Wheeler Express
Wheeler Technology · United States · first flew 1987 · light aircraft
The Wheeler Express, later known as the EDI Express, is a four-seat low-wing composite homebuilt aircraft.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.92 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Cruciform |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Four-seat low-wing composite homebuilt
- Cruciform tail
- Rear seat that faces aft and another that faces forward
The fuselage is a fibreglass composite with a compound curved shape and construction similar to Glasair aircraft.
Specifications
- The Wheeler Express has a length of 7.92 m (26 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.6 m (31 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 362 km/h (225 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Ken Wheeler designed it as a high-speed homebuilt for cross-country flights. The first kit-built prototype flew on 28 July 1987 and a factory-built aircraft flew in 1990.
Variants
Variants include the Express FT with fixed landing gear and the Express RG with retractable gear. EDI also produced a six-seat variant, the Loadmaster 3200.
Where you'll see it
It was produced only in kit form, by Wheeler Technology, then Express Design Incorporated, Express Aircraft Company and Composite Aircraft Technology. A 2015 NTSB report on a fatal accident cited the yaw stability of the cruciform tail as a possible factor.
Related aircraft
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