At precisely 8:00 am CDT today, a crowd of volunteers started on one of the highest visibility projects of AirVenture 2014–the assembly and initial taxi testing of a Zenith CH 750 kit airplane during the course of the seven-day convention. Speaking of the activity in the pavilion on the main crossroads of the grounds, Charlie Becker, EAA’s manager of homebuilt programs said, “We want people to discover that building an airplane is not that complicated and within the reach of just about anyone by watching this project take shape during the week and participating in it themselves.” The Zenith kit arrived just as any homebuilder would receive one. Shortly after 8 am, the boxes were open and the first components were being assembled.
Becker said, “This is a fun, interactive opportunity that will show thousands of people exactly how an airplane goes together.” The One Week Wonder project is also intended to allow the EAA to showcase how a person can build her or his own airplane, the technical achievements along the way and EAA support programs for aircraft builders. The first 5,000 people who visit the pavilion and pull a rivet will receive a One Week Wonder commemorative pin, a digital photo as a keepsake of their experience, and the opportunity to sign their name in “The World’s Largest Builders Log.” They will also be able to cast their votes to select the winning paint scheme for the completed Zenith CH 750 Cruzer. An EAA webcam is to show the building of the airplane in real time. AVweb will be giving periodic progress reports.
