GERMAN manufacturer, Extra Flugzeugbau has flown its all-composite, EA 400 tourer for the first time. The first flight took place on 4 April at Extra's Dinslaken base, with company managing director Walter Extra at the controls.
The company says that the first impressions of the aircraft's handling were satisfactory. Extra hopes, to complete the flight-test programme, around the middle of the year. Two days earlier, the German manufacturer made the successful maiden flight of its Extra 200 sports aircraft (Flight International 10-16 April, P20).
The EA 400, is an advanced six-seat tourer, intended to be sold, at a basic price of DM1.3 million ($885,000). It is powered by a 260kW (350hp) Teledyne Continental Voyager TSIOL-550-A piston engine, its compact liquid-cooling system allowing improved aerodynamic design of the nose of the aircraft.
Much of the aerodynamic design of the aircraft was carried out in co-operation with the University of Delft in the Netherlands. Extra is aiming for a 2,000kg maximum take-off weight, with a maximum payload of 550kg, and a maximum speed of 260kt (480km/h).
The first step towards certification to US Federal Aviation Regulations Part 23 requirements is to be completed by the middle of this year, clearing the aircraft for flight under visual flight-rules without icing conditions. It is hoped that full certification will follow in the fourth quarter.
Source: Flight International
