In an age of complexity, the MXL II Sport Light Service Aircraft emerges as a breath of fresh air—a triumph of minimalist design that connects our present to aviation’s past. With deliberate echoes of the Wright brothers’ pioneering spirit, this aircraft strips away excess to reveal flying’s purest essence through its clean frame, intuitive single-stick controls, and vibrant wing color options that invite personalization. Here, we find the future of flight might be found by revisiting the principles that first carried us skyward, proving that thoughtful reduction can lead to the most profound kind of innovation...

Written by Maxim Sorokopud

That the MXL II Sport has the appearance of a modernized version of the world’s first functional airplane, the Wright Flyer, is apt because it holds a similarly important place in the history of aviation. Quicksilver Aircraft claims that “more pilots have been trained to fly in the MXL II Sport than all other light planes combined.” This fact alone speaks volumes of the plane’s superior maneuverability and precise control response. Clearly, anything that can appeal to such a wide range of flying enthusiasts must be well-designed in terms of practicality.

Part of what has made the MXL II Sport so popular is the ease that it offers, and not just in terms of flying. The aircraft is supplied as an amateur build kit, which Quicksilver states is the easiest to assemble on the market. Naturally, it’s extremely difficult to prove that these kits are absolutely the easiest to assemble in the entire world. Still, the popularity of the aircraft indicates that, at the very worst, they are at least among the most straightforward to assemble. 

The simple frame of the MXL II Sport also effortlessly communicates that, for something that can take to the skies, it can be constructed relatively hassle-free. Indeed, some may experience more frustration putting together IKEA furniture than an MXL II Sport.

The MXL II Sport’s bare-bones nature is the key to its longevity on the market. The prime example of how this spirit is applied throughout the product is its simple steering mechanism. The aircraft is piloted through a single control stick located between its two chairs. Shifting this is all that’s necessary to maneuver the plane.

With the aircraft’s frame being so minimalist, those looking to add character to the craft must rely on the wings. Overall, purchasers can choose between 14 colors and shades that run the gamut of the visual spectrum. It’s even possible to apply seven individual colors or shades to a single MXL II Sport, although many would consider the result quite a clash! A number of optional add-ons ensure further diversity. The photographs on this page go some way toward elaborating both the variance that the colors and optional extras provide. Regarding the additional features, the floats adapting the craft into a seaplane in the main photograph provide a strong example of how individuals can diversify the design. Also on offer to add to the aircraft are electronic instrument systems, radios, wider seats, strobe lights, shoulder harness kits, ballistic parachutes, and much more.

And if anyone still doubts the ingenuity of the MXL II Sport, just ask why over 10,000 people have piloted this aircraft to date. Surely, it must have risen to the top of the ever-competitive aviation industry for a reason!

Since its foundation in the 1970s, Quicksilver Aircraft has sold over 15,000 planes, with the MXL II Sport being by far its best-selling product. Undoubtedly, Quicksilver Aircraft has spent the last half-century realizing its ambition of making airplane ownership widely accessible.

Discover other products in Graphis Journal 382.