Extra 260 & Extra 300

The Extra 260 and 300 were designed and built by German engineer Walter Extra: the single seat 260 in 1991 and the 300L, a two seat production aircraft from 1996 onwards. Stressed to plus and minus 10g, and with roll rates in excess of 360 degrees per second, the Extras are purpose built for the rigours of unlimited aerobatics. Top speed is 220kts or around 250mph. Rate of climb on take off is in excess of 3000 feet per minute.

Construction wise too, they are a leap ahead of the Pitts variants that Gary and Steve flew in the mid to late 1990's. The fuselage, made largely of 4130 welded tube steel with wooden stringers and fabric covering, would be very familiar to any Pitts pilot. However, the wings and tail surfaces are of composite construction, each with a carbon fibre spar.

Both aircraft are powered by six cylinder Lycoming engines. The 300L has 300hp up front driving a 4 bladed MT composite propeller. The 260 meanwhile has a modified engine developing 315hp through a 3 bladed MT propeller.

In contrast to the Pitts, there is less of a gyroscopic tendency when pitching and yawing, making the Extras easier to fly accurately in competition. In modern freestyle however, which is largely gyroscopically driven, the absence of a large metal propeller can be a disadvantage in figures such as the lomcovak. On the plus side though, knife edge spins and ruades are quite straight forward in the Extra. There's also a lot of vertical line to fill too when you're rolling it in a display figure: it's all a bit silly really!

Vans RV4

Van’s has been supplying and improving kits for the RV-4 for over twenty-seven years and it has become one of the most popular homebuilt aircraft in the world. Thousands of examples have flown in countries all over the globe and new ones continue to fly every week or two. With a top speed of well above 200mph and a range of over 500 miles the RV4 is a very capable touring aircraft as well as a fully aerobatic hot ship.

Affectionately known as 'Harvey', G-BXPI was built by Eric Marsh, a Derbyshire Hotel/Restaurant owner who also acts as the Team's commentator at displays.

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