Express Series 90
{{Short description|American homebuilt aircraft}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name= Series 90 | image= | caption= }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Homebuilt aircraft | national origin=United States | manufacturer=Express Aircraft Company | designer= | first flight= | introduced=late 1980s | retired= | status=Production completed | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built= | developed from= Wheeler Express | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Express Series 90 is an American homebuilt aircraft that was designed and produced by the Express Aircraft Company of Olympia, Washington, introduced in the late 1980s. When it was available the aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter – Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition, page 152. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. {{ISBN|0-9636409-4-1}}
Design and development
The Express Series 90 is a development of the earlier Wheeler Express designed by Ken Wheeler. It incorporates a 20% larger tail which gives it a wider center of gravity range, while also enhancing pitch and yaw stability.
The aircraft features a cantilever low-wing, a four-seat enclosed cabin, fixed tricycle landing gear with wheel pants and a single engine in tractor configuration.
The Series 90 is made from composites. Its {{convert|31.00|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} span wing mounts flaps and has a wing area of {{convert|130.00|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}. The cabin width is {{convert|46|in|cm|abbr=on}}. The standard engine used is the {{convert|300|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Lycoming IO-540 four stroke, air-cooled, six cylinder powerplant.
The aircraft has a typical empty weight of {{convert|1840|lb|kg|abbr=on}} and a gross weight of {{convert|3200|lb|kg|abbr=on}}, giving a useful load of {{convert|1360|lb|kg|abbr=on}}. With full fuel of {{convert|92|u.s.gal}} the payload for pilot, passengers and baggage is {{convert|808|lb|kg|abbr=on}}.
The manufacturer estimated the construction time from the supplied kit as 2000 hours.
Operational history
In December 2013 three examples were registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration.{{cite web|url = http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/AcftRef_Results.aspx?Mfrtxt=&Modeltxt=SERIES+90&PageNo=1|title = Make / Model Inquiry Results|accessdate = 26 December 2013|last = Federal Aviation Administration|date = 26 December 2013}}
Specifications (Series 90)
{{Aircraft specs
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=three passengers
|length m=
|length ft=25
|length in=0
|length note=
|span m=
|span ft=31
|span in=0
|span note=
|height m=
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=130.0
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=1840
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=3200
|gross weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|92|u.s.gal}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Lycoming IO-540
|eng1 type=six cylinder, air-cooled, four stroke aircraft engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=300
|prop blade number=3
|prop name=constant speed propeller
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop note=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=210
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=57
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=flaps down
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|range km=
|range miles=1360
|range nmi=
|range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|sink rate ms=
|sink rate ftmin=
|sink rate note=
|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading lb/sqft=24.6
|wing loading note=
|power/mass=
|thrust/weight=
|more performance=
|avionics=
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.flickr.com/photos/-jplphoto/3731680342/ Photo of an Express Series 90]
Category:1980s United States civil utility aircraft
Category:1980s United States sport aircraft