The Melmoth 2 was started in August 1981 as a composite follow-on to the complex Melmoth homebuilt. Initial fuselage lay-up was performed by Garrison along with engineer Burt Rutan and future private astronaut Mike Melvill, who also performed a fair number of the test flights.^[1] The aircraft is a single engine four-seat retractable tricycle gear low-wing with a T-tail arrangement. The rear seats face aft.^[2] The engine is cooled using updraft air which enters through a single inlet below the spinner and emerges from the top of the cowling near the spinner. A single airbrake panel opens under the fuselage. The tapered wings are equipped with large Fowler flaps. The original design has been modified with 45-degree sweep winglets and gear doors.^[3]

Data from Flying Magazine

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Capacity: 3 passengers
• Length: 24 ft (7.3 m)
• Wingspan: 35.7 ft (10.9 m)
• Wing area: 106 sq ft (9.8 m²)
• Aspect ratio: 12.6
• Airfoil: Roncz laminar flow
• Empty weight: 1,600 lb (726 kg)
• Gross weight: 2,850 lb (1,293 kg)
• Fuel capacity: 142 U.S. gallons (540 L; 118 imp gal)
• Powerplant: 1 × Continental TSIO-360 , 200 hp (150 kW)
• Propellers: 2-bladed Hartzell constant speed

Performance

• Maximum speed: 220 kn (250 mph, 400 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 200 kn (230 mph, 370 km/h)
• Stall speed: 53 kn (61 mph, 98 km/h)
• Never exceed speed: 190 kn (220 mph, 350 km/h)
• Range: 2,600 nmi (3,000 mi, 4,800 km)
• Rate of climb: 2,000 ft/min (10 m/s)

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Scaled Composites Catbird

• Official website
• Melmoth 2 Progress Updates
• First Flight
• Melmoth 2: A Personal Airplane by Peter Garrison in Flying Magazine