Mudry CAP 230

{{More citations needed|date=December 2009}}

{{Infobox aircraft

|name = CAP 232

|image =CAP 232 - AirExpo Muret 2007 0018 2007-05-12.jpg

|caption =CAP-232 at Airexpo 2007

|type = Competition aerobatic aircraft

|manufacturer = Avions Mudry & Cie (now Apex Aircraft)

|designer =

|first_flight = 1997

|introduction = 1998

|status =

|primary_user = Moroccan Air Force

|more_users =

|produced =

|number_built =

|unit cost =

|developed_from = Mudry CAP-20

|variants =

}}

The CAP Aviation CAP-23x family is a family of aircraft designed for competition aerobatics. The CAP 230 airframe was a direct development of the CAP 21 competition single seater strengthened to cope with a {{cvt|300|hp|kW}} 6-cylinder Lycoming AEIO-540 engine{{Cite web|url=http://www.equipedevoltige.org/historique-evaa/lextra/|title=Equipe de Voltige de l'Armée de l'Air - historique|last=|first=|date=|website=Equipe de Voltige de l'Armée de l'Air|publisher=Armée de l'Air|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=30 September 2018}} instead of the {{cvt|200|hp|kW}} original 4-cylinder Lycoming AEIO-360.

Design and development

The CAP 230 was primarily developed in 1985 for the French Air Force. From the basic CAP 21 airframe, trailing edge apex triangular surfaces were added to the basic trapezoidal wing and a full wooden construction.{{Citation needed|date=September 2018}} It withstood +10/-10 G-forces, had a 270 degrees/second roll rate and a top speed of 400 km/h. Between 1986-1990 this was the mount of the French Air Force aerobatics team (French: Equipe de Voltige de l'Armée de l'Air).

The CAP 231 was developed in 1990. The fuselage design remained unchanged and only leading edge triangular apex surfaces were added to reduce buffeting during high G pullups. The CAP 231 was world champion in 1990.{{Cite web|url=http://www.german-aerobatics.com/(S(mcz5ekjcf2iugg55j5y3hs55))/GAResultList.aspx?GUID=0f8b8a07-c705-48af-beb1-704dc9dae2e6|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502165237/http://www.german-aerobatics.com/(S(mcz5ekjcf2iugg55j5y3hs55))/GAResultList.aspx?GUID=0f8b8a07-c705-48af-beb1-704dc9dae2e6|archive-date=2012-05-02|title=German-Aerobatics}} Between 1990-1998 this was the mount of the French Air Force aerobatics team.

To increase performance, in 1991, a carbon-fiber wing taken from an EXTRA 260 (thus the -EX name) was adapted to a few CAP 231 airframes.

The CAP 231EX evolved in 1994. While the fuselage construction retained wood, a carbon-fiber wing was specially designed for durability and light weight. The design has won the World Championships in 1998, 2000 and 2007, as well as a number of other national-level competitions. It has a roll rate of 420° per second and a climb rate of nearly 3,300 feet per minute.{{Citation needed|date=September 2018}}

The CAP 232 just like the -230 and -231/-231EX were slightly modified to strengthen the fuselage structure after a fatal accident in 2005 which grounded them for a full year. Fuselage rib n°2 holding the landing gear and the wing spar has been reinforced externally and internally. The planes are now{{When|date=September 2018}} back to competition and came second (individual with a -231EX), sixth with a -232, and first team at the WAC 2007.{{Cite web|url=http://civaweb.mwebservices.net/WAC2007/Results/Default.htm|title = Results}} In the years 1999-2005, examples were flown by the French Air Force aerobatics team.

Operators

=Military=

;{{MAR}}: 8 aircraft, flown by the Royal Moroccan Air Force air display team Marche Verte

;{{FRA}}: The French Air Force aerobatic team owned CAP 230, 231 and 232

=Civilian=

Specifications (CAP 231)

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993–94{{cite book|editor1-last=Taylor|editor1-first=Michael J.H.|editor2-last=Lambert|editor2-first=mARK|editor3-last=Munson|editor3-first=Kenneth|title=Jane's all the world's aircraft, 1993-94|date=1993|publisher=Jane's Information Group|location=Coulson, Surrey, UK|isbn=978-0710610669|edition=84th|pages=87–88}}

|prime units?=met

|crew=1

|length m=6.75

|length note=

|span m=8.08

|span note=

|height m=1.9

|height note=

|wing area sqm=9.86

|wing area note=

|aspect ratio=

|airfoil=V16F (16%) {{cite web |last1=Lednicer |first1=David |title=The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage |url=https://m-selig.ae.illinois.edu/ads/aircraft.html |website=m-selig.ae.illinois.edu |accessdate=16 April 2019}}

|empty weight kg=630

|empty weight note=

|gross weight kg=730

|gross weight note=

|max takeoff weight kg=820

|max takeoff weight note=

|fuel capacity={{cvt|65|L|USgal impgal}}

|more general=

|eng1 number=1

|eng1 name=Lycoming AEIO-540-L1 B5D

|eng1 type=6-cylinder air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine

|eng1 kw=224

|eng1 note=

|prop blade number=3 or 4

|prop name=constant-speed propeller

|prop dia m=

|prop dia note=

|max speed kmh=330

|max speed note=

|cruise speed kmh=300

|cruise speed note=

|stall speed kmh=90

|stall speed note=

|never exceed speed kmh=400

|never exceed speed note=

|range km=360

|range note=

|ferry range km=

|ferry range note=

|endurance=

|ceiling m=

|ceiling note=

|g limits=±10

|roll rate=270°/s at {{cvt|300|km/h|mph kn}}

|climb rate ms=16

|climb rate note=

|time to altitude=

|wing loading kg/m2=74

|wing loading note=

|fuel consumption kg/km=

|power/mass={{cvt|0.31|kW/kg}}

|more performance=

|avionics=

}}

See also

{{aircontent

|see also=

|related=

|similar aircraft=*Zivko Edge 540

|lists=

|sequence=CAP-21 -

CAP-230 -

CAP-231 -

CAP-231EX -

CAP-232

|similar engines=

}}

References

{{reflist}}