Lancair Evolution

The Lancair Evolution is an American pressurized, low wing, four-place, single engine light aircraft, made from carbon fiber composite, developed by Lancair and supplied as an amateur-built kit by Evolution Aircraft.[1][4][5][6]

Evolution
Role Kit aircraft
National origin United States
Manufacturer Lancair
Evolution Aircraft
First flight 21 March 2008
Introduction July 2009
Status Production completed (October 2017)
Number built 1 piston Evolution (2011)[1]
+70 turbine Evolutions (Sep 2016)[2]
Unit cost
US$1.0M (completed turbine-powered aircraft, 2015)[3]

The Evolution can be powered by a Lycoming TEO-540-A piston engine or a Pratt & Whitney PT6-135A turboprop powerplant.[1][4][5][7][8]

Development

The Evolution was designed to meet the same FAR Part 23 aircraft certification standards that type certified aircraft comply with. The kit includes energy absorbing seats.[4]

The aircraft is pressurized and was designed for a 6.5 psi (0.45 bar) differential pressure, giving an 8,000 ft (2,438 m) cabin pressure at its maximum altitude of 28,000 ft (8,534 m).[9]

The turbine version of the Evolution is powered by the 750 hp (559 kW) Pratt & Whitney PT6A-135A and has a maximum cruise of 300 kn (556 km/h) at 25,000 ft (7,620 m) on a fuel burn of 39 US gal (148 l) per hour of Jet-A. Cruising at an economy cruise of 270 kn (500 km/h) at 28,000 ft (8,534 m) it burns 23 US gal (87 l) per hour. It has a full-fuel payload of 837 lb (380 kg) and a 61 kn (113 km/h) flaps-down stall speed.[8]

The piston version is powered by a Lycoming TEO-540-A2A engine and has a maximum cruising speed of 270 kn (500 km/h) on a fuel burn of 22 US gal (83 l) per hour of avgas. At an economy cruise speed of 240 kn (444 km/h) the fuel flow is 17.5 US gal (66 l) per hour. It has a full-fuel payload of 773 lb (351 kg) and a 61 kn (113 km/h) flaps-down stall speed.[7] A second piston variant was introduced in April 2016, powered by a Lycoming iE2 engine of 350 hp (261 kW).[10]

The first customer kit was delivered on 22 July 2008 and production was planned at that time for two kits per month.[11] By December 2011 one piston model and 15 turbine models had been completed and flown. Construction time from the supplied kit is estimated as 1000 hours.[1]

In April 2017 the manufacturer announced new turboprop engine options for the design. The Evolution Turbine can be fitted with three different variants of the Pratt & Whitney PT6 turboprop powerplant producing 550 hp (410 kW), 750 hp (559 kW) and 867 hp (647 kW), respectively. The latter version cruises at 330 kn (611 km/h).[12]

The manufacturer issued a statement on 5 October 2017 indicting that they were going through a restructuring and had laid off 22 of its 49 employees on 3 October 2017.[13] The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association reported on 19 October 2017 that the company was apparently out of business, citing inability to obtain product liability insurance following a fatal accident.[14] On 26 October 2017 Aero News Network reported that the company was "for sale. And while reports last week of the company being closed appeared to be premature, the kit maker is certainly struggling" and seeking a buyer. ANN reported also that the company has been unable to obtain insurance due to high-profile accidents.[15] On 4 November 2017 the company indicated in an interview in The Bend Bulletin, that they were still in limited operations, "focused on fulfilling customer commitments" and were seeking investors.[16] On 22 May 2018 Flying reported that the company had shut down, but that an unrelated company, Elite Pilot Services, was providing owners with technical support.[17]

Specifications (Evolution with PT6)
Evolution instrument panel

Data from Lancair and Kitplanes[1][8][18]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Capacity: three passengers
  • Length: 30 ft (9.1 m)
  • Wingspan: 37 ft (11 m)
  • Height: 10 ft (3.0 m)
  • Wing area: 132 sq ft (12.3 m2)
  • Empty weight: 2,350 lb (1,066 kg)
  • Gross weight: 4,350 lb (1,973 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 168 U.S. gallons (640 L; 140 imp gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney PT6A-135A turboprop aircraft engine, 750 hp (560 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 220 mph (350 km/h, 190 kn) maximum cruise speed (indicated airspeed)
  • Cruise speed: 350 mph (560 km/h, 300 kn) true airspeed
  • Stall speed: 70 mph (113 km/h, 61 kn) flaps down
  • Never exceed speed: 295 mph (474 km/h, 256 kn) indicated airspeed
  • Range: 1,304 mi (2,098 km, 1,133 nmi) at maximum cruise speed
  • Service ceiling: 28,000 ft (8,500 m) limited by RVSM
  • Rate of climb: 4,000 ft/min (20 m/s)
  • Wing loading: 33.0 lb/sq ft (161 kg/m2)

See also
Related Aircraft

References
  1. Vandermeullen, Richard: 2012 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide, Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 58. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  2. "Evolution presentation". evolutionaircraft. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  3. Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015–16, page 113. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X
  4. Lancair International (2012). "Performance Evolved..." Retrieved 20 October 2012.
  5. Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011–12, page 106. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
  6. Grady, Mary (14 February 2017). "Lancair Brand Under New Ownership". AVweb. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
  7. Lancair International (2012). "Evolution Piston Specs". Retrieved 12 December 2012.
  8. Lancair International (2012). "Evolution Turbine Specs". Retrieved 12 December 2012.
  9. Lancair International (April 2009). "LANCAIR'S EVOLUTION AIRCRAFT COMPLETES A MAJOR TESTING PHASE with FLYING COLORS". Archived from the original on 2008-12-16. Retrieved 2009-09-28.
  10. "Lancair Debuts Piston Evolution". AVweb. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  11. Lancair International (July 2008). "First Evolution Kit Delivered". Archived from the original on 2008-12-16. Retrieved 2009-09-28.
  12. Rapoport, Geoff (28 April 2017). "Evolution Adds Two More PT6 Options". AVweb. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  13. "Evolution Aircraft Company Re-organization Under Way". Evolution Aircraft. 5 October 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  14. "Evolution Aircraft Co. appears to have shuttered". www.aopa.org. 19 October 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  15. "Buyer Sought For Evolution Aircraft – Aero-News Network". www.aero-news.net. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  16. Ditzler, Joe (4 November 2017). "Evolution seeking buyers a month after layoffs". The Bulletin. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  17. "Evolution Service Network Emerges as Evolution Aircraft Shuts Down". Flying Magazine. 22 May 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  18. Editors (March 2014), Pilot's Operating Handbook and Airplane Flight Manual (PDF), Evolution, Redmond, Oregon: Lancair International, Inc., archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-05-13, retrieved 2015-09-06CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
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