Alpha Aviation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alpha Aviation is an aircraft manufacturing company based in Hamilton, New Zealand. It manufactures the Alpha 2000 range of light aircraft. The company was founded by Richard Izard to purchase the rights to the Avions Robin R2160, an existing aircraft design that Izard felt could be substantially improved by the application of advanced production techniques and quality control. The R2160 airframe design is now being marketed as the 120T and 160A variants by Alpha (as well as the 160Ai, a 160A with a fuel-injected engine.)
The first aircraft manufactured (ZK-FXY) had its initial flight on April 12, 2006. The first production Alpha 160A aircraft (ZK-WKF and -WJH) entered service with Waikato Aero Club, based just across the road from Alpha at Hamilton Airport, in September/October 2006. Alpha is currently in the process of expanding its production facilities in Hamilton, with an extension to the hangar being put in place as of November 2006.