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CS-UKO Eipper Quiksilver MXL-II Sport c/n 779 - Sintra Air Base in Portugal - 12 September 2010 Ultralight aeroplanes

A widely used ultralight aircraft is the Quicksilver MXL-II Sport, a single-engine, open two-seat microlight airplane with double surface wings, a fixed tricycle undercarriage and controllable nose wheel. The Quicksilver MXL-II Sport is developed by Eipper Aircraft Inc. in the early 1980s. Eipper Formance, founded by Dick Eipper began manufacturing the Quicksilver ultralights in the 1970s as a development of the Quicksilver hangglider designed by Bob Lovejoy. The original Quicksilver hanglider had a rigid wing and a tail with a horizontal stabilizer and a rudder. Eipper added a seat, wheels, and a small engine behind the wing of the hang glider, and created the single-seat Quicksilver Ultralight. Eipper Formance was one of the first manufacturers of high-quality, mass-produced, bolt-together powered ultralight kits. The oldest Quicksilvers used Chrysler, then Yamaha engines, followed later by the Cuyuna, engines. In 1983 Eipper Formance was renamed Eipper Aircraft Inc. and the plant moved to Temecula, California, to accommodate increased production. Over 2,000 Quicksilver ultralights were sold in a single year at that time. The Quicksilver MXL-II Sport is as a two seats in side-by-side configuration ultralight trainer an upgrade in the popular Quiksilver MX series ultralight aeroplane. The original model Quicksilver MX II was introduced in 1981 and updated to the model MX IIA in 1983. Production of the improved 2-seat Eipper Quiksilver MXL-II Sport with double surface wings and conventional three-axis controls started in 1984. Through the years the Quicksilver MX II Series became the best-selling, two-seat light recreational aircraft in the world. Today the Quiksilver MXL-II Sport is in production with Quicksilver Mfg, the succesor of Eipper Aircaft Inc. The MXL-2 Sport is a two seats in side-by-side configuration ultralight trainer that features a cable-braced double surface wing. The MXL II Sport comes standard with a 50-hp Rotax 503 dual carb engine which, combined with the double surface wing, gives a cruise speed of 54 mph (87 km/h). The Rotax 582 engine of 64 hp (48 kW) is optional.

The two-blade wood prop of Eipper Quiksilver MXL-II Sport s/n 779 CS-UKO is powered by a Bombardier (Rotax) engine. The aircraft was photographed at Base Aérea nº1 Sintra in Portugal during Aeronostalgia 2010.

page last updated: 25-11-2010
Copyright © Jack Wolbrink, Emmen, the Netherlands
 

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