TYPE: Aerobatic two-seat sportplane.

PROGRAMME: Designed by Jon A Staudacher. First Staudacher S-300 built for Mike Goulian in 1990; design progressively refined throughout 1990s. Seven Staudachers participated in 1993 US national championships.

CURRENT VERSIONS: S-300: Baseline version; as described. Several subvariants, up to S-300E.
S-300RG: Retractable landing gear; cantilever tailplane; IO-540-K engine and two-blade Hartzell propeller. One only (N126RG), first flown 22 February 1998.
S-600: Tandem two-seat version; cockpit enlarged forward. Four built.
S-600F: Tandem two-seat derivative of S-300 and S-600 intended for cross-country and aerobatic training. Full dual controls and second baggage space between firewall and cockpit; composites shell over tubular fuselage. Prototype (N603SA) under construction during 2003.
Panzl S-330P: Prototype (N330LS) delivered to Loren Smith 24 July 2000; second build 2001; third registered in July 2002; and fourth in July 2003. Derived from S-300, but with improved canopy and carbon fibre panels throughout, resulting in weight saving. Empty weight, equipped, 585 kg (1,289 lb); 246 kW (330 hp) Textron Lycoming IO-540-G1D5 and MTV-9-B-C propeller. Aerobatic fuel 87 litres (23.0 US gallons; 19.2 Imp gallons); ferry tank in each wingroot, combined capacity 159 litres (42.0 US gallons; 35.0 Imp gallons).
Additionally, several custom versions of Staudacher, comprising S-341 (N341SA), built 1992 with Textron Lycoming GO-480; S-1000 (N6195V), built 1996 for Jon Staudacher; DC 11 (N327MS), with Textron Lycoming O-320 built 1992; and GU 11 (N11GU), with Teledyne Continental O-200 built for Jon Staudacher in 2000.

CUSTOMERS: Total 34 aircraft of Staudacher design built by end of 2003, including four Panz S-330s.

DESIGN FEATURES: Created to rival Sukhoi and Extra Unlimited class aerobatic aircraft; roll rate in excess of 420°/s. Low-wing monoplane with wire-braced tail surfaces. Moderately tapered wing; ailerons occupy two-thirds of trailing-edges; all subvariants have same aerofoil.

FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional and manual. Spade-type aileron servos. Trim tab in each elevator. Twin arrowhead-shape horn balance at fin tip.

STRUCTURE: Sitka spruce (wooden) wing built on box spar reinforced with carbon fibre and covered with 3 mm (⅛ in) plywood. Metal (4130 steel) tube fuselage and fabric-covered empennage; carbon fibre front panels, cowling and turtledeck. Fabric-covered ailerons.

LANDING GEAR: Tailwheel type; fixed. Aluminium cantilever mainwheel legs.

POWER PLANT: One 186 kW (250 hp) Textron Lycoming IO-540-B1A5 or 224 kW (300 hp) IO-540-K1B5 flat-six driving an MTV-9-B-C/C200-15 three-blade, constant-speed propeller. Fuel tank ahead of pilot, capacity 129 litres (34.0 US gallons; 28.3 Imp gallons).

ACCOMMODATION: One or two (in tandem) pilots, according to version.