First flight July 28, 1987 | ||
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Manufacturers Wheeler Technology, Express Aircraft Company | ||
Landing the wheeler express
The Wheeler Express (or later known as EDI Express) is a four-seat low-wing composite homebuilt aircraft.
Contents
Wheeler express
Development
Developed by Wheeler Technology as a high-speed homebuilt aircraft for cross-country flights and the first of the kit built prototypes was first flown on 28 July 1987, a factory built aircraft first flew in 1990. Wheeler Technology went into bankruptcy and the assets were bought by Express Design Incorporated (EDI) of Redmond, Oregon. Kits that were under construction were completed by EDI and they continued with kit production. A six-seat variant was produced by EDI as the Loadmaster 3200.
By the late 1990s the aircraft was being produced by Express Aircraft Company in Olympia, Washington
Design
The composite compound curve fuselage was chosen to reduce the number of stiffeners and stringers needed. The design used an unusual seating position where one rear seat faced forward and one aft to maximize interior space. The fuselage was built with similar construction methods to Glasair aircraft. The aircraft was only produced in kit form with five main packages that included precut ribs, preweled steel assemblies, and a spar prebonded to the upper wing surface.
The cabin width is 46 in (120 cm).
Operational history
A crash of an early example of the Wheeler Express was said to demonstrate the airframe's safety due to the energy absorption during the non-fatal crash.
Variants
Specifications (Express Aircraft Company Express)
Data from Cavin and Purdy
General characteristics
Performance
