Photograph:
Express Aircraft Express S2000 VH-MWD (c/n 100-10-02-FB) at Albion Park, NSW in March 2008 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Four-seat cabin monoplane
Power Plant:
One 274 kw (300 hp) Textron Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 six-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 9.6 m (31 ft 6 in)
- Length: 7.62 m (25 ft)
- Height: 2.44 m (8 ft)
- Wing area: 12.82 m² (138 sq ft)
- Cruising speed at 75% power at 2,290 m (7,500 ft): 352 km/h (219 mph)
- Stalling speed flaps up: 108 km/h (67 mph)
- Max rate of climb at sea level: 466 m/min (1,200 ft/min)
- Service ceiling: 8,535 m (28,000 ft)
- Range at 55% power, standard fuel, no reserve: 2,074 km (1,289 miles)
- Empty weight: 839 kg (1,850 lb)
- Loaded weight: 1,633 kg (3,600 lb)
History:
The Express series of high-performance monoplanes was designed by Wheeler Technology Inc as a high-speed cross-country kitplane. The prototype was built from kits of pre-moulded parts, the first aircraft flying on 28 July 1987. The series has been produced in a number of models over the years, the Express FT being the original variant seating four but two seats faced forward and two to the rear. It was powered by a 157 kw (210 hp) Teledyne Continental IO-360-ES1 engine.
Further models were released, including the S300RG, which for a time was known as the 2000RG, becoming available in 2001 fitted with a new wing of larger area and a retractable undercarriage. The Express RGT was a turbine-powered variant with a 410 kw (550 shp) Pratt & Whitney PT6A-20 engine, the first of this model (N512EA) flying on 17 January 2003. The prototype was lost in an accident, but further examples of this model have been completed.
The Loadmaster 3200 was a six-seat variant with a 194 kw (260 hp) engine, and an optional ventral pannier, but production of this model was not continued.
The structure of the series was of composite sandwich material comprising polyurethane foam core, fibreglass, uni-directional fibreglass tape and vinylester resin. The undercarriage was normally fixed and non-retractable with brakes from Cleveland Wheels and Brakes but in 2001 the 2000RD model with hydraulically-activated retractable undercarriage was made available. Fuel capacity was 341 litres (74.9 Imp gals).
First of the S2000 series completed in this region was VH-MWD (c/n 100-10-02-FB) registered in 2005 and has been based at Bankstown, NSW.