Photograph:
MX Technologies MXS VH-WMX (c/n 012) at Wedderburn, NSW in November 2012 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Single-seat high performance aerobatic and racing monoplane
Power Plant:
One 254 kw (340 hp) Lycoming AEIO-540 six-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 7.31 m (24 ft)
- Length: 6.51 m (21 ft 3½ in)
- Height: 1.82 m (6 ft)
- Wing area: 9.47 m² (102 sq ft)
- Max speed (VNE): 426 km/h (265 mph)
- Max level speed: 389 km/h (242 mph)
- Cruising speed: 333 km/h (207 mph)
- Roll rate: 420 degrees per second
- Vertical penetration: 1,067 m/min (3,500 ft/min)
- Fuel capacity: 220 litres (48 Imp gals)
- Optional fuel capacity for long range: 295 litres (65 Imp gals)
- Range: 1,389 km (863 miles)
- Empty weight: 572 kg (1,260 lb)
- Loaded weight: 835 kg (1,840 lb)
- Aerobatic weight: 726 kg (1,600 lb)
History:
In order to meet the requirements of pilots in the Red Bull Air Races, which are held at various centres around the world each year, including on occasion in Perth, Western Australia, MX Technologies developed a single-seat light-weight variant in 2007 for English pilot Nigel Lamb to be entered in the 2008 race series. This aircraft had a re-designed fuselage to provide superior agility and the prototype became N65MX. As before, engines in the 186 to 283 kw (250 to 380 hp) range may be fitted and most use a variant of the Lycoming AEIO-540 six-cylinder unit. Ultimate loading in the aerobatic role is + / – 14G. The seat is at a layback angle of 45 degrees and provision is made for pilots up to 1.95 m (6 ft 4 in) tall and 132 kg (290 lb).
A number have been completed and supplied to pilots in the Red Bull Air Race series, these being racing aircraft and as such are known as the MXS-R, whereas those built for competition aerobatics are known as the MXS. Examples of the MXS-R visited Australia during the 2009 and 2010 race series in Perth, WA. Ex RAAF McDonnell Douglas FA-18 Hornet pilot, Matthew Hall, obtained one (N540MH), this aircraft, like others, undergoing some refinements by the crew to increase performance and, after some qualifying flying, was entered in the 2010 series. On 7 June 2010 N540MH suffered a mishap when qualifying for the races in Windsor, Ontario, Canada when the aircraft hit the Detroit River and had to undergo some repairs.
Following cancellation of the Red Bull Air Race series in 2010, this aircraft was imported to Australia. Another example of the MXS was imported to Sydney in mid 2010 for aerobatic pilot Richard Wiltshire, this aircraft becoming VH-WMX (c/n 012) on 7 January 2011 and is used for competition aerobatics. Peter Ring-Shambler imported another example in 2010, this becoming VH-CQE (c/n 010). An example in New Zealand became ZK-MXS (c/n 013 – ex N382RP) to Douglas Brooker of Auckland.