Photograph:
First AMD CH-2000 Alarus VH-ULX (c/n 20-1024) at Serpentine, WA in September 2016 (David Eyre – WA Aviation)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Two-seat light sport aircraft
Power Plant:
One 87 kw (116 hp) Lycoming O-235-N2c four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 8.79 m (28 ft 10 in)
- Length: 7.01 m (23 ft 0 in)
- Height: 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in)
- Wing area: 12.7 m² (137 sq ft)
- Never exceed speed: 265 km/h (165 mph)
- Cruising speed: 183 km/h (114 mph)
- Stalling speed: 89 km/h (55 mph)
- Rate of climb: 229 m/min (750 ft/min)
- Range: 900 km (559 miles)
- Fuel capacity: 106 litres (23 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 492 kg (1,085 lb)
- Loaded weight: 767 kg (1,692 lb)
History:
Looking similar to the Zenair CH-640, the AMD Alarus was a two-seat light general-aviation touring and training monoplane produced in the United States by the Aircraft Manufacturing & Design Company at Eastman in Georgia. The aircraft, like the CH-640, was designed also by Christopher Heintz of Zenair. It was a low-wing monoplane with a door for entry on each side and was usually fitted with Garmin avionics. It was been available in the general aviation variant and as the MTSA, the latter being aimed at the military tactical surveillance market. A number of examples of this model have been supplied to the Iraq Air Force.
The military model, the MTSA, had multi-sensors and had secure air-to-air and air-to-ground communications. It was used for operations day and night. This model was manufactured in Amman in Jordan, and in Baghdad in Iraq. Known as the SAMA CH-2000 the Iraqi Air Force variant was used by No 70 Squadron from Basrah, commencing service in 2004.
The civil variant has been supplied to a number of flying schools in the United States and examples have been registered in Canada. Six have been supplied to the Air Force of Peru and these were built by SEMAN under licence, being known as the Antarqui.
An example has been registered in Australia. This aircraft (also known as a Zenair CH-2000) was built in the United States and registered N323JD. It was imported to Australia becoming VH-WLX² (c/n 20-1024) on 26 November 2009. On 18 September 2012 the registration was changed to VH-ULX³ and it has been operated by Inverted Pty Ltd of Jandakot, WA.