Photograph:
Thatcher CX-4 ZK-CXY (c/n 189) at North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand in 2015 (NZCIVAIR)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Single-seat light sport monoplane
Power Plant:
One 60 kw (80 hp) 1600 cc to 2100 cc Volkswagen four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 7.3 m (24 ft)
- Length: 5.56 m (18 ft 3 in)
- Height: 1.42 m (4 ft 8 in)
- Wing area: 4.5 m² (48 sq ft)
- Never exceed speed: 249 km/h (155 mph)
- Cruising speed: 201 km/h (125 mph)
- Stalling speed: 64 km/h (40 mph)
- Service ceiling: 3,000 m (10,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 251 m/min (825 ft/min)
- Take-off run: 213 m (700 ft)
- Fuel capacity: 39.7 litres (8.7 imp gals)
- Empty weight: 236 kg (520 lb)
- Useful load: 150 kg (330 lb)
- Loaded weight: 386 kg (850 lb)
History:
The CX-4 was a single-seat, all-metal, light sporting aircraft designed by David Thatcher of Pensacola, Florida, aimed at the homebuilt market and normally fitted with a Volkswagen engine conversion. Engines fitted were usually the 1700 cc to 2180 cc units with electrical system, starter, and alternator. The prototype flew for the first time in 2004 and was described as simple to build and safe to fly. It was built of 6061 T6 aluminium, except for the cowling. It had hydraulic disc brakes, a tailwheel undercarriage, and a heater, the design load being 3.8 G and the ultimate load being 5.7 G.
The type has become very popular around the world, with more than 450 kits supplied to a number of countries, including Russia. More than 24 kits have been imported to Australasia, these including c/n 49 to C Hooker of Brisbane, QLD; c/n 118 to R Whitehead of Modbury North, SA; c/n 116 to S Osborne of Central Hawkes Bay, NZ; c/n 148 to M Bartlett and c/n 149 to S Rose both of Gisborne, NZ; c/n 170 to M Roberts of Sydney, NSW; c/n 178 to A Jones in NZ, which was the first completed, becoming ZK-TCX to its owner at Levin; c/n 191 to D Isaacs in Sydney; c/n 201 to N Cowlard in Sydney; c/n 206 to B Robertson of Rongotai, NZ; c/n 235 to M Wright of Parafield, SA; c/n 237 to I Cerchi of Clare, SA; c/n 189 to D Dikstall of Waiwere, NSW; c/n 258 to M Belcher of Hastings, NZ; c/n 322 to K Osborne of Brisbane; c/n 326 to J Raison of Bannockburn, VIC; c/n 381 to K Barrett of Lancefield, VIC; c/n 386 to E Grams of Hodson Vale, QLD; c/n 392 to B Rochford of Toowoomba, QLD and c/n 396 to A Bartok of Greenacre, NSW. First completed in South Australia became 19-7872 early in 2012 under Recreation Aviation Australia (RAA) regulations.