The Extra EA-260 is a hand-built, single-seat

aerobatic aircraft An aerobatic aircraft is an aerodyne (a heavier-than-air aircraft) used in aerobatics, both for flight exhibitions and aerobatic competitions. Most fall into one of two categories, aircraft used for training and by flight demonstration teams, wh ...

derived from the Extra 230 and first flown in 1986. Designed by aerobatic pilot

Walter Extra Walter Extra is a German award-winning aerobatic pilot and chief aircraft designer who founded the aerobatic aircraft manufacturer Extra Flugzeugbau (Extra Aircraft Construction). Extra was trained as a mechanical engineer. He began his flight ...

based on the layout of the Extra 230, the Extra 260 is a higher performance version of its predecessor with 60% more power and 18% increase in weight. The first EA-260 was flown by

Patty Wagstaff Patty Wagstaff ( née Patricia Rosalie Kearns Combs; born September 11, 1951) is an American aviator and U.S. national aerobatic champion. Wagstaff was introduced to aviation as a child; her father was a pilot for Japan Airlines. After gradu ...

to victory in two U.S. National Aerobatic Championships, in 1991 and 1992, and then retired to the

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...

when she obtained an Extra 300S.

Design

The Extra 260 is based on the design of the

Extra EA-230 __NOTOC__ The Extra 230 was a single-seat aerobatic aircraft developed in Germany in the early 1980s. Designed by aerobatic pilot Walter Extra based on the layout of the Laser 200 he was previously flying, the Extra 230 was a conventional (if sho ...

, and the two aircraft share many similarities. The Extra 260 has a

welded Welding is a fabrication process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by using high heat to melt the parts together and allowing them to cool, causing fusion. Welding is distinct from lower temperature techniques such as braz ...

steel tube fuselage covered in fabric with a carbon/glass hybrid composite

empennage The empennage ( or ), also known as the tail or tail assembly, is a structure at the rear of an aircraft that provides stability during flight, in a way similar to the feathers on an arrow.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third e ...

(i.e., the tail assembly, including the horizontal and vertical stabilizers, elevators, and rudder), and a bubble canopy. The

monocoque Monocoque ( ), also called structural skin, is a structural system in which loads are supported by an object's external skin, in a manner similar to an egg shell. The word ''monocoque'' is a French term for "single shell". First used for boats, ...

wings have a Polish pine wood spar with birch plywood skins. A symmetrical airfoil, mounted with a zero angle of incidence, provides equal performance in both upright and inverted flight. The landing gear is fixed

taildragger Conventional landing gear, or tailwheel-type landing gear, is an aircraft undercarriage consisting of two main wheels forward of the center of gravity and a small wheel or skid to support the tail.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Term ...

style with composite main legs and fiberglass wheel pants. The

piston-engine A reciprocating engine, also often known as a piston engine, is typically a heat engine that uses one or more reciprocating pistons to convert high temperature and high pressure into a rotating motion. This article describes the common featu ...

d powerplant is a

fuel-injected Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of an injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines. All com ...

Lycoming AEIO-540-D4A5 and has a 4-bladed constant-speed MT composite propeller.

Operational history

The first EA260 built was donated to the

where it was at one time on display. Additionally there is one EA260 registered with the

Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic ...

in the US, one registered in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

with the Civil Aviation Authority and one registered in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

with the

Directorate General for Civil Aviation Directorate may refer to: Contemporary *Directorates of the Scottish Government * Directorate-General, a type of specialised administrative body in the European Union * Directorate-General for External Security, the French external intelligence a ...

, for a total of four.

Specifications (EA-260)

References

External links

* {{aerobatics 1980s German sport aircraft EA-230 EA-260 Aerobatic aircraft Mid-wing aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1986