Liberty Aerospace says it is scheduled to receive US certification in early October for its XL-2 light aircraft, leading to first deliveries in November. Liberty president Tony Tiarks says that, following certification, Liberty will step up its marketing effort of the two-seat $129,000 fixed gear aircraft.
"We have just received type inspection authorisation and will announce our supplier base in the next couple of weeks," he says.
Initial certification will be for visual flight rules operation, with follow-on instrument flight rules approval requiring no changes to the aircraft.
Melbourne, Florida-based Liberty plans to build more than 80 aircraft in the first year ramping up to four aircraft a week in 2005.
The XL-2 will be the first aircraft to be certificated with Teledyne Continental's full-authority digital engine control-equipped IOF-240 125hp (90kW) powerplant.
Source: Flight International
