Photograph:
Zivco Edge 540 VH-PIP (c/n V323) at Cowra, NSW in 2008 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Single-seat high-performance aerobatic monoplane
Power Plant:
One 254 kw (340 hp) Textron Lycoming IO-540 six-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 7.62 m (24 ft 4 in)
- Length: 6.27 m (20 ft 7 in)
- Height: 2.4 m (7 ft 9 in)
- Wing area: 9.10 m² (98 sq ft)
- Max speed: 426 km/h (265 mph)
- Max cruising speed at 75% power: 301 km/h (224 mph)
- Stalling speed: 93 km/h (58 mph)
- Stalling speed (utility category): 113 km/h (71 mph)
- Max rate of climb at sea level: 1,128 m/min (3,700 ft/min)
- Service ceiling: 3,810 m (12,500 ft)
- Rate of roll: 420 degrees per second
- Range with max fuel: 844 kg (525 miles)
- Empty weight: 531 kg (1,170 lb)
- Loaded weight (utility category): 816 kg (1,800 lb)
History:
The Edge 540 was designed by Zivko Aeronautics of Guthrie, Oklahoma as an advanced, unlimited class, aerobatic aircraft, to meet or exceed the performance of other aircraft available in its class. The E-540 had an advanced design wing and utilised a computer optimised steel-tube fuselage with a number of unique features, including a stronger, lighter, fuselage designed to take over 15Gs of sustained loading. The wing was made of composite materials, the spars being of carbon fibre, as were the fairings, wheel covers, instrument panel and canopy. Undercarriage was spring steel with a steerable tail wheel. Cleveland wheels and brakes were fitted and the engine was the Lycoming IO-540 with a Christen inverted fuel system driving a Hartzell HC-C3YR-1AX1 propeller.
A two-seat variant was also available and was known as the 540T, this variant being introduced in March 2000. More than 130 examples have been completed. In April 2001 an improved Model 540A was introduced, this having a larger rudder and elevator.
First of the type seen in this region was VH-PIP (c/n V323) imported in kit form and constructed at Shepparton, VIC by aerobatic pilot Peter ‘Pip’ Boorman, who was regularly seen demonstrating the aircraft at aviation events on Australia’s eastern seaboard before he was lost in an accident flying a new aerobatic aircraft, a Pitts Samson.
The second was ZK-ZAI (c/n 0019) registered in September 1998 in Auckland NZ, which in November 2008 was exported to Australia, becoming VH-IIG in Sydney.
Over the years a number of Edges were temporarily imported to take part in the Red Bull Air Race series held in Perth, WA. Most of these were the up-dated 540X model. Examples which took part in the Red Bull races in Australia have included N12NM, N19ZE, N24KN, N24KC, N55ZE, N395JM, N540PB, N540BW, N540HA, and N540WA.
One entrant in the Red Bull Air Races was former RAAF McDonnell Douglas FA-18 Hornet pilot, Matthew Hall, who for some years flew an MXS in the races. In 2017 he moved from the MXS, which he used for the 2015 and 2016 seasons, to a new Edge 540 U3. Aircraft used in the RBAR circuit required some modification, including pylon cutters, camera housings, and new engine mounts etc. Compared to the MXS it was stated it had a light steel tube airframe whereas the MXS had a one-piece carbon fibre structure, the Edge permitting panels and parts to be removed for quick repair.