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LX7-20 turboprop

This last came up here and dates back to around 2016. It seems to be a reincarnation of a Lancair project, but I can’t tell where the company, RDD Enterprises, comes from.

They appear to be taking in Lancair IV-P airframes and modding them, with the PT6, new wings, and various other bits

The specs are amazing, as one would expect for a small airframe with a PT6, but it is also economical and has a good range of 1200nm at 290kt, at 25000ft.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Recent AOPA article here

It’s a interesting business model, no factory-built aircraft certification required to sell the plane to a consumer because you’re reworking an existing homebuilt, with an existing experimental category airworthiness certificate. The work can be done by anybody without violating the E-AB 51% requirement, there is no great FAA restriction or configuration control on anybody modifying existing FAA homebuilts. The applicable FAA advisory circular is here with the relevant text as follows.

If the modification to a flying homebuilt is really substantial, post-mod notification to the local FAA FSDO and assignment of a test flight area are required, but that’s about it. No DAR involvement as far as I can tell.

Last Edited by Silvaire at 03 Jan 22:42

It also exist with a IO550 turbo, consumes a bit less and still jet approach speed… It is definitely on my Christmas list.

LFMD, France

A PT6 will totally outclass an IO550 in every way, however They also claim much more usable approach speeds (read: the LX7 version won’t try to kill you every time you go below 100kt).

In Europe, the legal /practical issues are just like the Lancair Evolution. Nearly useless without IFR, but IFR would be illegal in most of European airspace. So far, there are only around 3 Evolutions flying in Europe, with Mode S / ADS-B OUT and showing up in the IFR system. Two of them are known to be owned by highly wealthy individuals…

One Q might be whether the build quality of a Lancair IV-P is anything like good enough. The LX7 website says they encounter a wide variation in build quality, which is to be expected with a homebuilt composite airframe. Whereas, the Evo I saw, was beautifully built – obviously factory built and to a higher standard than is normal in composite certified GA. The Lancairs I have seen were … different

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

There are some videos on YouTube. low speed handling is great!

LSGG, LFEY, Switzerland

Cruise of 290-315 kts and fuel burn of 40gal per h (turbine version). Max fl250, small cabin, non-certified, not sure about icing capabilities. How to get maintenance support?

In my opinion, big hassle for a few knots more than what a similarly priced jetprop or meridian offers, that almost anyone can work on in case something breaks.

Switzerland

How to get maintenance support?

It’s a homebuilt…

that almost anyone can work on in case something breaks.

Most PA46 owners I know fly back to the same maintenance company for anything to be fixed. This is one reason I don’t have a Jetprop.

The biggest issue, as posted further above, is no IFR in most of Europe.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Peter, I respectfully disagree. Homebuilt means either you, the owner, will be very involved or the plane will not be dependable. Ask me me how I know…

certified and somewhat common types means there are people in your country that can work on it independently and you can trust to have a certain standard of quality.

Switzerland

The first is very true.
The second is variable

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

The second is variable

Yeah true. I guess there are counterexamples to my statement, and I have experienced these, too. But on average I think it is a true statement that the quality of maintenance is better for certified and common types when the owner is hands off compared to when you are a hands off owner of an LX7 in Europe :)

Switzerland
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