Cyclone AX2000
title: "Cyclone AX2000" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1990s-british-ultralight-aircraft"] topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclone_AX2000" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox aircraft"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | AX2000 |
| image | G-WAKYa.jpg |
| caption | A HKS 700E powered AX2000 |
| aircraft_type | microlight |
| national_origin | United Kingdom |
| manufacturer | Cyclone Airsports Ltd |
| number_built | at least 29 |
| first_flight | c.1997 |
| developed_from | Cyclone AX3 |
| :: |
| name = AX2000 | logo = | logo_size = | image = G-WAKYa.jpg | alt = | caption = A HKS 700E powered AX2000 | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = microlight | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = United Kingdom | manufacturer = Cyclone Airsports Ltd | design_group = | designer = | builder = | issuer = | status = | owners = | primary_user = | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = at least 29 | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = | introduction = | retired = | first_flight = c.1997 | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = Cyclone AX3 | variants = | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = The Cyclone AX2000 is a British built three axis microlight, first flown in the 1990s. It seats two in side-by-side configuration.
Design and development
The AX2000 is a development of the earlier Cyclone AX3, a UK regulation compliant variant of the French Ultralair Premier AX3. This, in turn, was a three axis development of the US Chotia Weedhopper from the early 1980s.
The Cyclone AX2000 is an aluminium tube framed three axis microlight with flying surfaces covered with a polyester fabric with outer PVF lamination (URLAM). The whole aircraft is built around a long, high aluminium keel boom, which bears the engine, wings and empennage. The wing is a two spar structure, with surfaces formed by upper and lower battens rather than ribs. It carries conventional, full span, tapering ailerons but no flaps. The tailplane is mounted on the keel and has an anti-balance/trim tab on the starboard elevator. There is a small fixed fin below the keel but none above; the rudder is balanced and extends below the elevators, moving in a cut-out.
The short, deep fuselage is built around a wire braced tube beam. Lift and landing loads are taken by V-shaped, cross braced pairs of lift struts from the bottom of the fuselage to each wing, assisted by a centre line strut to the boom at the wing leading edge. The cockpit enclosure is non-structural, with forward opening doors to a pair of side-by-side seats. These are equipped with separate rudder pedals but the occupants share a central control column. The AX2000 has a tricycle undercarriage mounted close to the fuselage.
The engine is mounted, uncowled, ahead and above the wing leading edge, with the propeller shaft on the boom line. One of three engines may be fitted: a 48 kW Rotax 582/48 or 38 kW 503 2V, both upright twin cylinder two strokes, or the 45 kW HKS 700E (either V3 or Beta variants), flat twin four stroke. Both Rotax engines drive propellers with ground adjustable pitch: the 582 has a three blade, composite propeller and the 503 a two blade wooden one.
As well the new engines, the AX2000 differs chiefly from the AX3 in having a completely double surface wing of reduced area and modified structure, a change of alloy for the main keel beam, a revised and lightened fuselage with new undercarriage, an increased fuel capacity and the addition of an elevator anti-balance trim tab.
The AX2000 is certificated as a glider tug, for gliders of class 1 and 2. A V-shaped forward tow line extension joins the main line to a pair of tug pillars attached to the rear spar on the under surfaces of the AX2000's wing.
Operational history
In mid-2011 there were 29 AX2000s on the UK civil aircraft register.
Variants
;Cyclone AX-3:Production by Cyclone Airsports with either a Rotax 502 or Rotax 582 engine. ;Pegasus AX2000:Improved variant produced by Pegasus Aircraft from 1996.
Specifications
|ref=Civil Aircraft Authority microlight type approval data sheet (TADS) no.BM53 issue 9 |prime units?=met General characteristics
|genhide=
|crew=2 |length m=5.60 |length note= |span m=9.10 |height m=2.10 |height note= |wing area sqm=15.77 |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg=201 |empty weight note=notional |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb= |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight kg=450 |max takeoff weight lb= |max takeoff weight note= |fuel capacity=62 L
|more general= Powerplant
|eng1 number= |eng1 name= |eng1 type= |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp= |eng1 kn= |eng1 lbf= |eng1 note= |power original= |thrust original= |eng1 kn-ab= |eng1 lbf-ab=
|more power=
|prop blade number= |prop name= |prop dia m= |prop dia ft= |prop dia in= |prop note=
Performance
|perfhide=
|max speed mph=62
|max speed note=manoeuvring |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed mph= |cruise speed kts= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh= |stall speed mph=36 |stall speed kts= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed mph=90 |never exceed speed note= |minimum control speed kmh= |minimum control speed mph= |minimum control speed kts= |minimum control speed note= |range km= |range miles= |range nmi= |range note= |combat range km= |combat range miles= |combat range nmi= |combat range note= |ferry range km= |ferry range miles= |ferry range nmi= |ferry range note= |endurance= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft= |ceiling note= |g limits= |roll rate= |glide ratio= |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin= |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |sink rate ms= |sink rate ftmin= |sink rate note= |lift to drag= |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading lb/sqft= |wing loading note= |power/mass=
|more performance=
|avionics=
|see also= |related= |similar aircraft= |lists=
References
References
- "CAA airworthiness approval note - Cyclone AX3".
- "CAA airworthiness approval note - Cyclone AX2000".
- "CAA TADS for Cyclone AX2000".
- "CAA registrations of Cyclone AX2000".
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