Extra 330SC (c/n SC018, OK-KOP), rehearsal for the Red Bull Air Race demo, on the eve of the 29th Aviatická pouť (Aviation Fair) air show, Pardubice, May 2019.
A series of aerobatic aeroplanes manufactured under the common brand name “Extra” is widely recognised worldwide, not only among aviation enthusiasts. Those aircraft are produced in Germany by Extra Aircraft (officially EXTRA Flugzeugproduktions- und Vertriebs-GmbH), a company founded in 1980 by Walter Extra, an aerobatic pilot and engineer driven by the idea of creating his own aerobatic aircraft.
In 1983, the first aeroplane designed by Walter Extra, designated the Extra 230, was officially introduced to the market. This single-seat, mid-wing monoplane featured a mixed-construction fuselage made of steel tubes and wooden wings, as well as a fixed tailwheel undercarriage.
Its successor, the Extra 300, was first flown in 1988. The aircraft proved to be a great commercial success, making the company famous worldwide. The Extra 300 was a two-seat aircraft with a tandem configuration, created using carbon-fibre composites. It became the first aeroplane of the 300 series, which currently includes more than ten upgrades and modifications of the initial design – single-seat versions, alternative engines, and reduced-weight variants intended for aerobatic competitions.
It is not an exaggeration to say that the Extra 300 revolutionised the world of competitive aerobatics. Shortly after its introduction, the aeroplane became one of the most popular aerobatic aircraft, dominating competitions and air show displays around the globe.
Several national and international championships were won by pilots flying aircraft from the 300 series. The aeroplane became the preferred choice of many civilian and military aerobatic teams, as well as individual display and competition pilots. One of the later, improved variants, the Extra 330SR, was also among the aircraft used in the world-famous Red Bull Air Race championship series.
The Extra 330SC is a single-seat, low-wing aerobatic monoplane intended for performance in Unlimited or Freestyle aerobatic competitions. The aeroplane features a carbon-composite structure and carbon-fibre wings, as well as conventional fixed landing gear. The 330SC is powered by a single 315 hp Lycoming AEIO-580-B1A six-cylinder engine and is certified for a ±10 g load factor.
According to the manufacturer’s website, the 330SC was crowned the World Champion Aerobatic Aircraft in the Unlimited category in 2009, and then in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2023.
The Extra 330SC featured in our Photo of the Week series is owned by the well-known Czech aerobatic pilot Petr Kopfstein. In 2014, flying his 330SC, Kopfstein won the Czech National Championship in the Unlimited category. In the same year, he also became the first winner of the Red Bull Air Race Challenger Cup, stepping up to the Master Class two years later.
In 2019, the two Czech Red Bull Air Race pilots, Martin Šonka and Petr Kopfstein, took part in an air race demonstration organised as part of the 29th edition of Aviatická pouť in Pardubice.
During the both days of the show, Šonka and Kopfstein flew their racing aeroplanes through a course defined by five gates made up with the familiar inflatable pylons. The main section of the track was located directly in front of the main spectator area; therefore, visitors could watch the competition flights and follow the pilots and their teams preparing for the race, similarly to the official Red Bull Air Race events.
Rumour had it that the Red Bull Air Race demonstration was intended as a test event ahead of organising one of the future races in the Czech Republic. Regrettably, in the same year, the Red Bull Air Race calendar was suddenly reduced to only four races, and the competition was subsequently cancelled altogether.
Our photograph captures Petr Kopfstein and his Extra 330SC during a rehearsal flight performed on the evening of 31 May 2019, on the eve of the 29th Aviation Fair show.
