American Champion Aircraft introduced a new version of the venerable Decathlon at EAA AirVenture on Monday, modified to fly with a Lycoming AEIO-390-A1B6 210hp engine. The Xtreme variant pairs the powerful engine with an MT 76-inch prop. "That meant we needed taller gear, so we've redesigned the gear legs," said Jerry Menlhaff Jr., the company's VP of engineering. They also added a new airfoil tail with 10 percent more area, clipped the wingtips, and boosted the ailerons. "We not only added 30 horsepower, we've enhanced almost every aspect of the airplane," Menlhaff said. Flight testing of the prototype is ready to start, and test pilot Jody Bradt said he expects the new features will translate to a higher roll rate, lighter stick forces, increased longitudinal control, and overall better performance in the box. Menlhaff said certification is expected in October. Base price for the airplane is $204,900.
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