Liberty Aircraft has resumed flight testing of its XL-2 two-seater after relocating operations from Colorado to Melbourne, Florida. The move was forced by the closure of Scaled Technology Works (STW), which was under contract to produce the aircraft.
Certification, which was originally scheduled for late 2001 but had slipped to late 2002, is now hoped for by August. Rockledge, Florida-based Matrix Composites has been selected to replace STW as supplier of the XL-2's carbonfibre fuselage. Heart of Georgia Metal Crafters will continue to supply the metal wing. Liberty will assemble the aircraft at its Melbourne plant.
Liberty is flight testing the conforming prototype, which was produced by STW before it closed. A static test article is required for certification and Liberty has reached agreement with STW's parent company Precision Castparts to relocate the tooling from Montrose, Colorado. The company, which has orders for 50 XL-2s, expects sales to pick up after certification.
Source: Flight International
