Photograph:
Nexus Mustang VH-NSX (c/n 3C)at Cowra, NSW in September, 2010 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
Canada
Description:
Two-seat high-performance light sport monoplane
Power Plant:
One 134 kw (180 hp) Lycoming O-360-C1A four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 6.75 m (22 ft 2 in)
- Length: 6.02 m (19 ft 9 in)
- Height: 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in)
- Wing area: 8.52 m² (91.8 sq ft)
- Max speed: 386 km/h (240 mph)
- Cruising speed at 75% power: 338 km/h (210 mph)
- Max rate of climb: 518 m/min (1,700 ft/min)
- Stalling speed, clean: 113 km/h (70 mph)
- Stalling speed with flaps: 102 km/h (63 mph)
- Empty weight: 492 kg (1,085 lb)
- Useful load: 279 kg (615 lb)
- Baggage weight: 18 kg (40 lb)
- Loaded weight: 770 kg (1,700 lb)
History:
The Nexus Mustang was designed by Richard Eaves of London, Ontario, Canada, who commenced building homebuilt aircraft in 1962. After building a Corben Baby Ace and a Bushby Mustang, and visiting an EAA event at Oshkosh, Wisconsin he decided to build an aircraft of his own design which suited his requirements. In 2000 he designed a two-seat aircraft similar in configuration to the Bushby Midget Mustang and built a prototype (C-GZVV), this being powered by a Lycoming O-360-C1A engine driving a fixed-pitch Sensenich propeller.
Eventually the design was released in plan form to amateur constructors, with some parts being available. Later, in 2008, an Australian company, Carr Engineering of Geelong, VIC commenced to produce and sell the aircraft in kit form, kits being made available in what is known as slow or quick-build form.
The Carr Engineering Equipment kit provided all material and hardware required to build the airframe but did not include the engine, propeller, instruments, avionics, electrics, upholstery and paint. The Company stated the parts provided vary from enough rough cut raw material to make a part aircraft, to completely formed and pilot drilled components. The materials in the kit provided the necessary work to construct the aircraft, complying with the 51% work by the kit builder. The kit could be purchased all at once, or in stages to spread the cost over the construction period. Kits could be picked up at the Company’s facility at Geelong or shipped.
The aircraft is of composite construction, seats two and has a fixed tailwheel type undercarriage. Examples have been completed overseas, including C-FRFY in Canada and N63TD in the United States. VH-NSX³ (c/n 3C – ex N3X) was the first example completed in Australia and although described as a Nexus Mustang by the importers, is a Midget Mustang which was built as a pylon racer. It was built in the United States as N3X and won the EAA Oshkosh Great Grand Champion in 1983. It was first registered in Australia on 10 July 2008. However, it has been referred to as a Bushby Midget Mustang or Mustang I. It was badly damaged on 24 October 2015 when flown by Mr Mustafa in unknown circumstances at Port Lincoln, SA resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft.
Richard Eaves has developed the design and built a further example, this aircraft becoming C-FRFY (c/n XU-7) and being based at Ontario in Canada.