Lancairs
are known by pilots for being beautiful, fast, and extremely fun to fly. But this is only part of the
story. It is only true if you are an experienced pilot who has trained properly on the type. If
you are not, then any Lancair you get into is likely to bite you harder than you least expect.
Lancair was created in 1984 as a kit airplane manufacturer by Lance A. Neibauer. It has played
an important role in shaping the nature of the expanding kit aircraft industry since
then. More than 2,100 Lancair kits have been sold in 34 countries across five continents
so far. This company offers a diverse selection of private pilot aircraft,
ranging from high-performance models to low-cost alternatives when all models manufactured to date
are taken into account. While the firm only offers two current models, it is possible
to purchase preowned versions from the company’s prior portfolio. So which lancair should you buy?
Two Seat Options Lancair Barracuda
Looking at two seaters, the Barracuda is the only one the company still offer. With a near-perfect
blend of performance, comfort and ramp appeal, the Barracuda is the ultimate personal travel
machine for two, combining unbeatable speed and comfort with an unmatched level of flexibility and
economy. The cabin is nicely designed, it measures 43.5 inches wide and 44.5 inches in height,
providing comfort and ergonomics. Visibility is nice, unobstructed and outstanding in all
directions because of its large canopy design, which comes in handy when you are aggressively
climbing after your take-off roll. And the roomy baggage area makes it possible to comfortably
stow everything for your cross-country trip. While the Barracuda has a light, quick, and
balanced roll control and can cruise at speeds of over 200 knots using a 310-hp Continental IO-550
engine. Low speed performance is nice, and this plane stall at 52-knots in landing configuration.
Climb rate is super-fast, when flown solo, the Barracuda can rush to altitude at 2700-ft/min,
and the flight range is 1000-nautical miles. Lancair 200-235
The 200-235 was designed to go as fast as possible and provide economical operation in cross-country
comfort for two full-size adults. It is no longer supplied, but when it was initially introduced,
Neibauer intended to call it Lancer 200. As a result of a naming dispute with Mitsubishi,
he went for Lancair 200. Powered by a 100-hp Continental O-200 engine, this plane sits two
side-by-side, with a cruising speed of 160-knots, which makes the Lancair 235 the perfect choice
for beginner aviators and those who appreciate the smooth-flying, compactness, and affordability of a
lovely two-seater. Handling a Lancair 235 differs because they are built to suit each amateur
builder’s whims. Which is why its ability to forgive mistakes is questionable, because Lancairs
are as dangerous as you make it. To put that in perspective, "Lancairs make up just over 3% of the
amateur-built fleet, yet comprise of over 10% of the fatal amateur-built accidents." However, it is
also worth considering that they also tend to fly significantly more than the typical amateur-built
local flights. These are cross-country machines. " Looking at price points, used,
Lancair 235 models are still being sold today and can be purchased for around $50,000 to $70,000.
Usually, they are rare to find, and I highly expect the listings below to be sold quickly.
Lancair 360 The Lancair 360 has a top speed of
226-knots. It is not a plane for a pilot who has learned to fly on a Piper Tomahawk or Cessna 172,
and never flown anything more challenging – not without some extra training and a great
deal of care. This point cannot be emphasized enough. Its small wings and powerful engines
mean that glide performance can be poor, if engine goes out, this plane can drop like a
stone. Even experienced pilots doubt that they would be able to successfully land a Lancair 360
after engine failure. Prospective Lancair 360 pilots need to clearly understand these facts,
for the type is far less forgiving than the average light aircraft on which private
pilots learn to fly and often gain most of their experience. Despite all of this, the Lancair 360,
like all Lancair types, has many fans. Pilots who can handle it say that the Lancair 360 is
great fun to fly, being fast and very responsive. Engine choice is between 160-hp O-320 or a 180-hp
IO-360 Lycoming engine, which yields a cruise speed of 222-knots, or 226-knots respectively,
and the flight range is 600-nautical miles. Lancair Mako
Looking at four seaters, the performance of the Lancair Mako is great, and it is
one of the fastest four-place airplanes in the market today. Starting with a sturdy
composite airframe that's built to stringent utility class standards, the Mako is designed
for the long haul. Its aerodynamic refinement aids pilots in getting the most out of every
gallon of gasoline without jeopardizing the Mako’s agile, but gentle handling qualities.
Many companies have attempted and failed to take a piece of Cirrus’ market share.
Since the SR20 was approved, Cirrus has enjoyed a rapidly rising market share
in single-engine piston aircraft. Lancair’s new Mako competes with planes like the Cirrus SR-22,
Mooney Ovation Ultra, and Cessna TTx in the same market, but is it succeeding at it? Haha hmmmmm.
Mako’s four-seat accommodates four adults comfortably, with great visibility all round.
Customization possibilities are endless, allowing buyers to fully personalize their planes to their
test. The airframe can support a variety of engine configurations. Currently, the Mako is
available with a range of Continental or Lycoming engines that can be turbocharged or not, depending
on the needs of the customer. Lancair also provides an optional auto-retracting nose gear,
which adds about 12-knots to cruising performance. The cabin is larger than that of comparable
aircraft, at 46 inches wide and 48 inches high. The luggage room has also been increased to
allow travelers to bring everything they need for a lengthy trip. While the Mako’s cabin is
meant to be soundproof, Lancair additionally provides a unique sound-proofing kit. The Mako
has a very clean interior panel design, with 10-inch Garmin G3X screens and a GTN
750 in the middle. The 750 is used to operate the transponder, audio panel, lighting, and autopilot.
The Mako does not sacrifice performance for comfort, and with a standard Lycoming
IO-540 engine, the plane can cruise as fast as 200-knots at max power settings,
consuming 15% less fuel than similar aircraft. Lancair Evolution: Evolution Aircraft.
The Evolution brings a sleek carbon fiber airframe, benign stall characteristics,
advanced systems, and a powerful Pratt & Whitney engine to provide reliability and performance.
It not only provides great speed, as fast as 300 knots, but it also has a wide flight
envelope with a 61-knot stall speed, which is the FAA-mandated number for certificated
single-engine airplanes. It is no longer part of Lancair, because, in July 2016, the company
sold off the older Lancair lines of aircraft to concentrate exclusively on the Evolution.
It is worth mentioning because it shares the same DNA as every other Lancair out there.
The Evolution can be fitted with the Lycoming iE2 or three fantastic different variants of
the amazing Pratt & Whitney PT6 turboprop power plant, depending on the mission and budget of
the customer. With 350-hp from the piston version, 550-shaft hp, 750-shp, and 867-shp, respectively,
from the turboprop models, the choice is not between fast and slow,
but between fast and near jet speeds. The 550-shp model burns 28-gph at 265-knots.
At an economy cruise of 225 knots, fuel burn is 24-gph. Moving on to the 750-shp version,
the fuel burn at maximum cruise of 300 knots is 37-gph. At an economy cruise of 275 knots,
fuel burn is 28-gph. For the 867-shp model, the maximum cruise is 330 knots, and you are
going to burn 45-gph to fly that fast. But if you throttle back to an economy cruise of 225 knots,
your fuel burn is 25-gph. All the turboprop models can fly as high as 28,000-ft, with a climb rate of
4000-ft/min. You can get there in 11 minutes, and the maximum range is 1350 nautical miles.
For those that want a lot more range, the Lycoming iE2 equipped model is the best choice. Capable of
carrying 4 adults in pressurized comfort for over 1600 nautical miles, this is only the beginning of
the features offered by this wonderful aircraft. Imagine no more cannulas in your nose just to
get over the weather, or fussing with the kids and O2 masks while you try and climb over the
turbulence. The piston-powered Evolution is the same kit as the proven Turbine version,
so you can be assured that the airframe can handle anything you might encounter.
Powered by the 350hp Lycoming iE2 engine, the maximum cruising speed is 230 knots on
a fuel burn of 23-gph of avgas. But at an economy cruise speed of 215 knots at
24,000-ft, the fuel flow is 18-gph. The range is 1667 nautical miles, and the service ceiling is
25,000-ft. While it flies much further than the turbine models, it climbs much slower at
1500-ft/min. The iE2 engine is the latest "state of the art" in aircraft piston engines. It brings
the traditional aircraft piston engine into the 21st century with computer-controlled electronic
fuel injection, electronic ignition, and electronic engine self-protection.
Power management is simple with one lever controlling the percentage of power desired,
prop pitch, and fuel flow. The engine will always determine the most efficient
combination of fuel mixture, ignition timing, turbo boost, and propeller RPM for the flight
condition you request. It will do that while determining optimum settings without hazardous
fuel mixtures or ignition timing and will avoid overheating or detonation without
pilot intervention or the need to monitor the factors that cause these conditions.
PERFORMANCE A major contributor to the Evolution’s performance
qualities is its advanced wing design. The design was optimized using Xfoil analysis software and
validated through wind tunnel testing. The wing is tapered and uses four different airfoils,
resulting in a balance of desirable flight characteristics tailored specifically for cruise
performance, in-flight maneuvers, efficient climb, and docile low-speed handling and stall behavior.
There is no adverse yaw in 45-degree turns, and the airplane conveys a feeling of both
obedience and stability. However, when heading downhill, the ailerons become noticeably heavier
as airspeed increases beyond 200 knots. There are no speed brakes, and there is no need for
them as the four-blade Hartzell prop flattens out and slows the airplane like an anchor.
The Evolution’s rapid descent profile is impressive. With gear down and full flaps, a
4,500-fpm descent at 130 knots is achievable with the aircraft trimmed out and hands-off. Moreover,
its slow flight characteristics are incredibly stable, and the stall is just a slight, straight
buffet. It has the ability to safely penetrate unforeseen turbulence or maneuver if necessary.
Conclusion In conclusion, if you’re in love with experimental
airplanes, Lancair is a top contender here, with a strong history and a vibrant company backing
the products. The Lancair 235, 320, or 360 are two-seaters from the early years. These evolved
over time into the Lancair Legacy, which can be found in both fixed-gear and retractable versions.
While their relatively high wing-loading means they ride through turbulence well,
they are light on the controls. This combo results in a fun airplane, but one that can wear out even
the sharpest pilot on a bumpy cross-country. Be sure to get one with an autopilot.
The Lancair IV-P technically offers four seats, but its main appeal is performance. Pressurization
combined with installations of 350-HP piston engines, or turboprops of 500-HP or more,
lets them cruise over 300 knots up high. Putting the gross weight of a Bonanza on a wing area
slightly smaller than an Extra 300, however, makes an aircraft thats too much for some pilots.
The ES looks a lot like the Cessna 350/400, but bears significant differences. The ES-P
is the pressurized version; if you can find one of these, they could be a real performer
without demanding fighter-pilot ability. A good alternative to the Lancair line would
be the two-place, low-wing Glasairs. There are several models on the used market at any given
time. The I and II versions have smaller engines, and the III has the 300-HP Lycoming IO-540.