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4 OCT 06: RACE HOTS UP FOR RED BULL

MX Aircraft building special single-seater for 2007 series

AMERICAN kitplane maker MX Aircraft is working on a new single-seat aerobatic aircraft for next year's Red Bull World Air Race Series.

The new aircraft is a development of the Florida company's existing two-seat MX2. Designer Chris Meyer told LOOP: "The solid performance of the MX2 has prompted us to build a single-seat version called the MXS. This aircraft is designed for true unlimited performance with a very special version of the MXS being built with RBAR in mind.

"The MXS will use the MX2 wing and tail group but incorporate a totally new fuselage design with ultimate performance and pilot comfort in mind. This plane has been designed to be lighter and more agile than the MX2 and should be quite a formidable threat to the other designs in the RBAR. This aircraft will make its debut in the first RBAR in 2007."

The existing MX2, pictured here being flown by US aerobatic competitor Alan Bush, is an all-composite aircraft using pre-impregnated carbon fibre. It's sold only in 'super fast build' with the critical assembly and alignment processes completed at the factory - the airframe comes complete with wings, fin and tailplane mated to the fuselage.

Chris Meyer: "The MX2 is designed to out-perform today's available aerobatic aircraft. The project began back in 2000 with the chosen design criteria. From there we enlisted the help of an aeronautical engineering firm and an aerodynamicist to help with the structural layout and design configuration.

"We then partnered with one of the leading composite shops in the US to build the MX2's tooling and individual parts as well as the original prototype. This aircraft made its maiden flight in 2003.
"The next two years of flight testing resulted in a sort of 'refinement' phase where we spent hundreds of hours of 'flying and changing'.

"During that time we tried four separate aileron airfoils before we found what we were looking for, along with five rudder designs, three vertical stabilizer designs, four elevator/horizontal stab configurations, and countless other changes.

"Once we were happy with the flying characteristics of prototype number one we built a second prototype aircraft that incorporated all of the before mentioned aerodynamic improvements as well as a new fuselage design with improved interior ergonomics and strength. This aircraft first flew in the beginning of 2005 and has been regularly test flown and punished by some of the world's best pilots. The plane is very robust and handles unlimited flying well with regular readings of 14Gs on the G meter.

"The two-seat MX2 is now in production with much of our initial sales being directed toward the competition/air show market. It has also had a fairly recent showing in the Red Bull Air Race held in Abu Dhabi where it placed in the middle of the field by first time pilot Michael Goulian.

"We have received much interest from the other Red Bull pilots with our first MX2 sale going to Nigel Lamb of the UK. He will have a Breitling sponsored plane by the 7 October in San Francisco."
W: www.mx2aircraft.com

FAST FACTS

PERFORMANCE
MX AIRCRAFT MX2
Vne 220kt
Stall speed 58kt
Climb rate 3500ft/min
Roll rate 400+º/sec
Loading +/-16G (solo)

SPECIFICATIONS
Engine 250-380hp
Length 6.55mt
Wingspan 7.32mt
Wing area 9.48sq mt
Mtow 975kg
Empty weight 584kg
Aero weight 839kg

MANUFACTURER
MX Aircraft
10862 Denoeu Road
Boynton Beach
Florida 33437
USA
T. 001 561 737 6306
W. www.mx2aircraft.com

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4 OCT 06: RACE HOTS UP FOR RED BULL