Fri, Jul 23, 2004
European agency gives thumbs-up to newest aircraft in Extra
lineup
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has certified Extra
Aircraft’s EA-500, which company officials say will set a new
standard in the single-engine turboprop high-performance cabin
class.
The EA-500 becomes the seventh Extra Aircraft certified in the
past 15 years.
“We have created an aircraft that has the perfect balance
of power and weight, achieving unprecedented range and endurance in
this class,” said Ken Keith, Extra Aircraft CEO. “We
are confident this combination will allow for more economical
trips, making the EA-500 the new standard for touring
aircraft.”
Company officials say that certification of the EA-500 by the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is pending. Once
certification is complete, Extra will be ready to begin production
in Germany, with plans for the first aircraft to be finished in
December.
Keith says it is the combination of the Rolls-Royce 250
turboprop engine and the all-carbon-fiber composite airframe that
makes possible cost-efficiency greater than anything in its
class.
“We are very proud of this aircraft,” said Walter
Extra, founder and chief engineer. “Our team has spent
thousands of hours methodically applying scientific and
mathematical principles to design an aircraft that rivals every
other aircraft in this class.”
A six-seat, touring aircraft, the EA-500 was specifically
designed to be powered by the Rolls-Royce 250-B17F/2 turboprop
engine. The aircraft will also feature Honeywell’s APEX fully
integrated cockpit as the standard avionics package for the EA-500,
beginning in 2006.
Keith estimates that Extra Aircraft currently has the capacity
to produce 60 EA-500s per year. Orders for the next year have
already been filled. The EA-500 will currently be sold
factory-direct through a network of factory-authorized
representatives in North America and Europe.
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