Liberty Aerospace, of Melbourne, Fla., this week threw down the gauntlet to the rest of the aviation world, claiming that its XL2 is the world’s most efficient IFR trainer and touring aircraft, after a flight test conducted last month achieved an efficiency of 21.208 nm per gallon over a 165-nm course. “With standard equipment and no special pre-planning for weather or winds, we showed what can be done in real-world everyday conditions,” said Paul Everitt, business development manager for Liberty. The flight followed a loop from Spruce Creek to Hernando County Airport in Central Florida, at a cruising altitude of 7,500 feet, with power set at 50 percent and an RPM of 2350. Maximum power was used in the climb and 30 to 40 percent power for the descent, the company said. Average fuel burn per hour was 4.686 gallons with an average speed of 106 knots. “For the GA industry to grow, light aircraft manufacturers must produce efficient, fully-certified two-place aircraft that allow flight schools and individuals to continue flying while remaining profitable,” said Everitt. “We challenge the aviation industry to beat our record of being the most fuel-efficient and environmentally acceptable Part 23 IFR certified aircraft available today.”
The XL2 is built with carbon-fiber fuselage and its engine is equipped with full authority digital engine control (FADEC).
