Cessna XMC
Encyclopedia
The Cessna XMC was a prototype technology demonstrator designed to show advanced aerodynamics and materials.
The marketing name of XMC stood for "Experimental Magic Carpet" and the single test aircraft was designated Cessna 1014 and later 1034.
Development
The two seat Cessna XMC was built to test several concepts in light aircraft design including a ducted propeller and swept cantilever wing. The program ran from the beginning of 1971 until the end of 1972. The aircraft was used to assess improved visibility, center of gravityCenter of gravity
In physics, a center of gravity of a material body is a point that may be used for a summary description of gravitational interactions. In a uniform gravitational field, the center of mass serves as the center of gravity...
effects, control surface locations and response, cabin noise levels and also the relationship of wing versus engine and propeller.
The sole prototype was registered as N7174C and given Cessna serial number 674. It was powered by a Continental O-200
Continental O-200
The Continental C90 and O-200 are a family of air-cooled, horizontally opposed, four-cylinder, direct-drive aircraft engines of 201 in³ displacement, producing between 90 and 100 horsepower ....
100 hp engine mounted in pusher configuration
Pusher configuration
In a craft with a pusher configuration the propeller are mounted behind their respective engine. According to Bill Gunston, a "pusher propeller" is one mounted behind engine so that drive shaft is in compression...
. This was the same powerplant used in the then-current production Cessna 150
Cessna 150
The Cessna 150 is a two-seat tricycle gear general aviation airplane, that was designed for flight training, touring and personal use.The Cessna 150 is the seventh most produced civilian plane ever, with 23,839 aircraft produced...
. The tail boom was similar in design to that used on the Cessna Skymaster
Cessna Skymaster
The Cessna Skymaster is a United States twin-engine civil utility aircraft built in a push-pull configuration. Its engines are mounted in the nose and rear of its pod-style fuselage. Twin booms extend aft of the wings to the vertical stabilizers, with the rear engine between them. The horizontal...
.
The first flight of the 1014 model was made on 22 January 1971 by Cessna test pilot Bruce Barrett. The aircraft was modified in 1972 and given a new model number, 1034. In this configuration it was flown first 1 June 1972, again with Bruce Barrett at the controls.
Test program
The test program consisted of three phases:Phase I - Model 1014 - January 1971
- ground handling, flying characteristics and visibility testing
Phase II - Model 1014 - May 1971
- Exploring methods of reducing weight and production costs for single and twin-engine Cessnas
Phase III - Model 1034 - June 1972
- Use of shrouded propeller to test improvements in propeller efficiency and reduction of noise
Test results
The XMC project ended in 1972. The aircraft configuration proved to have higher cabin noise levels than the production Cessna 150 and offered no performance advantages over the older design.Variants
Model 1014 XMC- The single aircraft in its initial configuration with unducted pusher propeller and fully faired nose wheel
Model 1034 XMC
- The same aircraft was modified in 1972 with a shrouded propeller, standard nose gear fairing plus increased vertical stabilizer area and new wing tipWing tipA wing tip is the part of the wing that is most distant from the fuselage of a fixed-wing aircraft.Because the wing tip shape influences the size and drag of the wingtip vortices, tip design has produced a diversity of shapes, including:* Squared-off...
s.
