Extra 330SX unveiled

ABOVE: The brand new Extra 330SX wears a paint scheme courtesy of aircraftstudiodesign

Extra Aircraft – world-renowned for its aerobatic monoplane aircraft – has unveiled a successor to the single-seat Extra 330SC: the 330SX.

The new aircraft builds upon the undisputed success of the World Aerobatic Championship-winning single-seat 330SC, which has taken the top spot eight times since 2009 and helped solidify Extra’s pedigree as one of the most capable aerobatic platforms available.

‘Learning from our over forty years of experience in development, manufacturing and winning competitions, we’ve also taken the feedback from our pilots and owners in order to evolve the platform to make sure we continue to be at the leading edge of performance and ergonomics,’ noted Extra Aircraft in a social media post.

Featuring the same steel fuselage construction paired with carbon-fibre wings and tail, it might initially be easy to confuse the two airframes, which also feature an identical Lycoming AE10-580 engine and MT prop.

However, subtle changes to the new airframe promise even greater aerobatic performance, such as a slightly shortened fuselage to centralise mass and enhance tumbling manoeuvres. ‘Since our inception at Extra Aircraft we’ve prided ourselves on the control feel of all of our machines and ensuring ideal control harmony, and this continues to be one of our core design principles with our new Extra 330SX,’ noted the manufacturer.

The cockpit is also slightly taller and wider than its predecessor, providing improved ergonomics and allowing greater control column clearance. Focusing attention on ‘already world renowned ailerons’, Extra’s 330SX ailerons promise enhanced roll  rate and even ‘crisper stops’. The aircraft is also slightly lighter than its predecessor.

The extra 330SX made its first flight on 6 June in Germany and deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2024.

IMAGE: CHRISTIAN WILKENS VIA EXTRA AIRCRAFT