Anybody tracking Zenith SAM-EX???

[Osprey Rom]

Curious if anyone knows someone who has purchased or flown this airplane?

[CarlOrton]

Caveat: While I'm building a Cruzer, I know nothing about the SAM except what's on the website.

From what I derived from reading the web: The SAM is no longer listed as a model at the top of the current Zenithair.com website. However, if you scroll down thru the homepage, near the bottom it talks about Zenith acquiring SAM assets etc. It also refers the reader to sam-aircraft.com . Based on the text, they state that they now have the model in SolidWorks and are working on kit proofing the parts for adaptation to their CNC / shop practices.

So, to answer your question, unless someone purchased a prior-ownership/company SAM, I would ignorantly assert that no one has purchased one yet., and therefore no one has flown one, either (of course, 'cept for ZAC personnel). Should be interesting to follow. But they do state that surveys of potential customers showed a lot of excitement and were helping them determine what to offer. I also noted there is a pricing/order sheet for the model.

[Osprey Rom]

Well I contacted them last summer about it and they told me by around Christmas they should be ready to ship. I shot them another note this evening so we'll see if they are ready. Seems they wouldn't advertise a price sheet until the product is ready...more to follow. Hope the Cruzer build is going well.

[Osprey Rom]

Finally spoke with someone at Zenith. Apparently not enough interest in the airframe so they did not set up tooling to produce the kit. Unfortunate!

[CarlOrton]

I was wondering as much, since it disappeared from the main website. Also, they just posted a picture of "all the Zenith products" in front of their hangar in prep for their monthly workshop, and the SAM was not there.

I wonder what their next step will be...

[Floatsflyer]

Finally spoke with someone at Zenith. Apparently not enough interest in the airframe so they did not set up tooling to produce the kit. Unfortunate!

That's too bad, I thought it was a good looking all metal throwback that pilots would find really appealing as a kit, SLSA or AULA because it set itself apart in appearance from so many other uninspiring look-a-likes. In tri-gear it looked like a T-34 Mentor, as a trail dragger it looked like a Chipmunk. I sat in it at Osh and found it to be quite comfy and roomy for a tandem.

The marketplace spoke and IMO, I think they rejected the tandem configuration as the reason for no sales interest. Most pilots enjoy sitting side by side to connect physically and communicatively. It's a comfort zone thing. Zenith hasn't lost much at all, they bought all the assets including the flying prototype from Sam Aircraft for just $100K. They can always revive it at a later time.

[s10sakota]

I would probably agree that most people might prefer side-by-side seating, but I don't think that's what killed the Sam. Zenith bought an airplane that people already showed little interest in, did not change a thing, and then put it back on display thinking that somehow people would magically be interested in it. The airplane is ugly. Then they slapped on a cowl that looked like it was taken off of a 50 year old airplane at the junkyard, and flew it to Oshkosh. That's what killed it. What Zenith should have done was put wheel pants on it to give it a finished look, and then paid the $12,000 to get an exciting and professional paint job (like the samples below) and then displayed it. It's all about the wow factor and presentation, and Zenith failed at both.

Imagine seeing that Sam all dolled up like the airplanes below and then sitting at the Zenith booth! I'll bet it would have generated a LOT of interest.

https://s10.postimg.org/ru08syg61/1482410-large.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

https://s10.postimg.org/qeyo48uih/chip.png (https://postimages.org/)

[DaleB]

Surely you can't imagine that the people who brought you the CH701 and CH750 are really focused on making things pretty.

Not to dog on the airplanes, I'm sure they're great at what they do, but -- just sayin'.

[s10sakota]

Surely you can't imagine that the people who brought you the CH701 and CH750 are really focused on making things pretty.

Not to dog on the airplanes, I'm sure they're great at what they do, but -- just sayin'.

Dale I agree 100% LOL. No, I don't think the word "pretty" is in Zenith's vocabulary, but I also think that if it were, and if they made the Sam "pretty", that it may have turned into a much more popular airplane. BTW-I'm building one of those ugly Zenith Cruzers :P

[DaleB]

BTW-I'm building one of those ugly Zenith Cruzers :P
I want to just say for the record that *I* never called them "ugly". I just observed that not a lot of effort went into making them pretty. :)

[dalathum]

The only SAM-EX I can find is the same aircraft in all of the photos (C-FSBN). This was a kit I was really interested in when looking at all the images but once I started doing research on it I realized there was no point. I am disappointed that this aircraft hasn't become reality but the only person to blame for that is Zenith themselves.

[Scooper]

I spoke with Sebastien Heintz at Doug Dugger's retirement party from Quality Sport Planes (Cloverdale, CA) in June, and he said bringing the SAM to market is on the back burner for now because of other priorities.

My personal opinion is that not all Zeniths are homely looking. Form follows function.