| What you get in addition is increased speed, more cabin room, and more visibility. The full enclosure doors are modified to swing forward to facilitate easier entry and exit of the aircraft. The Mark III Xtra is designed primarily as a STOL class aircraft -- it has generous wing area, big flaperons, and powerful engine options, so that short take-offs and landings are possible from short fields. The 1000lb. gross weight gives plenty of payload capacity, typically about 480-550 lbs. The Mark III Xtra may be powered with a variety of engines from the Rotax 582 to the Rotax 912. Superb Handling The Mark III Xtra feels solid even in turbulent air. The extra stiffness of the wings and tail plus the higher wing loading (added weight of the structure) makes for a very solid feeling airplane. The longer flaperons actually help roll authority at higher speeds while still being powerful enough at the lower speeds to retain roll control even through a stall. The Mark III Xtra has gentle stall characteristics. Upon entering a stall from straight and level flight, you will first feel some sink which precedes the stall. You will begin to feel the sink starting at about 41 mph. If you continue into the stall, you will feel a gentle break at about 38 mph, at which point the nose drops, the airplane gains speed and resumes flying with a reduction of back stick pressure. The large flaperons are very powerful and effective. They decrease the stall speed by 4-5 mph; and more importantly, they allow for very steep descents without building up excessive airspeed; exactly what you need to drop into a short field or for emergency landings. Optional powerful hydraulic brakes with individual toe pedals provide for sure stops and tighter turning radius. With the large flaps and hydraulic brakes, the Mark III Xtra can be landed and stopped in very tight areas. Great Visibility Many may not consciously be aware of the fact, but it is true: the better the visibility, the more enjoyable and fun the flying -- the more visibility the better. We retained the pusher configuration to maintain the vastly superior visibility that Kolb Aircraft have become known for. With the Mark III Xtra, you have more visibility than any other design. Keeping the engine in back also eliminates exhaust fumes and reduces noise levels. Roomy Cabin The Mark III Xtra has a spacious 45" wide cabin (42-1/2" at the hips), and with the adjustable rudder pedals, even very big people can be comfortable. Many other designs have a cramped cockpit compared to the Mark III Xtra; some may be okay in the summer, but when cool weather arrives with the coats and sweaters -- all of a sudden the cockpit gets awfully tight. The cockpit doors are bulged out quite a bit to allow for more shoulder room (45" wide) for the occupants and they come off easily by removing the hinge pin, allowing for real open-air flying. The door design has been modified for forward swinging doors rather than uplifting. If you want all the fresh air you can get, even the main windshield may be removed. With the doors on or off, visibility is unexcelled. There is 360 degree visibility all around; the gap seal between the wings is clear Lexan, so you can see straight up, and you can see straight down because of the bulged doors. All Metal Construction The Mark III Xtra, along with all Kolb Aircraft, utilizes all metal construction. For toughness and durability in airframe structures, steel and aluminum are superior. The heart of the Mark III Xtra, the fuselage cage structure, is made from strong and tough welded 4130 Chrome-moly steel. 4130 Chrome-moly steel is used for all high stress areas. All Kolb Aircraft utilize traditional control systems, cables and push-pull tubes. Easy Folding Wings & Tail The Mark III Xtra, along with all Kolb aircraft, has folding wings and tails which allow for easy set-up and take-down. The tail folds up -- and the wings fold back -- the process can be done in about 15 minutes. No tools or brackets are required. Everything stores right on the airframe. | 
