Lancair Lx7 - The Unsung Hero INTRODUCTION
This is not a fighter plane, and it's not stealth either. It carries four passengers,
yet it’s not the average pilot’s personal plane. You are looking at
the use of a serious combination of versatility, modern design and
construction techniques, and American precision to create a follow-up model
that is not only far better and more advanced than its predecessor,
but also outshined almost every airplane in its class. This is the Lancair
LX7, the unsung hero of general aviation. DESIGN OVERVIEW
The LX7 is a thoroughly updated version of the Lancair IV-P with more innovation and upgrades.
RDD Enterprises,
a company that was created to modify Lancair IV-P airplanes into safer, longer-range birds, was
determined to fully obliterate the conventions of modern aircraft and
truly uncover the freedom of flying. And they succeeded. They found existing
Lancair IV-P with valid operating certificates, took them in house,
removed the tail, removed the wing, striped all the systems out, including the engine,
landing gear, and instrument panel,
and started fresh. Here is the result. The new LX7 looks a lot like a Cirrus SR22
or Lancair clone with far better performance and, apparently, a skyhigh price tag to match.
It offers breathtaking performance, unparalleled flight efficiency and a high level of
combined safety and innovation. With new engines, props, windshields,
wings, and tails made from modern materials in a specialized facility,
the LX7’s is far more capable than they ever were. EXTERIOR/DESIGN
The LX7 relies on modern carbon-fiber construction for light weight, structural strength,
and corrosion resistance.
It looks sleek and powerful on the ramp with its streamlined and appealing body. That muscular
look is accentuated by a long, thin cowl, and the wide chord of its
four-blade MT prop. Fit and finish are outstanding, and a clear coat over the
three-color paint scheme provides high gloss. Even the electrically
heated leading edges of the elliptical wings, horizontal tail,
and engine inlet are smooth to the touch because the heating system is embedded in carbon fiber,
giving the aircraft a very classy look. The heroic looking
aircraft has a height of 10 feet, a length of 2- feet, and a 34-foot wing span.
The elliptical wing shape is meant for high efficiency, and LED lights
are embedded into the wing to reduce drag, which also gives it an elegant touch.
The new wing has the same area as the old, just 98 square feet, but
the airfoil is new, the leading edge is created from a cuff that helps ensure uniformity,
and it comes fitted with double-slotted flaps that
dramatically reduce stall speed. New flying surfaces for the entire
aircraft have been carefully engineered to enhance the responsiveness of
the flight controls and maintain optimal cruise speed and increased range.
The LX7 has a larger, stronger vertical stabilizer and a smaller rudder.
A step on the left side of the fuselage leads up to the left wing, and
sliding into the cockpit requires some contortions. The relatively
small pilot’s-side door makes sense for a pressurized airplane, but getting in without
stepping on the leather seat is tricky. INTERIOR
Pilots and passengers benefit from the creative and beautiful interior designs,
utilizing the best available materials.
Fine craftsmanship and attention to detail combine to create a sanctuary
that is both soothing and visually appealing.
With the LX7’s custom interior design and luxurious features like hand-crafted heated
leather seats, ergonomic cabin controls, and a pressurized cabin, you’ll always fly First Class.
The four-place cabin is roomy and comfortable inside once occupants
get inside through a single door on the pilot’s side, which can be inelegant for
the unpracticed. Two handles (and nine locking mechanisms) secure
the door, and the airbag seatbelt crosses your chest and waist and
connects at a single point, like in a car. Its pressurization system has a maximum 5.2
psi differential that maintains an 8,400-foot cabin up to 25,000
feet. An air conditioner cools the interior, and its operation is reminiscent
of that of a car thermostat: set the desired temperature and leave it.
All four seats are heated for the frigid seasons to provide additional
comfort for everyone and the large windows accommodate a great view
from the pressurized capsule that is capable of transcontinental flights.
Over-the-nose visibility is good for the pilots, and a side stick
control provides pilot input. A power quadrant fitted with a thrust reverse lever is one of the
hallmarks of a Lancair LX7 turboprop. AVIONICS
Sit in the cockpit and you’ll know something is different. The instrument panel looks
beautifully organized and sophisticated.
Equipped with 2 or 3 Garmin G3X Touch panels, the avionics set will leave you wanting nothing
and enjoying everything when flying this ultimate aircraft.
The all-Garmin instrument panel provides exceptional situational awareness and
consists of Digital Audio Panel, WAAS GPS/Comm/Nav Radio, Engine &
Fuel Monitoring systems, ADS-B Out Transponder and ADS-B In Weather & Traffic.
Grand Rapids Technology Digital Back-up EFIS including
Synthetic Vision and Dedicated Emergency Power Supply is part of the avionics.
Moreover, Autopilot includes Electronic Stability & Protection, Dual AHRS and Autopilot Stall
Protection. ENGINE
The LX7 is an aircraft that advances the flying experience on so many
different levels for both piston and turboprop engines. As a customer,
you also get your options in engine choices. A standard LX-7 will come with
a 350-HP TSIO-550E continental engine capable of cruising at 250 knots and
taking you as far as 2400 nautical miles. Opt for the Pratt & Whitney
Canada PT6A-28 turboprop engine, ranging from 500 to 750-horsepower,
and you’re in a different class of business. The turbine LX7-20 will cruise
at 28-knots true and take you as far as 1400 nautical miles with full tanks.
The four-blade, full-feathering MT propeller is electrically heated for ice
protection, and its wide-chord blades provide rapid acceleration and deceleration on the ground,
and in flight. PERFORMANCE
The Lancair IV-P was built for speed and speed alone. Keeping the airplane’s remarkable speed and
aerodynamic efficiency while making it more forgiving and safer resulted in the LX7.
Be ready to take control
of an aerodynamic modern airframe that’s designed to elevate performance to new
levels for both piston and turboprop power plants.
The LX7 will obediently fly slowly if that’s what you ask of it, but it’s eager to go fast.
On takeoff, one cannot use full power because there is so much
power and it comes on so fast that the airplane would turn hard left if the
power lever is shoved full forward. Even at reduced power, it only takes a
few seconds to get to rotation speed and the airplane gets off the ground in just 700 feet.
Elevator and aileron trim on a stick-mounted hat switch are even and smooth,
and the airplane has a solid and stable character that belies its
greyhound appearance. Highly effective flaps make the LX7 more stable than
the IV-P at low airspeeds and radically reduce its stall speed.
An extra wing flap area enhances the cruise performance and helps control landing speeds.
Slow flight, both in cruise and landing configurations, is much
better. RDD’s goals were to dramatically improve the IV-P’s stall behavior and
reduce stall and therefore approach speeds. The
listed stall speed is 63-knots. Aural warnings provide increasingly
urgent alerts to impending stalls, and recovery is immediate with the
instant hurricane the fan out front provides. The propeller also serves as
an anchor-like air brake, so there are no speed brakes on the airframe.
The avionics intelligently prevent pilots from errantly deploying flaps at
excessive speed by blocking their movement above 160-knots.
Another impossible-to-ignore aural warning is meant to prevent gear-up landings.
The secret to the LX7’s long range is its massive fuel tanks that can hold 180 gallons of avgas,
twice as much as an SR22.
The fuel is carried in a system that automatically switches tanks to keep the load level, which the
company says gives it a coast-to-coast range without refueling.
Used single-engine turboprops such as six-seat
Daher TBM 700s, Piper Meridians, and JetProps can be had for similar prices,
but they typically consume far more fuel and have less range.
Payload with full fuel is 320 pounds, but owners can easily carry more by adding less
fuel. The empty weight is said to be 2,350 pounds,
and the max gross weight is 3,750 pounds. Now comes the best part of this airplane,
its speed. RDD claims the LX7 will boast a 260-knots max cruise speed
at FL 250 at best power (24 GPH) and 250 knots at best economy (18 GPH). Yes,
I did just say 250 knots at 18 GPH in a single engine piston.
The turbine LX7 can do 285 knots true at 20,000 feet, while the
piston does 260 knots true at the same altitude. The LX7 provides increased
safety and improved handling of this legendary airframe, while updating
the navigation and electronics to provide a truly modern flight experience.
When you have an aircraft that’s as extraordinary as the LX7, traveling extended
distances at faster speeds is pretty routine. It has a fully integrated emergency oxygen
system that reduces the pilot's workload during an emergency. The
pressurized cabin helps reduce fatigue for both the pilot and
passengers while enabling flight at higher altitudes with a greater degree of safety.
With the LX7’s long list of advanced features, the crew can enjoy
greater peace of mind during flight. VARIANTS
The LX7 is the foundational model of the LX series of aircraft, featuring
the high-performance Continental TSIO-550-E piston engine,
a pressurized cabin environment, and retractable tricycle landing gear.
The pistonpowered LX7 produces 350 horsepower for take-off and climb,
directing that power smoothly to a metal Hartzell constant speed propeller.
It has an empty weight of 2350 lbs. with a max gross weight of 3,750 lbs.
The LX7-A consists of fixed landing gear and can be described as simplicity and performance
together in harmony.
A lighter basic airframe and a piston or turbine engine option give you a great degree of freedom
with the LX7-A. The main gear is constructed from a solid piece of aluminum and is
attached robustly to one of the main spars of the wing.
This solid connection assures the integrity of the assembly and keeps the cost of
manufacturing to a minimum, which is a win for you as a customer.
Building on the LX7 foundation, the LX7-20 provides additional
cruise performance and turbine engine pilot workload reduction. A smooth application of
550 Shaft Horsepower (SHP) will rapidly accelerate the -20 model
to flying speed and provide a spirited rate of climb while maintaining the
confidence of the pilot and passengers through positive
control handling and feedback. The -20 is also perfectly suited to operate at FL180
with a 4500-foot cabin altitude making it one of the fastest and safest aircraft available.
The LX7 Turboprop challenges all other aircraft for speed,
efficiency and low cost of operation. MARKET
In an age when new piston singles regularly top $1 million,
an "as-new" turboprop with dramatically higher performance at the same price is intriguing.
RDD says a five-day training course is available for either the turbine or piston versions.
Price for the 550-HP PT6A-powered version is
$980,000 complete, with the piston example (with a Continental TSIO-550-E) priced
at $821,000 PROS
Safety of the occupants is the highest goal of the design of the LX7. Therefore,
pilot centric workload reducing features in the aircraft range from
dual-redundant main spar structures in the wing, to a whole aircraft
parachute system, standard airframe deicing equipment, and
a fully integrated emergency oxygen system. The LX7 incorporates everything you may want plus many
things you need to reduce workload and enable the pilot to make better decisions.
Moreover, LX7 parts are so similar from airplane to airplane that they can be interchanged from
one airplane to another.
To ensure customers ease, the LX7-20 provides
additional flight time between scheduled maintenance and an
engine exchange program at regularly scheduled major inspections in order
to keep you flying, and not waiting for parts to arrive or inspections to
be completed. CONS
Small wings and big engines make for very fast aircraft with high wing
loadings and glide ratios not much better than the proverbial brick.
If the engine stops for whatever reason, the crash dynamics are often not
very good. CONCLUSION
To conclude, the LX7 was designed to be a faster and safer aircraft than the IV-P,
and it succeeded. It takes a powerful imagination, technical
expertise, and unwavering ingenuity to create such a superior aircraft with
breath-taking performance and unmatched flight efficiency.