What is the best – regardless of cost – that can go onto the G-reg LAA scheme and be IFR certified?
I think the Lancairs are hard to beat when it comes to speed. The Lancair IV P is a very capable aircraft. However I think that most of them operated in Europe are N-reg.
Just an opinion:
1. RV10 Four seater 260HP 170 kts @75% ROC 1450ft/min. First one cleared for IFR by UK LAA.
2. RV14 Two seater 210HP 170kts @75% ROC 1500ft/min. Don’t see any reason why this type wont be cleared, just none ready yet.
3. RV9 Two seater 160HP 160kts @ 75% ROC 1400ft/min. First one cleared for IFR by UK LAA.
Be hard to argue there is anything much better than the RV10. When you see the performance they offer, 4 up out of tiny strips and then the cruise speed. Hard not to be impressed.
The nice thing about the RV series (and why they get such a lot of love) is that they are entirely conventional to build, not requiring exotic tooling or chemical processes and feasable to build by most people who are capable of assembling, say, a radio controlled model aircraft – and also pretty quick while also having very good low speed handling, don’t require above average piloting skills, and are also straightforward to maintain and entirely conventional to maintain, and they look good too.
A pretty hard to beat combination.
One should also throw into the pot that it must be able to land at say Zell am See, say 500-600m tarmac, and that rules out anything with dodgy low speed handling / fictional “60kt” Vs. Otherwise, a great deal of utility value is lost.
+1 for the RV series.
Lancairs and Glasairs are great if the mission is in straight lines between IFR equipped runways.
Zenith’s, and the various cub and kitfox derivatives probably aren’t IFR certifiable and in any case, aren’t built for long distance flying (I’d love one as a second aeroplane for local bimbling…).
My opinion on comparing the RVs:
RV9
RV10
RV12
RV14
For me, the 14 was an easy choice – I just about never use my 4 seats but I often carry a lot of kit, I want to be able to fly aerobatics and do instrument approaches and the view will be amazing flying around the Scottish mountains.
The Falco is an all round impressive aircraft. None are YET on the LAA IFR list and payload varies enormously depending on who built it….
However, if I were to build an aircraft it would probably be an RV10. It doesn’t handle anywhere near as nicely as the Falco but does offer enormous practicality.
Lancairs look great but are not for short runways. I used to have a hanger neighbour with one at Denham (750m) and he moved out because of the “short” runway.
i guess this should be fast!! but it is only 2 seats Glasair III Turbine, G-ICBM