Discovery Aviation has started production of a new version of the XL-2, a two-seat trainer first FAA-certified in 2004, the company announced last week. The IFR-certified XL-2 features a Garmin G500 dual-screen flight display, as well as DME, ADF and an option to add an autopilot. The XL-2 runs an IOF-240 engine from Teledyne Continental, with FADEC, burning 4.5 gallons per hour. The fuselage is formed from carbon fiber, with a welded steel chassis. Discovery, based in Melbourne, Florida, acquired the rights to the XL-2 from Liberty Aerospace in 2014. To date, 135 of the airplanes have been built, according to the company.
The XL-2 flies at 125 knots for up to 500 miles, the company says. The cabin is four feet wide, and panoramic windows provide 270 degrees of visibility. The company says it has an order for three aircraft from a current XL-2 operator in Seoul, South Korea. The business plan calls for production to ramp up this year, with full production capacity by the end of the year.
