ARX-6 -- 6.8Mb

The ARX-6 is a single place Formula One pylon racing aircraft and is built to the specs of the International Formula 1 Air Racing association. Like all Formula One race planes, it is built around the tried and true Continental O-200. This is the same 100hp engine that barely powers a Cessna 150 to 100kts but on the small extremely lightweight and aerodynamic airframes of formula one racers the top aircraft can push 300mph (260kts)!  With very few instruments, and less than average ground handling, Formula One aircraft are very clean "no frills" machines that serve only one purpose - flying low, flying fast, and turning left.

An F1 racer is a  logical idea for a concept plane since all F1 class aircraft are basically just that.  No two are ever alike and a lot are kit-built from the same plans and still end up being drastically different. All F1's must have certain things in common however, the major point being the engine: a Continental O-200 with a wooden fixed pitch propeller.  I admit that I am a serious Lycoming fan and I really don't care for fixed pitch props, especially wood props, on modern aircraft.  But rules are rules, and I followed the specs set by International Formula One as best as I could when I made this aircraft. 

The idea of making a Formula One pylon racer goes back to around the time of FS2000, and during that time the aircraft went through three shape changes. A rough version of the current aircraft which you now have was created early in 2002 but due to other projects I wanted to release first, the race plane was put on the back burner for a while and I mainly only toyed around with it in my spare time for the last few years.
 
 

Concept VI Original design 2001

Concept VI Design II early 2002  Wings eventually ended up on the final version.

The first formula one racer I started working on was similar to the DR-90 style that was made popular by Jon Sharp and his plane #3 Nemesis. The second design of the racer was basically the same aircraft with different wings similar to the ones on the ARX-6, and the third, of course is the one you have now. After getting bored with the second racer design I decided that the best looking racers  were pusher props, made famous by Jim Miller in the 70's and Bruce Bohannon in the 90's, and since pusher aircraft with canards seem to be my forte, I never gave a fourth racer design any thought.
 
 

Concept VI Design III in late 2002

As mentioned above, by their nature formula one aircraft are very budget conscious and weight conscious aircraft. Therefore they don't have a lot of the amenities that most other aircraft have, even when compared to other weight restricted aircraft such as aerobatic planes, racers are very stripped-down machines. No IFR capability, no night flying, no navigation equipment, and very little if any taxiing ability - just fly flow, fly fast, and turn left. This is the only downside to the ARX-6, it is severely limited in every way unless you want to race. For this reason it is a very niche aircraft and really only suited to Reno racing fans. But, making niche aircraft seems to be another characteristic of mine...

The instrument panel of the Roadrunner is very simple since race planes are strictly VFR machines. The fuel load is very small but given a good cruising altitude and proper mixture settings, it is possible to fly "Point A to Point B" in this aircraft, although that was not what it was built for and you only have a GPS and magnetic compass to guide you.
 
 

Individual aircraft:

• N6JT
• First flight 8-26-03
• Only aircraft of the type equipped with autopilot.
• Release Date: July 3, 2006
• Home base: CA99 - Malibu Motor Sports, Malibu California

• N6OJT
• First Flight 9-19-03
• Release Date: July 3, 2006
• Home base: CA99 - Malibu Motor Sports, Malibu California

• N6PJT
• First Flight 11-27-03
• Release Date: July 3, 2006
• Home base: CA99 - Malibu Motor Sports, Malibu California

• RA-3337X
  • Pilot/Painter: Brady Duros
  • Release Date: July 3, 2006
  • Home base: UUDD - Domodedevo, Moscow Russia

• N387IS
  • Pilot/Painter: Mike Vivaldi
  • Release Date: July 3, 2006
  • Home base: KCRQ - McClellan-Palomar, Carlsbad California

• N51MR
  • Pilot/Painter: Josh Nyhus
  • Release Date: July 3, 2006
  • Home base: CA99 - Malibu Motor Sports, Malibu California

• N170RB
  • Pilot/Painter: Josh Nyhus
  • Release Date: July 3, 2006
  • Home base: KTOA - Torrance/Zamperini, Torrance California

• N199TS
  • Pilot/Painter: Josh Nyhus
  • Release Date: July 3, 2006
  • Home base: KTOA - Torrance/Zamperini, Torrance California

• N4149M
  • Pilot/Painter: Josh Nyhus
  • Release Date: July 3, 2006
  • Home base: 4SD - Reno/Stead
  • Tribute scheme to Jim Miller's original "Pushy Cat"