ZENITH AIRCRAFT brought its first production CH 2000 trainer to Sun'n Fun, aiming to provide a revitalised US light-aircraft market with an "affordable" all-purpose two-seater.
The US firm has commitments for 24 of the all-metal aircraft, with a wide range of improvements and a price tag of $69,900.
Zenith's Canadian partner, Zenair, will start production at its factory in Midland, Ontario, at a rate of one a week, increasing to two a week in 1996. By 1997, manufacturing should begin at Zenith's site in Mexico, Missouri.
The CH 2000 is aimed primarily at flying-schools. "Not a revolutionary design, the 2000 is an affordable, all-purpose, two-seater that will start to rejuvenate our ageing fleet of light aircraft," says chief designer Chris Heintz.
Zenith claims that the CH 2000 is the first North American aircraft to be certificated under European very-light-aircraft standards as part of the US Federal Aviation Administration's Small Aircraft Certification Compliance programme. Most of the certification work was completed with Transport Canada, leading to US approval under a bilateral agreement.
Source: Flight International
