XFLIGHT’s Excellent Extra

By Rob Neil.

Ever since I first saw it described in the 1989–90 edition of Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft, I have lusted continuously after the Extra Aircraft EA300. The thought of flying an aircraft with a climb rate of around 3,200 feet a minute, stressed to ±10 g and capable of rolling at 400 degrees a second, set my heart racing.

As a devout follower of the “Church of the Blessed Aerobat” (which has a congregation of one), I believed that when a person died, he or she either became an Extra 300, or ascended to a paradise in the clouds ensconced in one.

My unorthodox beliefs were cemented firmly by my first flight in ZK-XRA—the first and only Extra 300 in New Zealand. Everything I had imagined about flying in this glorious aircraft could be summed up in one emphatic (unprintable) word!

The Extra 300 was nothing like what I had imagined or fantasised about—it was ten times better. Seldom, in any aspect of life, does the reality exceed the imaginings of fantasy; flying the Extra 300 was one spectacularly wonderful occasion when it did so for me.

Like any passionate aviator, I have many “favourite” aircraft—dependent on various roles. I have been extremely fortunate to have flown—and flown in—many outstanding machines and have fallen in love with more than a few of them. However, I simply cannot imagine how—for me—anything else in the world could “top” the Extra 300 or fulfil my personal aviation desires better. In my opinion, to fly an Extra 300 is truly to live a dream.

ZK-XRA’s presence in New Zealand is the result of another man’s dream. Wayne Ormrod is one of two extremely fortunate individuals to own this masterpiece of aviation technology. Having taken the common and difficult route of paying to learn to fly, Wayne became interested in aerobatics early in his career. With a Massey University aviation education, Wayne possesses a commercial licence, multi-engine instrument rating and an instructor rating and, for the past five years, has been instructing at the Auckland Aero Club, where he has specialised in aerobatic instruction in the club’s Cessna 152 Aerobat.

Like all real flying instructors, Wayne has also had to hold down another “real” job to pay the bills. With an excellent head for business and an ability to relate well to people from all walks of life, Wayne has succeeded admirably in the real world, all the while dreaming and scheming about how he might turn his passion for aviation—and more particularly, high performance aviation—into a paying proposition.

Being a regular instructor at Ardmore Airfield, Wayne naturally began associating with many of New Zealand’s best-known aerobatic practitioners—people like Doug Brooker, Richard Hood and Grant Benns—all of who he looks up to and admires. When like minds associate, there is no such thing as a “chance” discussion, so it was really no surprise that when Wayne and Grant Benns (who taught Wayne to fly the Pitts Special, ZK-MAD) got together, the talk turned to Extra 300s.

Grant, who is a current airline pilot, is also a competitive aerobatic pilot. Having competed in and progressed through the various aerobatic categories, the time had come for Grant to consider entering Unlimited competitions and he needed a suitable aircraft.

The two men came up with the idea of importing an Extra 300—the only fully certified unlimited aerobatic aircraft available—which Wayne would operate commercially under the name of XFLIGHT, offering aerobatic joyrides, and which Grant would eventually be able to use for Unlimited Class competition flying.

With the support from their respective spouses—without which the project would never have eventuated—the pair began planning immediately to find and import a suitable aircraft. It wasn’t long before they located a nearly new Extra 300 in the US (where most Extras are sold).

Painted to look like a stylised bird in a rather gaudy mauve scheme when they bought it, the aircraft was in perfect condition. When they bought the machine, it was fully IFR capable and was fitted with an autopilot and Garmin 430 GPS—hardly typical equipment for an Unlimited category aerobatic aircraft, but tellingly indicative of one of the Extra’s many virtues—its uncommon tractability. As intense and high-spirited as the Extra 300 is in full cry, it is a machine that defies many of the rules about “compromise” in aviation by being simultaneously comfortable, quiet and easy-to-fly.

One might reasonably expect an aircraft like the EA300 (versions of which compete in the Red Bull Air Races) to be as unforgivingly sensitive and temperamental as a thoroughbred racehorse. Indeed, one imagines that flying an ultimate-category aerobatic aircraft will be like riding a highly-strung stallion that has just been prodded in the genitals by a hot poker. It might well be the case with some other aircraft, but definitely not the Extra 300.

Sensitive, the Extra certainly is; one need only imagine the direction one wishes to go and the plane will already be pointing there. However, it is definitely not temperamental. Fitted with the ubiquitous and ultra-reliable Lycoming 540 (in this case, the AEIO-540-L1B5 version), the EA300 is probably as mechanically reliable as a hammer.

The attention to detail and finish of the Extra is exceptional. XRA incorporates a number of optional extras including leather seat covers, electrically adjustable rudder pedals and a smoke generating system, which includes its own electric pump to avoid the potentially messy and smelly job of filling its small tank with diesel or paraffin oil with a funnel.

Naturally, in view of XRA’s intended use in New Zealand, Wayne and Grant have removed and sold both the autopilot and GPS. The sale of these two expensive items has partially offset some of the costs of establishing the aircraft as a “first of type” in the country. Because they did not buy the aircraft new from the factory, they have not had quite as much help from Extra Aircraft as they thought they might have for this costly exercise. Wayne quips that they now know why the aircraft is called the Extra—not because the company’s founder was called Walter Extra but because everything they have needed for the aircraft has cost…“extra”!

Nevertheless, according to Wayne, none of this has detracted in any way from their satisfaction with the aircraft itself, which they could not possibly be happier with.

The Extra’s structure is “composite” in its truest sense with every component having been designed and built for maximum strength with minimum weight. The airframe combines a strong but lightweight steel framed fuselage with an aramid carbon laminate shell that covers all but the lower rear fuselage, which is covered with Ceconite fabric, and the area around the exhaust, which is stainless steel.

The wing is a carbon-fibre masterpiece with dual carbon-fibre spars, and a honeycomb carbon fibre shell with plywood ribs for stiffening, a protective glass-fibre coating on its exterior surface and, for lighting protection, an aluminium thread incorporated in the CRP in the vicinity of the wing tanks for bonding to the metal fuselage. The apparent simplicity of the finished wing belies the complexity of its construction.

The main landing gear legs, which are made of fibreglass, provide a remarkably pliant ride on the ground and a surprisingly comfortable cushion when landing. I have seen film of “interesting” landings by Extra 300s, and—like any high performance taildragger—I am sure they can be squirrelly little devils to tame. Wayne sensibly didn’t allow me to try landing his pride and joy, but while lively and fast (the Extra has no flaps), our landing felt far more stable and predictable than I had expected.

The tail feathers (fin, rudder, stabilisers and elevator) are also a conglomeration of composite materials—CRP, GRP, PVC foam and plywood.

While it is theoretically possible to “break” an EA300 in flight (the pilot’s operating handbook contains standard warnings about overstressing it), it is comforting to know that there would be plenty of warning signs to precede such an unlikely event—such as one’s lungs and intestines passing through one’s fundamental orifice, one’s head falling off, or one’s hip joints becoming lodged in one’s ear canals. Suffice to say, as far as normal human beings are concerned, in flight, this aeroplane is about as unbreakable as a solid titanium sphere.

Everything about XFLIGHT is as immaculately prepared and presented as ZK-XRA. There are a number of good operators using some tidy machines—from Tiger Moths to Pitts Specials—to provide other aerobatic joyride options around New Zealand. The thrill of aerobatics in purpose-designed aircraft is impossible to describe, and I have no doubt that any person choosing to fly with any of these operators would be overjoyed with their experience and would consider it money well spent.

Without wanting to detract from any of the others, XFLIGHT and its Extra 300 must be the ultimate aerobatic experience available anywhere—outside the opportunity to compete in the Red Bull Air Races.

Wayne has spared no expense in preparing the aircraft or the company infrastructure, even to the extent of enlisting the aid of Steve Churchman, a senior designer at Saatchi & Saatchi, to design XFLIGHT’s corporate identity—and it shows. As can be seen from the accompanying photographs, XRA is presented as beautifully as it is possible to present any aircraft. The deep lustrous paint finish is a new one to aviation, according to Wayne, who speaks very highly of Skyspray, the company that undertook the paint job. The “metallic” silver finish is not actually metallic, but is a new paint from PPG—part of its “Vibrance” series—formed from a crystalline base. This property allowed avionics engineers to install ELT aerials internally rather than externally, which pleased Wayne; he had been told it would be necessary to mount the aerial externally because “metallic” paint interferes with the ELT’s signals.

As is equally obvious from the photographs, Wayne has secured the sponsorship of a number of forward thinking companies to promote themselves in a unique and spectacular fashion aboard XRA. Wayne is full of praise for Ben Rose of the radio station “ZM”, who was quick to see the potential benefits for the station with such a high-profile vehicle, and has been extremely supportive.

Wayne already has bookings to display at events around the country where the distinctive and attractive Extra will be sure to catch every eye on the ground. With the ever-growing popularity of the Red Bull Air Races on television, Wayne is already being asked: “Isn’t that like one of those Red Bull planes?” and it is nice for him to be able to say “Yes, it is.”

While XFLIGHT’s corporate colour is black accented by varying degrees of contrasting red and white, the eye-catching silver and red paint scheme on XRA was deliberately chosen to present the best possible “display” background for sponsors.

The company uses an immaculate new black Suzuki Swift Sport with embroidered leather seats to pick up and deliver passengers to and fro. It also uses a black four-wheel drive Suzuki to tow a black covered trailer incorporating a fully self-contained office and flight-following facility (complete with VHF communications equipment) for operations away from home. Signs, signwriting, vehicles, uniform clothing and the aircraft—everything is immaculate and gives the appropriate impression of professionalism and quality.

It was pleasing to discover that XFLIGHT is not all about “appearances” at the expense of substance. Wayne has an obsession with safety and has gone all-out to provide far more than the minimum necessary standards for his customers. There is no legal requirement for the Extra’s occupants to wear the parachutes that Wayne provides and insists are worn. He is certain they are unlikely to ever be used, but provides them… “just in case”. Likewise, despite the Extra’s wonderful German engineering and attention to detail—including a titanium firewall—Wayne provides flameproof flight suits and shoes to his passengers…also “just in case”.

Prospective passengers need never worry about their XFLIGHT experience being too “extreme”. As someone who takes inordinate pride in the appearance and integrity of his immaculate machine, Wayne has no desire to have a passenger disgorge a previous meal in the Extra’s front cockpit. However, as an experienced aerobatic instructor, he has developed the ability to “sense” when a passenger might want to experience extra Extra and can easily oblige.

XRA is fitted with microphones and four tiny onboard video cameras to record each moment of customers’ flights. The footage is stored aboard a miniature recording device secured in the rear cockpit for later download to DVD. In addition to providing value-added souvenir options for customers, Wayne—who says he has always treated every passenger he has ever flown as if he or she were a CAA inspector—sees the video cameras and microphones as additional safety features. Just like a “voluntary CVR”, the microphones and cameras will provide permanent records of his or other pilots’ actions and quietly ensure that they follow procedures to the letter.

XFLIGHT’s standard flights vary from $295 to $748, depending on how much Extra they would like. Basic “Adventure Scenic” flights are virtually high performance scenic operations, with perhaps an inverted view or two of Auckland, while the higher priced “Unlimited” flights incorporate a significant aerobatic component.

For many people, the takeoff alone will be sufficient to justify the cost of their flight. With a power loading of just over 6 lb/hp (by comparison, a Cessna 182 has a maximum power loading of 13.48 lb/hp), the acceleration is impressive and the EA300 blasts off the ground like a suicide bomber from a trampoline. On a standard ISA day, at maximum takeoff weight, the pilot’s operating handbook quotes a takeoff roll of only 115 metres and a “takeoff to 50 ft” distance of only 248 metres.

Aerobatics experienced from inside the Extra (certainly the kind of aerobatics that XFLIGHT’s customers will experience) are far less “intimidating” than they appear from the ground. One is so securely strapped into the contoured seat (by a five-point harness that incorporates a double attachment lap harness with ratchet cinch) that there is no sense of the aircraft being “thrown” about as it might appear from outside. People will be amazed at how natural it feels to perform aerobatics in such a brilliantly purpose-designed aircraft. Even sustained inverted flight is only slightly weird, especially when it quickly becomes such a marvellous thrill to see the world from such a unique perspective through the one-piece Perspex canopy.

With massive spade-assisted ailerons spanning almost the entire length of each wing, the Extra’s roll rate was far more exciting and wonderful than I had ever imagined. Almost too fast for the brain to take in, one whips around a complete circle in the blink of an eye. So precise and sensitive are the controls that any conscious “check” of the stick is almost too much; no more than a quiet thought of “stop now” is required to level the aircraft from its rapid roll…absolute bliss!

A spin is an innocuous affair that is immediately recoverable within half a turn. According to the pilot’s operating handbook, should disorientation ever occur, a spin could be corrected by simply “kicking the rudder to the heavier side (this will always be against spin direction) and taking the hands off the stick”.

As delightful as every manoeuvre is, each is made all the more pleasurable by the relative lack of noise in the Extra’s cockpit. Even in the passenger’s (front) cockpit, closest to the engine, the Extra is quieter than typical touring aircraft with which most general aviation pilots are familiar. This is because of the Extra’s heritage amidst strict European noise regulations; the big Lycoming is silenced by a very effective silencer that removes one of the greatest deterrents to flying pleasure—noise.

Regulatory hiccups

Wayne is full of praise for the way the CAA has assisted him to get his operation underway. Importantly, according to Wayne, this has been because they both want the same thing from XFLIGHT’s operation—maximum safety.

Grant Benns also plays an important role in XFLIGHT. Apart from fulfilling vital regulatory requirements by virtue of his experience, as an advanced aerobatic instructor and a former aircraft engineer, his expertise is of inestimable value to Wayne and XFLIGHT in maintaining the highest possible standards.

Without wanting to detract from the generally positive relationship with the CAA, Wayne says there have been anomalies; one hurdle related to the (non-essential) parachutes. Despite there being no “requirement” for parachutes, the fact that Wayne provided them prompted the CAA to insist upon some kind of certification and testing procedure for them.

Wayne struggled with the logic of this on the basis that surely—in the zillion-to-one likelihood one were ever needed—an uncertified parachute was a better option than none. Would the CAA prefer he remove the parachutes altogether? Eventually, common sense prevailed and the situation was resolved. Wayne’s attention to detail would have guaranteed his inspecting and testing the parachutes on a regular basis anyway, albeit perhaps not in accordance with some arbitrarily imposed schedule.

Mutually beneficial partnership

By partnering with the Auckland Aero Club and sharing that organisation’s facilities, Wayne did not need to build his own premises. Both he and the club see the venture as a symbiotic relationship; satisfied XFLIGHT customers who might not yet be pilots are highly likely to consider pursuing aviation, while those who already fly will undoubtedly want to take up aerobatics. In either event, the close association with the Aero Club offers immediate opportunities for both XFLIGHT’s customers and the club.

By maintaining close links and keeping his own instructor rating current, Wayne is able to help the club out as necessary, filling in when the club is short of instructors. Wayne’s ability to undertake instruction at all levels, including multi-IFR and aerobatics, provides the club with a welcome degree of flexibility. In return, the club offers Wayne space at a reasonable rent. The club building is heated and air-conditioned with outside viewing areas—excellent for Wayne’s customers—and includes a full café as well as a licensed bar for club members.

Wayne describes XFLIGHT’s target market as…“everyone”! He is absolutely right. With such a large population in Auckland, there will be a great deal of business—and repeat business—locally. In addition to locals, aviation-savvy tourists and visitors to Auckland will undoubtedly also be keen to experience the ultimate thrill ride. Here too, Wayne’s association with the Aero Club should prove mutually beneficial, with XFLIGHT being able to provide a unique “sweetener” for corporate groups using the club’s aircraft or facilities.

Having attended the Sean D Tucker Academy of Aviation Safety in California where he undertook his own first Extra training, Wayne also plans to offer advanced flight training in the Extra in future—to suitably qualified pilots, of course. Wayne says he will model XFLIGHT’s training programme on that offered by Tucker and his team.

My advice to anyone who has ever contemplated an aerobatic flight—whether a qualified pilot who has never flown upside down or a complete aviation novice—my advice is: stop contemplating and DO IT…and do it in the Extra!