The FAA recently signed off on the type certificate for XtremeAir’s XA42 — a two-seat, all-carbon-fiber aerobatic airplane, which has been EASA certified since March 2011. Powered by a 315-horsepower Lycoming AEIO-580 engine, the German airplane boasts a max cruise speed of 210 knots and load factor limits of +/-10 g.
Center sticks in front and back manipulate large control surfaces through carbon fiber push/pull rods, providing a quick response to control inputs. The ailerons are attached by five hinge-points and span pretty much the entire trailing edge of the wings. Maximum aileron deflection is approved between 50 and 225 knots, with a roll rate as high as 450 degrees per second at 225 knots. That translates to much less than a second per roll.
While XtremeAir claims a range of around 700 nm for the XA42, the airplane was also designed to be disassembled quickly and easily for container transport.
“I must say that this has to best designed [aircraft], well thought out in all details, and the workmanship is the best I have ever seen in any of the [aircraft] I have certified so far,” said FAA Designated Airworthiness Representative M.K. Blalock.
XtremeAir also produces a single-seat version of the airplane, the XA41, which received EASA certification in February and will likely be added to the FAA’s list as well.
