In parallel with the development of the Extra 260, the Extra 300 prototype was in development with its first flight taking place on May 6, 1988. The Extra 300 is the first two place Extra, leveraging the lessons learned from both the Extra 230 and Extra 260, it is an evolution of both aircraft with a 300hp Lycoming six cylinder and now featuring a carbon fiber composite spar and carbon composite skin for the wing. A total of sixty-eight (68) Extra 300’s were manufactured between ’88 and ’98.
The ’88 FAI World Aerobatic Championship had six (6) pilots representing the Extra brand, with three aviators debuting the Extra 300 on a world level between Walter Extra, Eric Müller, and Frank Gerstenberg. In parallel, the world saw the beginnings of some famous Extra pilots entering the world stage with Clint McHenry placing in 5th overall with his Extra 230 (N230X), Patty Wagstaff placing 16th overall with her Extra 230 (N444PW), and Diana Britten placing 37th with her Extra 230 (G-DIAN).
In the ’88 FAI World Aerobatic Championship Final Freestyle, Clint McHenry and Eric Müller were able to show the world the capabilities of both the Extra 230 and Extra 300 respectively with them placing 4th and 6th.
