Cessna 1014 & 1034 XMC

12/14/2003. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk, additional info from Walter van Tilborg and Karl Smith: "To investigate and evaluate new light aircraft design and advanced aerodynamics, new construction techniques and advanced materials, Cessna build the XMC (Experimental Magic Carpet) under the engineering designation Model 1014. New constructional materials and techniques were used in building the XMC, which was being used, among other things, to explore expanded uses for metal-to-metal bonding. Another line of research was concerned with the development of technology and methods to reduce the cost and weight of Cessna's production aircraft.

With its twin-boom twin-fin tail construction, the XMC had in general a similar appearance as the Skymaster. Significant differences were the swept-back wing, the smaller cabin with two side-by-side seats ahead of the sweptback, full-cantilever wing. The power plant was a 100 hp Continental O-200-A four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine, driving a pusher propeller, was mounted behind the cabin, and it had a spatted nose gear.

1014 XMC

Subsequently the XMC entered Phase I of the research and development flight testing program, consisting of ground handling, flying characteristics and visibility throughout the entire flight regime. Registered N7174C (c/n 674), it flew for the first time on January 22, 1971 with Bruce Barrett at the controls.

Phase II of testing started in May 1971 and methods to reduce weight and costs of both single and multi-engined Cessna models were tested.

1034 XMC

In 1972 the XMC was modified for Phase III to such an extent that it received a new engineering designation, Model 1034. Modification included the spatted nose gear being replaced by a wheel fairing, vertical stabilizer area was increased, and wing tips were revised. Most important alteration was the shroud being placed around the propeller to explore two design areas: improvement of the propulsive efficiency for an increase in take-off thrust, as well as noise reduction. First flight of this new model, still named the XMC, was made on June 1, 1972, again with Bruce Barrett at the controls.

1034 XMC

Other tests with the XMC were experiments with CG (center of gravity) effects, control surface location/response, cabin noise levels and relationship of wing to engine/propeller. The noise reduction did not work, in fact noise level rose two or three decibels due to the higher engine revolutions.

1034 XMC (Bernhard Klein Collection)

In the end the project was dropped because it also provided no significant performance increase over the C-150 model already in production and Cessna had engine-cooling problems with the XMC.