This exotic twin is on the markt for long. What I found interesting is its aerobatic certification:
planecheck_NOREG_49840_pdf
Thinking about it I do not remember many other aerobatic twins besides military jets. Are there even any other? I remember Bob Hoover used a twin but was that officially certified for aerobatics? Even other bigger aerobatic planes like the Beech F33C seem rare.
The General Avia Twin probably just provided something for Stelio Frati and team interesting to do. I believe there were two versions (?) but I don’t think any were built beyond one or two prototypes. If it’s anything like the turbine SF260 it has very limited range due to the thin wing. The situation with the seller is not obvious – they appear to have a number of non-airworthy Frati aircraft that never sell, including this highly unusual example. It would be interesting to learn something more about them.
Some info on the Shrike Commander here Apparently the plane used by Bob Hoover was not certified for aerobatics (it was likely put in restricted category) and had different propellers than the standard plane.
I saw a group of three or four IAR 823s on the ramp yesterday. Not a twin but (as noted) a plane that is unusual for having four seats and being aerobatic.
Sebastian_G wrote:
Are there even any other?
Several (all) WWII heavy fighters (prop twins) were aerobatic. There are also some military twin TP that are perfectly aerobatic. The concept is not unusual in that respect, but a civilian 4 seat twin engine aerobatic aircraft is special. I have never heard about any other. I didn’t even knew of this particular aircraft 
There’s an aerobatic Baron in France, F-HMKM, doing 4.9G with no structural modifications. It took 2 years to get it certified, and the changes were minor: install G-meter, 5-point seatbelts, modify the seat to fit a parachute, and create a new maintenance schedule. Article on AeroVFR in French with a couple of upside down photos. It’s also possible on the FAA expermental category.
The CriCri is an aerobatic twin, but no good for passengers or baggage
Are these aerobatic twins certified for spin recovery? I thought that in general twins aren’t expected to be recoverable, because of the moment of inertia from those heavy engines out there on the wings.
It may be aerobatic in the sense that you can pull 5G or more without the wings coming off, but there is always the risk of entering a spin, and if that is unrecoverable… you wouldn’t catch me trying it.
My French is close to zero but not sure the DGAC would change the type certificate on a USA airplane. Perhaps they have granted a display authorisation instead?
@johnh is correct, high G vertical manoeuvres carry the risk of accelerated stall/spin, and the USAF experience with the Baron BE55 led them to conclude a spin is probably unrecoverable given the fuel tanks on the outer wings, and the mass of the engines exacerbating the conservation of angular momentum in a spin. In fact quite a few USAF Barons were lost to spins.
That’s me: I shouldn’t have said certified. The article actually says ‘reglementary validation for aerobatic use’. I had a google and can’t find any more information.
As usual here, much overthinking 
In 1955, Tex took that Dash-80, more precisely a Boeing 367-80 precursor of the Boeing 707 for a couple of barrel rolls!
Did he scratch his head about the legalities like you guys are digging yourself into? No, he just flew
The French Baron is agreed for displays.
The Cri Cri is very good at aerobatics but not as good as an Extra or Cap10 although from the ground for some reason it looks more spectacular. A bit like aerobatics in an Autogyro.
The experimental 3/4 scale Mosquito built by the RSA section at Lucon Chasnais was also excellent at display aerobatics, (in the right hands) and sounded like the real thing even without the Merlin engines.
I did hear that before Socata entered the competition which led to the Rallye they too had a twin capable of aerobatics.
Every time a new Airbus comes out they display it over Toulouse with an aerobatic display.
I don’t think any of them do the full range of aerobatic maneuvers. Whether that is by choice or necessity, I don’t know.
Every time a new Airbus comes out they display it over Toulouse with an aerobatic display.
I thought the FBW computer is designed to say no :) A bit early for April 1st or a few days late for el día de los inocentes :)
CAT is limited to 2.5G, the Boeing barrel roll (I think only carried out once until Boeing put a stop to it), dishing out as it was flown, was a marketing ploy to counter the reputation for cement like roll control.
To stay under 2.5G on entering a barrel roll in a swept wing will use a ton of altitude.
