Liberty Aircraft plans to fly its XL-2 all-composite two-seater on 1 April. The aircraft will make its public debut at next month's Sun 'n' Fun show in Lakeland, Florida.
Certification is planned for the fourth quarter, and will be to USFAR Part 23 standards, rather than the less demanding European JAR-VLA (Very Light Aircraft) rules originally envisaged.
Montrose, Colorado-based Liberty says full FAR 23 certification will allow night instrument flight rules (IFR) use of the XL-2, whereas the aircraft would have been restricted to day visual flight rules use under JAR-VLA.
The carbonfibre-composite XL-2, based aerodynamically on the successful Europa kitplane, is being produced by Montrose, Colorado-based STW Composites (formerly Scaled Technology Works), which has a contract to build up to 400 aircraft.
The XL-2 is powered by a 75kW (100hp) Rotax 912S piston, driving a two-blade Dowty composite propeller. Liberty has selected Garmin IFR avionics for the aircraft, which is priced at $85,000 for the first 50 and $97,500 thereafter.
Another composite two-seater making its US debut at Sun 'n' Fun is the OMF-160 Symphony. This is a production development of the GlaStar kitplane, JAR 23 certificated in Germany by OMF Aircraft and licence-assembled in the USA by Aircraft Manufacturing & Development (AMD).
Eastman, Georgia-based AMD assembled and flew its Symphony demonstrator in late February. USFAR 23 certification is expected in the second quarter.
Source: Flight International
