The Edge 540 V2 is a single-seat, single-engine, aerobatic and racing airplane manufactured by American aircraft company Zivko Aeronautics. The initial iteration of the high-performance, piston-powered Edge 540 took its maiden flight in 1993 and became an instant classic in the world of aircraft racing and aerobatics. The V2 is an evolutionary variant of the original design that improves its performance.
The Edge 540 V2 traces its roots to the late 1980s as a project to create an all-composite wing optimized for high performance to fit onto existing aircraft. The design maintained its stiffness and strength under even the most extreme g maneuvers. Zivko Aeronautics then developed an airplane around the wing, and the Edge 540 was born.
The Edge 540 V2 features a mid-wing design, a steel tube-framed fuselage, and a carbon fiber composite main wing and empennage. It has a fixed traditional undercarriage with aerodynamic spats over its main landing gear wheels. It measures 20 feet, 7 inches in length, stands 7 feet, 9 inches tall, and has a wingspan of 24 feet, 4 inches. It is powered by a fuel injected, 6-cylinder Lycoming AEIO-540 EXP engine that is modified to produce up to 320 horsepower. The powerplant turns a Hartzell 7690 composite, constant-speed, 3-blade propeller. The ailerons have a deflection of +/-25 degrees, the elevator has a deflection of +/-25 degrees, and the rudder has a deflection of +/-30 degrees. The airplane stalls at 59 miles per hour, has a maximum aerobatic speed of 200 mph, and a never exceed speed of 265. It climbs at 3,700 feet per minute, has a roll rate of 420 degrees per second, and can sustain up to 15 gs.
