Jurca MJ-51 Sperocco

The Jurca MJ-51 Sperocco (Special Sirocco) is a plans-built two-seat tandem aerobatic aircraft derived from the Jurca MJ-5 Sirocco.

Design and development
Encouraged by friends and previous customers, Marcel Jurca developed the MJ-51 in 1969 as an improved, higher power Sirocco. It has a longer, more rounded, stronger fuselage capable of engines up to 360 hp and the wings of the MJ-7 Gnatsum without dihedral. Other changes include a raised rear seat, a longer canopy and a smaller tail. Jurca said that it was his favourite two-seat design.

There are two variants - the MJ-51B for engines of 200 hp, and the MJ-51C for engines from 260 hp up to 300 hp.

Three examples have been started, each varying from the basic design in collaboration with Jurca himself. Construction of the first prototype started in France in around 1981. It was to be powered by a 200 hp Lycoming AEIO-360. The builder died in 2004 and the project remains incomplete.

The second example was started in the USA in 1991. It has a 260 hp Lycoming IO-540 engine, uprated to 285 hp and made its first flight on 6 June 2019. In 2021, the aircraft, registered N3LM, won the Homebuilt Plansbuilt Grand Champion Gold Lindy at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.

The third aircraft was started in France in 1999 with a plan to install a Potez 260 hp engine. Transferred to a different builder, the design has been changed and strengthened to accommodate a 300 hp Lycoming AEIO-540 Other modifications will include a two-door canopy, a larger and more accessible rear seat, additional fuel tanks, advanced avionics and uprated brakes. The aircraft has yet to fly (October 2019).