CHRIS HEINTZ and development of the CH 640
HISTORY: An accomplished aeronautical engineer, Chris Heintz graduated from the E.T.H Institute in Switzerland in the early 1960s. After serving in the Air Force, Heintz worked for Aerospatiale on the supersonic Concorde jetliner, and later became chief engineer at Avions Robin (France) where he designed several fully-certified two and four seat all-metal production aircraft including the HR200.
In his spare time, Heintz began to design and build his own aircraft, which he named the ZENITH, anagram of Heintz. Being an engineer and not a craftsman, his all-metal homebuilt aircraft incorporated simple construction methods throughout. After a little more than a year’s work, the two-place low-wing Zenith was rolled out and successfully flown in 1969.  Soon after, detailed blueprints and construction manuals of the aircraft were drawn up and offered to the growing number of interested builders and flyers.
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In 1973, Chris Heintz, his family and the Zenith moved to North America, where Heintz worked for de Havilland (in Toronto) as a stress engineer on the Dash 7 commuter. Chris decided to form his own aircraft company in 1974, and under the name of Zenair Limited. started to manufacture Zenith kits himself from his own two-car garage. 
In the later 1970s, Heintz introduced the Zenith CH 300 "Tri-Z", his own 2+2 seat aircraft design based on the original Zenith CH 200. In the following decades, he would introduce more than fifteen successful kit aircraft designs through the company he had founded and run for over thirty years.  Today, Zenair is recognized worldwide as a pioneer in the kit aircraft industry; its aircraft are still sold and assembled by thousands of builders around the world.
In 1992, Heintz licensed kit manufacturing and marketing rights to Zenith Aircraft Company for the STOL CH 701 and the ZODIAC CH 601 designs. Zenith hasn't stopped building these aircraft since and with time, has greatly developed the quality of kits. Zenith now also builds the CH 650 & CH 750 series.
In 1996, Chris Heintz and Zenair Ltd. developed and obtained FAA type-certification for the ZENITH CH 2000, a two-seat low-wing aircraft based on Heintz' earlier CH 200/300 designs.  It is from this certified aircraft that the Zodiac CH 640 would eventually be developed...
Today, more than two thousand Heintz-designed aircraft are flying around the world in over 48 different countries. Heintz designs have earned an excellent reputation among pilots, builders, the press, and aviation authorities for their durable all-metal construction, stable flight characteristics, reliability, and low maintenance requirements.
"Pilots around the world owe a debt of gratitude to Chris Heintz whose creative engineering genius has produced the most affordable all metal production aircraft, with the largest cabin of any two seat FAA type certificated airplane on the market today. No other airplane in the world offers so much strength, stability, comfort, or operating economy.  Chris Heintz has made a significant contribution towards preserving affordable airplane ownership while ensuring durable cost efficient flight training aircraft of the 21st century."
                                                                         - Recreational Airplane Pilot, by Edwin Quinlan, Aviators Publishing, 1999.
With a career-long dedication to aviation, Chris Heintz is a past recipient of the EAA’s coveted Dr. August Raspet Memorial Award "for outstanding contribution to the advancement of the design of light aircraft," and his designs have been honored with numerous awards around the world. In 1995 the Federation Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) awarded Zenair Ltd. the prestigious Honorary Group Diploma for "greatly contributing to the progress of aviation" and Chris Heintz was inducted into the EAA "Hall of Fame" in 1999.
Chris Heintz does not only design, test and promote aircraft, he is also actively involved in all facets of general aviation as a long-time EAA member, frequently giving lectures and forums at chapter meetings and fly-ins. Heintz is also a sought-after light aircraft engineering consultant, consulting to governments, organizations, universities, and private individuals. A leading authority on light aircraft design and market direction, Heintz has worked closely with aviation authorities and organizations in developing new aircraft regulations and has been actively involved in promoting aviation (and industry) in developing countries.
Designer Chris Heintz was awarded the LAMA (Light Aircraft Manufacturers' Assoc.) / KITPLANES magazine 2001 PRESIDENT'S AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL at Oshkosh AirVenture on July 24, 2001. He was selected by his peers (aircraft designers and manufacturers) for this prestigious award from the Light Aircraft Manufacturer's Assoc. The award was presented to Chris Heintz by LAMA president Larry Burke and KITPLANES magazine editor Dave Martin.
Graphic: Chris Heintz design history
In 2009, Chris condensed his vast experience into a well-received book: "Flying on Your Own Wings – A Complete Guide to Understanding Light Airplane Design". It is a summary of his life-long career in designing light aircraft and a thorough review in easy-to-follow layman’s terms of the complex engineering involved in designing light aircraft.
Today, professional assistance for kit builders is more readily available than ever through Zenair's growing network of Build-Centers.  Builders now have access to this extra assistance with airframe assemblies, engine and electrical system installations, interior upholstery, avionics (and more) to complete and customize their aircraft with ease - and in record-time!
NOTE: While the ZODIAC CH 640 design is based on the Zenith CH 2000 type-certificated aircraft, the ZODIAC CH 640 design and kit is not certified, certificated or approved by the FAA.  The ZODIAC CH 640 is being offered as a kit, to be constructed by the owner as an amateur-built "experimental" aircraft.  Click here for more information.