Anyone have any Extra 300 experience? | FerrariChat
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Anyone have any Extra 300 experience?

Discussion in 'Aviation Chat' started by Chupacabra, Mar 15, 2015.

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  1. Chupacabra

    Chupacabra F1 Rookie
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    Sep 30, 2005
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    Mr. Chupacabra
    #1 Chupacabra, Mar 15, 2015
    I have been waiting for the opportunity to fly an Extra for yeeeears!! Finally, the stars have aligned and I can begin training in one, so I'm extremely exited about it.

    I'm expecting it to come with a pretty healthy acclimation period (I've been doing acro in a 160 horse Citabria) and to feel a bit twitchy at first. With a roll rate of 270 degrees/second, I don't know how it won't be...but if anyone has tips, pointers, feedback on control pressures/feel, whatever, please chime in!
     
  2. f4udriver

    f4udriver Formula Junior

    Feb 1, 2012
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    Central Illinois
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    Mike G
    #2 f4udriver, Mar 15, 2015
    I purchased my Extra 300L new in 1996
    You will love it. It does everything well with the exception of knife edge and therefore slow rolls are pretty difficult compared to a Pitts.

    The controls are extremely sensitive compared to the Citabria. It is well mannered and pretty easy to land and take off. The acceleration on take off is very fast. The visibility on landing is not that great but it is sufficient as the airplane wants to go straight better then most any other tail dragger I have flown.

    Compared to the Citabria (which is what I started in as well) you will notice.
    1. Once again the sensitive controls
    2. Incredible roll rate (I think it helps to do a lot of wing rocking as soon as you get level to get used to the feel)
    3. Incredible vertical performance
    4. You can move the throttle as fast as you wish, the engine is built for it.
    5. Watch the wingtips in crosswinds and taxiing especially if the sights are installed.
    6. If you are paying by the tach time I think the time doesn't register unless you are over 800RPM.




    Watch your passenger's head when you do a fast aileron roll it is possible for their head to hit the canopy pretty hard. Be super careful to check the security of the canopy, last I heard they are 20K.

    I have flown over 80 types so far and the Extra 300 is the best flying of all.
     
  3. Chupacabra

    Chupacabra F1 Rookie
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    #3 Chupacabra, Mar 15, 2015
    MUCH appreciated, all good stuff to hear. I was wondering about the knife edge performance -- that's something I've always longed for more of in the Citabria, but I guess we can't have it all, huh? :) Can't wait to see the FPM in the 300!!
     
  4. jcurry

    jcurry Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 16, 2012
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    Jim
    #4 jcurry, Mar 16, 2015
    lol My intro to acro was a 160hp Decathlon. I wasn't exactly buff when I was in HS (140lb distance runner), thus it took two hands to perform a snap roll.
     
  5. zudnic

    zudnic Formula 3

    Nov 13, 2014
    1,896
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    #5 zudnic, Mar 16, 2015
    My brother did some "aero"batics training on an Extra. About all I remember him saying was the Extra is his favorite airplane.
     
  6. Chupacabra

    Chupacabra F1 Rookie
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    #6 Chupacabra, Mar 16, 2015
    As much as I love Citabrias and Decathlons...they're ducks :) Fun and iconic, yes, but ducks.

    The Extra is actually a 330, just found that out. So I guess I get a little, um...extra :)
     
  7. kverges

    kverges F1 Rookie

    Nov 18, 2003
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    Keith Verges
    #7 kverges, Mar 17, 2015
    I'd like to try an Extra, but I just race too much to get proficient enough in a Super Decathlon so I'd feel like a dilettante flying one right now.
     
  8. Tim Wells

    Tim Wells Formula Junior

    Dec 31, 2009
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    Tim Wells
    #8 Tim Wells, Mar 18, 2015
    A friend bought an Extra 300 that I used to do annuals on. When he went to the dealer in Oklahoma I believe it was to fly it back to Washington, he had the stick in his hand and sneezed. When he looked up he'd pulled 4G's. Yeah, they're sensitive and took me a while to get used to flying with my fingertips rather than the Stearman fist grip I usually use.
     

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