PlaneFox tracks 1 Edge 540 aircraft for sale and re-reads every one of them from the broker and dealer sites it watches, so the figures below move when the market moves. Every number on this page is measured from those live listings, not taken from a published price guide.
A Zivko Edge 540 flies about 450 nm, roughly 833 km, which is about 2 h 39 min in still air at typical cruise.
A Zivko Edge 540 costs about EUR 2,986 a month to run, or about EUR 317 for every flight hour when it is flown 150 hours a year.
The Zivko Edge 540 is a purpose-built unlimited aerobatic aircraft from Zivko Aeronautics of Guthrie, Oklahoma. The type first flew in the 1990s and became closely associated with high-level competition aerobatics and air racing, including the Red Bull Air Race series. It is a single seat, low wing, tailwheel monoplane built around a steel tube fuselage, composite wing and very high control authority. The Edge 540 matters in the used market because it is not a converted sport aircraft. It was designed from the outset for advanced aerobatic loads, rapid roll response and short-duration precision flying.
Published figures vary by version, propeller and race or competition configuration, but the Edge 540 is commonly associated with cruise speeds around 180 knots and maximum speeds above 220 knots. Typical range is about 270 nautical miles, reflecting its specialist role rather than cross-country utility. Useful load is commonly quoted in the low 400 lb range, with maximum takeoff weight around 1,600 lb. Service ceiling is often listed at about 20,000 feet. Power is normally from a Lycoming AEIO-540 series six-cylinder, fuel-injected aerobatic engine, frequently in high-output competition form at about 340 hp, driving a constant-speed propeller. The aircraft is stressed for unlimited aerobatics, with commonly cited limits of plus 10 and minus 10 g.
The Edge 540 has a single seat cockpit under a bubble canopy, with excellent visibility and a compact, functional layout. It is not a cabin aircraft in the touring sense. Space is limited, baggage capacity is minimal and comfort is secondary to weight, control feel and pilot restraint. Avionics are typically simple VFR installations: comm radio, transponder, engine monitoring, GPS or lightweight EFIS equipment where fitted. Integrated glass cockpit suites such as Garmin G1000 or Garmin Perspective are not typical for the Edge 540. Buyers should expect individual aircraft to vary significantly depending on competition, display or race use.
Prospective buyers should focus on airframe history, aerobatic use, engine time, propeller condition, landing gear condition, control system rigging and documentation of repairs or modifications. Careful inspection of the wing, fuselage structure, mounts, canopy, fuel system and smoke system is important. Common distinctions include earlier Edge 540 aircraft and later V2 or V3 configurations, with changes aimed at aerodynamic refinement, weight reduction and race performance. In the used market, the Zivko Edge 540 sits as a highly specialized unlimited aerobatic machine, valued by experienced aerobatic pilots rather than buyers seeking range, payload or passenger utility.