Liberty XL2 Achieves Major Extension in Fatigue Certification
September 26, 2006

For Immediate Release
Contact:
cmennen
(800) 759-5953
cmennen@libertyaircraft.com

Melbourne, FL, USA (September 26, 2006) -- Liberty Aerospace, Inc., a general aviation aircraft manufacturer based in Melbourne, FL, has received official notification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) extending the fatigue certification of the XL2 to 1,666 flight hours.

“The extension from the FAA is a huge accomplishment for Liberty and the General Aviation industry as a whole,” said Anthony Tiarks, CEO of Liberty Aerospace. “It endorses the strength and robustness of the Liberty XL2 and validates the benefits of using carbon fiber in the piston aircraft segment.”

The fatigue extension was awarded based on an on-going testing program at the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) in Wichita, Kansas. The testing protocol, a collaborative effort of Liberty engineers, Wichita State University and the FAA, has been taking place in NIAR’s Full-Scale Structural Testing Lab where mechanical stress is applied to intentionally defective fuselages. The program began in July and is currently set to cover three simulated aircraft lifetimes or approximately 15,000 hours. Inspections occur every 500 hours for crack detection and/or growth.

By agreement with the FAA, the recently achieved 5,000 hour milestone translates to an airworthiness life limit of 1,666 hours. The FAA will continue to increase this limit as the testing program progresses.

Tiarks added, “The safety of our aircraft is our first priority and NIAR has helped us tremendously with this goal. This is one more example of how the XL2 is the most comprehensively-tested piston engine aircraft available today.”

Based in Florida’s Space Coast, Liberty Aerospace Inc. designs and manufactures general aviation aircraft and is the FAA Type 23 Certificate holder for the Liberty XL2. The XL2 aircraft is an IFR certified aircraft that meets the specific requirements of flying schools and clubs while offering the private owner/operator a first-class touring aircraft. Well-known for its carbon fiber fuselage and modular construction, it is also the only production aircraft powered by a piston engine equipped with a full authority digital engine control (FADEC), simplifying power management and providing greatly increased levels of safety, reliability and maintainability. These technological features have allowed Liberty to provide pilots with an aircraft that is extremely fun to fly, and incredibly efficient in the air with minimal maintenance time on the ground.

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