Lancair Introduces Turbine Rocket

After a couple years of development, Lancair unveiled its most technologically advanced kitplane at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh. The Evolution is a 338-knot, four-place pressurized aircraft that employs virtually all the latest avionics, safety and performance innovations. Despite its blinding speed, the Evolution was designed with the average pilot and builder in mind. "We tried to make the safest airplane possible," said Lancair spokesman Tim Ong. The Evolution is equipped with a BRS parachute recovery system and Amsafe airbag seatbelts. It's also designed to Part 23 standards so it stalls at 61 knots. Ong said the kit is designed with as many systems as possible integrated into the composite structures to make building easier and faster. Cost is $250,000 for the kit, minus engine.

The aircraft is designed for a 900-shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 and that's by far the biggest ticket item in the project. A new PT6 will run around $500,000, so Ong believes most builders will be looking to the used market for an engine. "They'll be looking at mid-time Pratts because of cost," he said. Builders will have their choice of Garmin or Chelton avionics. As of Wednesday, four kits had been sold.