Extra EA-230

The Extra EA-230 was designed by Walter Extra, a German aerobatic pilot and aircraft designer. Walter Extra founded Extra Flugzeugbau, his company dedicated to building high-performance aerobatic aircraft. The EA-230 was one of his early monoplane designs that helped establish his reputation in competition aerobatics.

The Extra EA-230 first flew on July 14, 1983. It was one of Walter Extra's early aerobatic monoplane designs, following the earlier EA-200. The aircraft was developed during the period when Extra was establishing himself in the international aerobatic community.

The Extra EA-230 was succeeded by the Extra EA-300 series, which became one of the most iconic families of aerobatic aircraft in the world. The EA-300 offered improvements in performance and handling that made it dominant in competition aerobatics. The EA-300L variant, in particular, became a standard aircraft at the highest levels of aerobatic competition.

The Extra EA-230 has largely been superseded in competitive aerobatics by more modern Extra designs and other aircraft types. Most surviving EA-230 airframes are in private hands, collections, or museums. The type is relatively rare compared to the widely produced EA-300 series that followed it.