The Unique ultralight from Chris Heintz using the Rogallo Sailwing principle:
The "Zipper" Series from Zenair!
The "Zipper" Series from Zenair!
Innovation and Technology in a remarkable light-weight and simple, slow-flying, folding-wing ultralight...
4 Models to choose from:
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OVERVIEW: The Zipper series of ultralights were designed in the early 1980s by Chris Heintz and put into production by Zenair Limited when the company was still located in Nobleton, Ontario. The Zipper ultralight was designed to meet FAR 103.7 and was sold "ready-to-fly", not as a kit.
Heintz's motivation for the Zipper series was the ultralight aviation boom that was occurring in North America at the time and the introduction of new aviation regulations legally permitting the operation of ultralights without a private pilot's license (PPL) in the USA and only an easy-to-obtain UL License in Canada. The designer's five children all learned to fly on the Zipper ultralight!
In the early days of the ultralights, aircraft were not flown great distances to fly-ins or other sites, but were most often transported by trailer or on car top to be flown locally at remote locations. The Zenair Zippers therefore incorporates many unique features, all aimed at making the aircraft more portable.
The Zipper had a quick-folding wing based on the Rogallo Sailwing concept and was built around a D-cell leading edge and spar. There were no wing ribs and the trailing edge of the wing was established by a cable which tensioned the sailcloth (Dacron) wing covering. The wing was folded by releasing the support cables fastened next to the nose wheel with an over-center lock, and by folding the wings back along the tailboom, still supported by their struts. The wing was designed to +6 and -3 g. |
The Zipper featured full conventional three-axis controls, which was unusual in ultralights designed at this time. The all-metal, one piece, all-flying rudder and the elevator stayed in place (or were quickly removable) for transport. The tailboom was a sturdy solid-riveted aluminum box with a square cross section.
The standard powerplant provided on the factory-built Zipper was the JPX PUL 425 engine (26 hp with tuned exhaust) or the Rotax 277 (28 hp) on the Zipper RX. Fuel capacity was 5 Gal. The twin-engined Zipper II featured full dual controls for training purposes and used two JPX engines.
Zenair also developped the lightest all-aluminum floats in the industry for single-seat and two-seat ultralights. These floats (straight as well as amphibious) were offered as an option for the Zipper RX and Zipper II models, and were popular with other ultralight brands as well; Zenair floats are still offered by Zenair today although the Zipper line was discontinued in the later 1980s with the arrival of the new STOL CH 701.
The standard powerplant provided on the factory-built Zipper was the JPX PUL 425 engine (26 hp with tuned exhaust) or the Rotax 277 (28 hp) on the Zipper RX. Fuel capacity was 5 Gal. The twin-engined Zipper II featured full dual controls for training purposes and used two JPX engines.
Zenair also developped the lightest all-aluminum floats in the industry for single-seat and two-seat ultralights. These floats (straight as well as amphibious) were offered as an option for the Zipper RX and Zipper II models, and were popular with other ultralight brands as well; Zenair floats are still offered by Zenair today although the Zipper line was discontinued in the later 1980s with the arrival of the new STOL CH 701.
Extract from the 1983 brochure:
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The Zipper ultralight was manufactured by Zenair from 1982-1986 - Parts, technical support and/or service for these models is no longer available.