Walter Extra is a German award-winning aerobatic pilot and chief aircraft designer who founded the aerobatic aircraft manufacturer Extra Flugzeugbau (Extra Aircraft Construction). Extra was trained as a mechanical engineer. He began his flight training in gliders, transitioning to powered aircraft to perform aerobatics. He built and flew a Pitts Special aircraft and later built his own Extra EA-230. Walter Extra has designed a series of performance aircraft which include unlimited aerobatic aircraft and turboprop transports.