CH-601XL, of which about 1,500 kits have been sold since its introduction in 1984. Approximately half are complete and flying, according to Zenith boss Sebastien Heintz. Of the airplanes that broke up, two were fully-built SLSA. One was built by Czech Aircraft Works, the other by AMD. The rest are owner-built kits… essentially one-off airplanes. Comparing one to a factory-built airplane is apples and oranges.

Some allege Zenith and AMD have ignored the problem, but lots of detailed info on Zenith’s website suggests otherwise.

... read the rest of Zenith & AMD 601XL under intense scrutiny (136 words)