Two-seat unlimited-category aerobatic aircraft · Single-engine piston aircraft · production 2014–present · See its reach on the 3D globe
An Extra Aircraft Extra 330LX costs approximately $497k (€460k) to $594k (€550k) to buy at 2025 market values, and about $49k (€46k) a year to own flying 80 hours, roughly $619 (€573) per flight hour all-in. It seats 2, cruises at 170 kt (196 mph) and has a published range of 500 nm (926 km), needing about 1,148 ft (350 m) of runway. Figures are indicative planning estimates compiled 2026-07, not a quote for any specific airframe.
The 330LX is competition aerobatics in its purest certified form: a big Lycoming AEIO-580, a carbon wing, and roll and vertical performance that put it at the top of the unlimited category, flown by the people who win at that level. Nothing in this class is built better. It is single-purpose in a way buyers underestimate. Two seats, minimal baggage and no meaningful travelling role mean it cannot double as a tourer, competition flying consumes the airframe's fatigue life so G-cycle records and airframe history matter more here than hours do, and the engine and propeller live hard lives. Buy it to compete or to train seriously, with the airframe log examined by someone who reads aerobatic histories.
First-party reference values for this model. They are shown separately from PlaneFit planning estimates and do not enter Finder or cross-model rankings until each field is normalised across the catalogue.
| Maximum takeoff weight | 950 kg |
|---|---|
| Useful load | 290 kg |
| Usable fuel | 187 L |
| Stall speed | 60 KCAS |
| Engine | Lycoming AEIO-580-B1A, 315 hp |
Indicative planning data, compiled 2026-07. Verify against the AFM and records.
| Seats | 2 |
| Realistic payload with mission fuel | 346 lb (157 kg) |
| Published planning range | 500 nm (926 km) |
| Practical planning radius (4 people) | 335 nm (620 km) |
| Cruise speed | 170 kt (196 mph) |
| Runway need | ~1,148 ft (350 m) |
| Landing gear | Fixed tailwheel (conventional) |
| Pressurised | No |
| Fuel | Avgas 100LL |
| Fixed annual base | $27k (€25k) |
| Direct cost per flight hour | $281 (€260) |
World-class aerobatic performance, but high fuel burn, limited baggage and specialized inspection make it a narrow-purpose aircraft.
Indicative cash costs at 2025 market values, before financing, depreciation and tax. The fixed base is the same whether the aircraft flies or not, so the effective hourly cost falls as utilisation rises.
| Annual use | Annual cash cost | Effective cost / h | Five-year cash outlay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 h / year | $38k (€35k) | $956 (€885) | $731k (€677k) |
| 80 h / year | $49k (€46k) | $618 (€573) | $787k (€729k) |
| 120 h / year | $61k (€56k) | $506 (€468) | $843k (€781k) |
| 180 h / year | $78k (€72k) | $431 (€399) | $928k (€859k) |
Every figure above is built from a $27k (€25k) fixed annual base, covering hangarage, insurance, scheduled maintenance reserves and recurring airworthiness costs, plus $281 (€260) per hour flown for fuel, reserves and consumables. It is a planning model for comparing aircraft and testing utilisation, not a maintenance programme quote, insurance quote or pre-buy assessment.
Older examples add calendar-driven maintenance: a 2011-built airframe is estimated at $55k (€51k) per year at 80 hours. Airframe and engine time, maintenance and damage history, avionics, equipment, geography and tax treatment move a real transaction further than the model year does, so price the aircraft in front of you, not the model. A cheaper example carrying deferred maintenance can be the more expensive aircraft once the first annual inspection is complete.
Extra Aircraft Extra 330LX cost guide answers the same figures as standalone purchase and ownership questions, and the ownership cost calculator lets you replace these assumptions with your own hours and fixed costs.
On top of a pilot certificate, this aircraft obliges the person flying it to hold the following. Each one is time and money before the first trip, and insurers usually attach their own minimums on top.
US requirements under 14 CFR 61.31, stated for orientation and not as advice. PlaneFit is not an aviation authority or a training organisation. Other authorities set different rules, and the current regulation and your instructor are what govern.
An indicative 2025 market price for an Extra Aircraft Extra 330LX is $497k (€460k) to $594k (€550k). This is a planning estimate normalised across the market, not a quote for a specific airframe. Condition, engine time remaining, avionics and damage history move the real number more than the model year does.
Flying 80 hours a year, an Extra Aircraft Extra 330LX works out at roughly $49k (€46k) annually, which is about $619 (€573) per flight hour all-in once fixed costs are spread across those hours. The direct cost per hour alone, covering fuel, reserves and consumables, is about $281 (€260).
Published range is 500 nm (926 km). With 2 people aboard and realistic reserves, plan on a practical radius of about 360 nm rather than the brochure figure.
Beyond a pilot certificate, an Extra Aircraft Extra 330LX requires tailwheel endorsement. 14 CFR 61.31(i) requires an instructor endorsement covering normal and crosswind takeoffs and landings, wheel landings and go-around procedure, unless you logged tailwheel pilot-in-command time before 15 April 1991. Ground handling, not flying, is what the training is for, and it is where the claims are. These are US requirements and are stated for orientation; confirm them against the current regulation and an instructor.
Plan on approximately 1,148 ft (350 m) for take-off. Check this against the actual runway, surface, slope, temperature and loading, all of which extend the requirement.