TYPE: Side-by-side ultralight kitbuilt.
PROGRAMME: Launched 1993 as development of US Weedhopper; has BCAR Section S certification.
CURRENT VERSIONS: X-Air: Baseline version. Available as X-Air 502T (Rotax 503 engine '50 horsepower, two-stroke'), X-Air 602T (Rotax 582 '60 horsepower, two-stroke'); X-Air 604T (44.7 kW; 60 hp HKS 700E); and X-Air 702T (52.2 kW; 70 hp AMW 540L70 engine). Wing span 9.80 m (32 ft 1¾ in); area 16.00 m² (172.2 sq ft).
X-Air F Grumnam: Has more efficient wing, of higher aspect ratio (6.4 instead of 6.0) and fitted with flaps; deeper rear fuselage, providing space for 20 kg (44 lb) of baggage aft of seats; optional auxiliary fuel tank in wing; wire-braced tailplane. Known simply as X-Air F for European and US marketing; or in UK as Falcon, with Rotax 912 flat-four. Available as X-Air F 502T, 602T, or 804 TJ with Jabiru engine.
CUSTOMERS: Some 900 kits produced and more than 600 in operation worldwide.
Description applies to X-Air F, except where indicated.
COSTS: Basic X-Air F airframe kit €9,276 (or €10,261 optimised for Jabiru), plus €323 for engine instruments (€416 for Jabiru), €727 for flight instruments and either €3,675 (Rotax 503), €5,192 (Rotax 582), €7,191 (Rotax 582 with silencers and electric starter) or €10,534 (Jabiru 2200) for engine (all plus tax, 2003).
Original X-Air remains available at €7,900 for airframe kit (€8,204 for HKS-optimised version), or €12,625 (502T), €14,141 (602T), €16,138 (602T with silencers and electric starter) and €17,436 (604T) including engine and instruments (all plus tax, 2003).
DESIGN FEATURES: High-wing monoplane with sweptback leading-edges and wing-mounted engine. Quick-build kit (quoted build time only 40 hours). Potential applications include basic training, crop-spraying, aerial observation and suveillance.
Wing section NACA 4412, Sweepback 8° dihedral 1° 12'; washout 4°.
FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional and manual. Differential ailerons; fixed tab on port elevator. All control surfaces non-balanced. Flaps; maximum deflection 25o.
STRUCTURE: Aluminium alloy subframe, with composites nose module; rear fuselage, wings and tail surfaces fabric-covered. Braced wings (V struts); tailplane strut-braced on X-Air, wire-braced on X-Air F/Gumnam.
LANDING GEAR: Tricycle type, fixed; shock-absorbers on all three units. Mainwheel drum brakes; nosewheel steerable by rudder pedals. All tyres 350x80. Optional mainwheel speed fairings (standard on Gumnam) and nosewheel guard. Small tailskid at base of fin.
POWER PLANT: X-Air F 502T: One 37.0 kW (49.6 hp) Rotax 503 UL-2V air-cooled two-stroke driving a two-blade, wooden propeller.
X-Air F 602T: One 47.8 kW (64.1 hp) Rotax 582 UL water-cooled two-stroke driving a two-blade wooden, or three-blade composites, propeller.
X-Air F Jabiru: One 59.7 kW (80 hp) Jabiru 2200 air-cooled four-stroke driving a two-blade, composites propeller.
Fuel in two tanks aft of seats, combined capacity 50 litres (13.2 US gallons; 11.0 Imp gallons); auxiliary wing tank optional.
EQUIPMENT: Ballistic recovery parachute optional.
