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Kit Building - Builder's Assist
I got to see how much easier kit building can be during my visit to Silver Sky Aivation's brand new Builder's Assist facility. This workshop is a Type 2 kit builder's dream. It's climate controlled, has plenty of room to work, has all the tools you need and most importantly: it gives you access to helpers who build and fly Zenith aircraft all the time. While I was there, they had a CH 601 kit waiting for a Corvair engine to be installed, and a CH 601 taildragger quickbuild kit ready to go. The professionals at Silver Sky Aviation have skill and experience building these aircraft and would be a great choice for help with that process.
Thanks to quick build kits and Silver Sky Aviation's Builders Assist program the numbers and timeline end up looking roughly trke this:
| $25K | Quick build kit |
| $8K | 2 weeks of builder's assistance to complete quickbuild kit |
| $17-25K | Engine (several options available) |
| $6K | Rough estimate for a avionics including a Dynon EFIS |
| $8K | About 1-2 more weeks of builder's assistance for engine and avionics installation |
| $65-70K | Complete aircraft constructed in about 1 month |
If you like the sound of that, but still aren't sure if building a kit is the way to go, consider attending one of Silver Sky Aviation's rudder workshops. $300 gets you a the kit for the rudder of the model aircraft you are considering. You spend a weekend at the builder's assist facility with the Silver Sky team and other potential builders, and you go home with a complete rudder. There is no commitment to complete the project, but the hope is that you'll enjoy the process enough that you will decide to order the rest of the kit and keep going.
As painless as that process will be with Silver Sky Aviation, you'll soon be looking for someone to check you out in your new aircraft. Read on to see how the League of Extradordinary Aviatiors, Sky's other company can help you here.






