Extra Flugzeugbau: The Factory Behind the Aeroplane
Walter Extra was a competition pilot before he was a manufacturer, which explains almost everything about the aeroplanes that carry his name. They were designed by someone who had to fly them in front of judges.
A pilot who built his own aeroplane
Extra Flugzeugbau grew out of a competition career. Walter Extra flew at the top of German and international aerobatics and, like several designers before him, concluded that the aeroplane he wanted did not exist. The first Extra aircraft appeared in the 1980s, and within a few seasons the type was winning at the highest level. The aircraft developed around competition use.
The family
- Extra 230 and 260: the early machines that established the formula: steel tube fuselage, composite wing, enormous control authority.
- Extra 300: the two-seat aeroplane that made the type ubiquitous. The tandem layout allowed instruction, competition training and participant flying in one airframe.
- Extra 300L: the variant with a lowered wing position, and the type SP-EKS belongs to.
- Extra 200: a smaller, lower-powered machine aimed at training and clubs.
- Extra 330SC and 330LX: competition and two-seat variants; consult the manufacturer for the current range.
- Extra NG: a two-seat composite-fuselage model, EASA-certified in October 2019 according to Extra Aircraft. Specifications are published on the NG model page; it is not an unreleased development project.
What the design gets right
The wing. A symmetrical carbon aerofoil that behaves identically upright and inverted, which is the structural foundation of everything else.
The fuselage. Welded steel tube, which is old technology and deliberate: it is tolerant, repairable and predictable in fatigue, which matters on an airframe spending its life at high load factors.
The controls. Large surfaces with short, direct linkages. The result is a roll rate around 400 degrees per second and a control feel that rewards small inputs, and a judged figure needs nothing else.
The canopy. Underrated, and the reason the type works so well for participants. You can see the horizon at any attitude, which helps occupants follow the changing attitude.
Why so many national teams fly them
Partly precision, partly the two-seat variant. A country with a two-seat Extra can train its next generation on the same handling characteristics they will compete with, which shortens the learning curve considerably. That is the role SP-EKS plays for us: the same airframe flies FCL.800 students, introductory flights, displays and competitions.
Where our aeroplane comes from
SP-EKS flew in the colours of the Royal Jordanian Falcons, one of the best-known civil display teams in the world, before coming to Poland. It now lives at Radom-Piastów with a current Certificate of Airworthiness from the Polish Civil Aviation Authority, and in 2026 it won the Polish National Championship in the Advanced class and the Polish Cup with Maciej Kulaszewski flying it. Its next flight after a championship is usually somebody first ever loop, which is a fairly good summary of what the type is for.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Extra Flugzeugbau?
Walter Extra, a German competition aerobatic pilot who designed the first aircraft carrying his name in the 1980s because the aeroplane he wanted to compete in did not exist.
What is the difference between the Extra 300 and the 300L?
The L is a variant with a lowered wing position. Both are two-seat tandem aerobatic aircraft with a 300 hp Lycoming AEIO-540 engine.
Why is the Extra fuselage made of steel tube rather than composite?
Welded steel tube is tolerant, repairable and predictable in fatigue, which matters on an airframe that spends its working life at high load factors. The wing is carbon composite.
What is the roll rate of an Extra 300L?
On the order of 400 degrees per second, fast enough that the horizon becomes a blur rather than a sequence of positions on a first flight.
What is the history of SP-EKS?
It flew in the colours of the Royal Jordanian Falcons display team before coming to Poland, and is now based at Radom-Piastow, where it flies participants, training, displays and competitions.
Fly it yourself
Aerobatic flights in the Extra 300L SP-EKS from Radom-Piastów (EPRP), 100 km from Warsaw. From 2,222 PLN, no licence or experience required. Gift vouchers are issued as a PDF after payment confirmation and stay valid for 12 months.