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Permalink Reply by Ronald Steele on September 28, 2016 at 10:22am

Alarus is a type certificated plane and most of the parts that go onto the 601/650 are either experimental or applicable to light sport.  As a guess, you probably need to contact Zenair, which I think holds the type certificate.  

From the web site:

For Alarus CH2000 spare parts and service, please contact:

Zenair Ltd

P.O. Box 235 Midland ON Canada L4R 4K8

705-526-2871

zenair.com@gmail.com

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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Kreilich on September 28, 2016 at 2:59pm

I sent them an email on Monday, I have not heard back from them.  I understand that the Alarus is a certified aircraft, but I imagine that some that have built the 601/650 have used the Lycoming engine, so I was thinking that it may be possible to get the same spinner they have.

I will send another email to Zenair and hope to get a reply.  I have contacted Zenith and they say they do not support the Alarus, so I will have to deal with Zenair on this matter. 

Thanks for the response.

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Permalink Reply by Ronald Steele on September 29, 2016 at 8:53am

It's possible the spinners are the same, but not necessarily.  Often the spinner is part of the cooling system as it helps direct air into the cooling ducts.  So, it's somewhat dependent on the cowling.  However, the ones shown it the pictures on the web sight look tiny, so that may be irrelevant.   Presumably the flange the spinner connects to is still there.  I'd take careful measurements of it and note how spinner attaches (probably screws around the periphery) and the number and size of screws etc.  If you can't the find OEM part have this info available when shopping.  

Good luck.  I'm interested to know if Zenair can help you out.

Ron

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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Kreilich on September 29, 2016 at 8:42pm

So Zenair got back to me today, they informed me that the spinner was not nessicary.  They said that I can order one, they did not give me a price, but did send an order form.  The flange is still attached, so I can use that.  I will try and find out how much the spinner is, but for now I can fly it without and will not effect it.

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Permalink Reply by Timothy Aanerud on February 28, 2017 at 9:38pm

Is this airplane airworthy yet?

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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Kreilich on February 28, 2017 at 11:25pm

Technically no.  It is all put together and ready to fly, but it is out of annual.  My A&P said that once I get my ticket punched I can start to fly it.  I am on my fourth flight instructor, but hopefully will be able to take the practical in two or three weeks, I hope.  I have done some taxiing with it, but as of yet have not gotten it in the air.  Soon, I hope.

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Permalink Reply by Ronald Steele on March 1, 2017 at 11:50am

Please give us a PIREP when you get it flying.  

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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Kreilich on March 1, 2017 at 10:53pm

I will do that.  Hopefully I will be able to start flying it later this month or next month. 

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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Kreilich on December 2, 2017 at 10:49pm

So I have about fifty hours in the plane so far.  I am having to rebuild the engine as one of the piston pin plugs was wearing on the cylinder wall and caused an excessive amount of aluminum shavings in the oil.

Thus far it has proven to be a good plane.  I had hoped for a little more speed, as it cruises around 90 knots.  It handles very well, the landings took a little getting used to, since I learned in a high wing plane.  The nose is very light, so on take offs I have to be careful not to try and rotate too early, this will cause the tail skid to hit the ground.  My home airport is at 3,600 feet, so climb out is around six hundred feet a minute solo.  I took a cross country to Portland, and while there took some family members up, and was close to a thousand feet a minute climb out at the lower altitude.  I have been up to 10,500 and did not have any difficulties, not sure how much higher I could have gone as it still had some climb left in it.  I do need to get used to the engine, the POH calls to run it at 2,800 above 5,000 feet, which is again different from the 172.  The engine had approximately 2,900 hours on it and still had good compression, so I do not think I will see a huge improvement on some of these numbers.  

The one downside that I have noticed is, as the A&P noted, it has the glide slope of a brick.  I have been getting used to it, but once again it is different then the 172 I learned in.  I had done a few cross countries before the engine overhaul, and it is comfortable, easy to fly once you get used to it. 

I have read about how poor of a plane the Alarus is, but so far I have not found that to be the case.  The A&P commented that it is a fun plane to fly, very forgiving, but a little underpowered.  I hope to have the engine back in the plane in a week or two, a couple of weeks to break it in and then off for more adventures.  

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