Photograph:
MX Technologies MX-2 VH-CQE (c/n 10) at Albion Park, NSW (David C Eyre))
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Two-seat high-performance aerobatic monoplane
Power Plant:
One 254 kw (340 hp) Lycoming AEIO-540 six-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 7.32 m (24 ft)
- Length: 6.55 m (21 ft 6 in)
- Height: 1.83 m (6 ft)
- Wing area: 9.48 m² (102.04 sq ft)
- Max speed: 407 km/h (253 mph)
- Stalling speed: 108 km/h (67 mph)
- Max rate of roll: 400 degrees/sec
- Max G-limit: +/- 14G
- Rate of climb: 1,067 m/min (3,500 ft/min)
- Range: 1,669 km (1,037 miles)
- Take off run: 68 m (223 ft)
- Fuel capacity: 220 litres (48 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 584 kg (1,287 lb)
- Aerobatic weight: 839 kg (1,850 lb)
- Loaded weight: 975 kg (2,150 lb)
History:
The MX-2 is a fairly new design aimed at the unlimited aerobatic market, being designed in the United States by Chris Meyer for MXR Technologies Inc of Boynton Beach, Florida, and built by Composite Universal. The prototype (N22120) was first flown in May 2002, this being a conversion of a Giles G202 (c/n 60). First production aircraft N262MX flew on 1 May 2005. A number of engines may be fitted, most in the 186 to 283 kw (250 to 380 hp) range. An MX-2 was entered in the 2005 51st Sebring Aerobatic Competition, coming 2nd in the unlimited aerobatic category.
Development of the project began in 2001, the prototype making its first flight in 2003. Much testing was carried out on this aircraft, and some refinements were made before the first production machine was shown to the public at Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates in March 2006. Of all carbon-fibre construction, the manufacturer commenced a production run of six aircraft in 2006. Registrations of the first two were N262MX (c/n 0001), which first flew on 1 April 2005, and N263MX (c/n 002).
A single-seat light-weight variant known as the MXS was built for Nigel Lamb for the 2008 series of Red Bull races, this model being designed specifically for the Red Bull Air Races, having a redesigned fuselage to provide better agility. The first of this model was registered N65MX.
First of the MX-2 type registered in this region was ZK-MXT (c/n 007) based in Auckland, NZ. Other examples have been noted in this region in recent years, this type being used by Michael Goulian, Nigel Lamb and Frank Versteegh at various times in Red Bull Air Races when they were in Perth, WA. By early 2008 eight had been delivered. One in 2008 was under construction in Queensland to be fitted with a locally produced eight-cylinder horizontally-opposed engine. An MXS (N19MX) was used by Australian pilot Matthew Hall in the Red Bull series of races around the world until the series was cancelled, Mr Hall importing the aircraft to Australia where it became VH-CQE.