Lancair ejection seat.
- Thread starter Let'sgoflying!
- Start date
wilkersk
Pattern Altitude
I'm thinking that "ejection seat" warning placard is about the same functionality as the chemtrails control unit.
The 320 & 360 kits were the same, just depends if you were going to hang a 320 or 360 on it, and it looks like he hung a 360 on it, so by all rights it's a Lancair 360.
Flying Viking
Pre-takeoff checklist
Would a 360 be a good first plane to buy? They are relatively inexpensive and seem to have excellent performance.
Of course a proper check-out is assumed, given the high wing loading etc.
Of course a proper check-out is assumed, given the high wing loading etc.
Maverick
Line Up and Wait
I would agree! When I worked at General Dynamics Land Systems one of my coworkers put a sticker from and M1 tank on the visor of his car. The sticker said something to effect of "Warning, this vehicle will pivot steer when in neutral.
I'm sure that got a few funny looks when he took his car in for service.
Jean
Depends if it has the small tail or later big tail. How much experience do you have? If you are a 100hr PP and are comfortable with navigation and all the rest and reasonably sharp, but only experienced with 152/172/PA-28... type planes, you could expect 10 hrs before you're comfortable in it. I would suggest you use an aerobatic instructor so you can safely explore the edges of the flight envelope and go beyond so you see how it reacts, and learn how to recover if you get there accidentally. They are not particularly difficult to control, but you are riding a thoroughbred, not a kids horse, and if you don't know how to treat it, it will get the better of you. The big tail tamed down some of the nastier points of personality though. It wasn't designed to excel at aerobatics, but it does the basics competently enough. Getting to the point of IFR competency is dependent on more factors than the plane, but it makes a decent IFR platform as it was designed to be an economical traveling machine, and it does excel at that. It's on my list of planes to own, just stick a BRS in it.
Flying Viking
Pre-takeoff checklist
Thank you - useful information on the tail, I didn't know it came in two different configurations. I'm a 200 hr VFR pilot, 150 of those in a 172, the rest in the DA-40. I will add at least another 50 hours before buying (getting the IR among other things), and I don't mind a 10 hour check-out...training should be to proficiency, after all.
The intent is to use this as a two person XC machine until I can afford to build my own Glasair III (BRS definitely included). It seems to do that job really well.
My suggestion if you are serious about buying is buy it before your IR and train in it so you are up to speed IFR in it. That way when you finish your IR ride, you will already have 40 hours of instrument time in it and will be **** hot at it when you launch alone into IMC the first time. IMC is no joke, most of the time it's no big deal, especially with an autopilot, but when things start going wrong and you lose the AP as part of it, you best be **** hot in that machine.
BTW, you don't want a nice guy for your CFII, you want Satan.
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Thats pretty funny right there. A wise old man told me once there is a little bit of truth in all good humor.
Ted
The pilot formerly known as Twin Engine Ted
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I was considering a Lancair 360 for my first plane back when I had 200 hours. It's a great plane. Just get good training and stay sharp, don't try to go too slow with it. Put in an AoA to help avoid stalls.
The only reason I didn't buy one was because I ended up deciding to buy a de-iced twin and fly dogs around.
The only reason I didn't buy one was because I ended up deciding to buy a de-iced twin and fly dogs around.
Neal Howard
Cleared for Takeoff
Alright, I'm going to say it... a Lancair 320/360 is a terrible choice for a first plane for a low time pilot. It's a very high performance airplane with very sensitive controls and is quite a handful of a plane to safely fly unless you are very experienced with such a hotrod airplane. A buddy of mine has one, 360 small tail, the name painted on the sides is "The Bullet". And it flies like one.
I have some 1300 hours now, almost 400 in tailwheel RVs in which I'm completely comfortable and trying to fly the Lancair was a scary handful for me. A two axis autopilot is a must-have on this plane it is so twitchy. Landing it, you come down final at 100 mph, and over the fence at 90 and it's dropping like a rock. And it uses up most of our 3000' runway. I hate to think of an off-airport forced landing in the thing. A new, low-time pilot needs to finish learning how to fly airplanes in more forgiving aircraft before going off to kill himself in an exotic hotrod like a Lancair
I have some 1300 hours now, almost 400 in tailwheel RVs in which I'm completely comfortable and trying to fly the Lancair was a scary handful for me. A two axis autopilot is a must-have on this plane it is so twitchy. Landing it, you come down final at 100 mph, and over the fence at 90 and it's dropping like a rock. And it uses up most of our 3000' runway. I hate to think of an off-airport forced landing in the thing. A new, low-time pilot needs to finish learning how to fly airplanes in more forgiving aircraft before going off to kill himself in an exotic hotrod like a Lancair
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Like I said, the Mk II tail went a long way at taming that, it really makes it a different handling plane.
Let'sgoflying!
Touchdown! Greaser!
How is cockpit space and seat comfort?
Is the 320 airframe mostly the same as the '360'?
Is the 320 airframe mostly the same as the '360'?
Ted
The pilot formerly known as Twin Engine Ted
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320 and 360 are the same airplane. I found the cockpit comfortable at my height and build (6'2"/180 lbs). It's a 2-seater, so it's not exactly spacious, but I did find it comfortable and would do a long trip in one.
I was considering buying one so I could fly places myself cheaply. Florida for the weekend, etc. If that's what you want to do, it's hard to beat.
Space is tight. Useful load is small.
My 235 has the same cockpit width as our RV-9a but less headroom. I find the 235 very comfortable for long cross countries as the seat is reclined back like a beach chair. I find it more comfortable than our RV but my wife thinks the RV is more comfortable. Of course she might prefer the RV as it has seat heat and she can see over the glareshield.
They are inexpensive to own and operate. I can operate the 235/320 cheaper than the Cessna 150 I owned for a while.
Performance is 2000 fpm initial climb, 120 kt 1000 fpm climb through 8000 or better, 180 kt cruise at 8 gpm or less above 10k. With o2 I can easily climb to 17k on flights over an hour.
Proper checkout is an absolute by a qualified cfi with time in type.
There is alot of truth here. I bought mine at 100 hours private only. I got a 10 hour checkout with a Lancair certified instructor - the best instructor I have ever had by far. There were a lot of go arounds at first. I didn't feel comfortable in it for probably a couple hundred hours. I am absolutely certain I would have crashed on first flight without the transition training.
The Lancair is doable for a low time pilot but I agree the RV would be a much better choice for a low time pilot.
Like climbing into an MGB. You have adequate room to be comfortable, but not much more, but that's just fine because the fit is a nice one.
Compare it to what it is, a very nice 2 seat sport touring vehicle.
Yup, bunn warmers with little buttons in the panel to activate pilot or copilot side. It also has an effective cabin heat unlike the Lancairs heat which is so ineffective I don't bother turning it on. I put heated glove liners in the Lancair.
I hate using Janitrol type heaters so I had electric socks in my Travelair.
Ted
The pilot formerly known as Twin Engine Ted
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The 310's heater (C&D combustion heater) is very effective. However I've definitely found myself wanting seat heaters. I've thought about just putting seat covers on with them as a "non-installed" setup.
Would you be interested in hot water heat? I was going to develop an STC on my 310 using a heat exchange coill of copper nickel tubing wrapped snug around the exhaust and wrapped with heat wrap tape and use two heater cores, one in the cabin to provide heat, and one in the nose to throttle the temp and replace the Janitrol heater with an equivalent round tank with enough coolant to equal the weight of the heater. Then the loop circulates through belt driven coolant pump off the back of the engine.
With the big cabin Cessnas coming back, there's a growing market. Nobody likes a gas burner heater that I know.
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Flying Viking
Pre-takeoff checklist
Thanks guys - a lot of useful information here.
How about a really hot redhead instead?
How about a really hot redhead instead?
Ted
The pilot formerly known as Twin Engine Ted
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I would be more interested in a full electric HVAC. But even with dual 150A alternators (8.4 kW total), it'd probably be hard to make it work.
Edit: or maybe it would work. I could pretty easily devote 5kW to heat, and that should get me 10,000+ btu.
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If she is a **** hot corporate pilot with 15,000 hours+ PIC in biz jets, gets in the plane with a riding crop and tells you to pull your penis out through your zipper and lay it in your lap, then proceeds to smack it sharply with the riding crop every time you bust spec or start making fixation errors; then yes, she is your instructor.
Flying Viking
Pre-takeoff checklist
If I knew the IR would be this much fun, I would have started it a long time ago!
Neal Howard
Cleared for Takeoff
I think I'd much rather prefer electric heated seats than getting my junk horse-whipped by a redheaded dominatrix on a cold day, especially while flying my plane. Maybe I'm just getting old, but the heated seats in my Audi are really soothing and comfy in the wintertime. I've often thought about putting seat heaters in my RV6, but I'd need to upgrade the 35 amp alternator to handle them.
How about if you were sitting in a heated seat getting your junk horse whipped?
Let'sgoflying!
Touchdown! Greaser!
hmm, I like to fidget - you know - shift about a bit, change positions over long flights. Not sure fighter seating would suit. Does the seat recline?
It is always reclined, GT sport touring type car seating, you're pretty laid back. I have gone through 2 back surgeries, lower and neck, and I did just fine on 4 hr cross countries in my friend's.
Let'sgoflying!
Touchdown! Greaser!
I guess what I mean is, can the seat be adjusted in flight? I don't like being at the same angle/height/fore-aftness. Or is it bolted down and fixed in position?
It's experimental, it can have whatever you want to put in there. I could build out a seat frame where the seat back has adjustability, yes. It adds complication and weight, but it wouldn't be prohibitive. Height adds yet greater complexity and would likely not be worth it.
I'd look at adapting something from Reccaro.
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Neal Howard
Cleared for Takeoff
I'll have to think about that for a minute.
The seat is typically a relatively thin cushion on top of a composite structure. The wing spar is under the lower third of your femur, your bottom is just above the belly skin, there is a composite skin at a 45 degree or so angle from your bottom to the top of a structural member at the tip of the seat back so it is not adjustable. It is quite comfortable though.
Here is a Legacy which is similar but larger and more spacious...
http://myjetreview.com/html/10-lancair-legacy_.html
StevieTimes
Line Up and Wait
+1 on heated seats over having my junk horse-whipped.
I seriously have never, ever, uttered that sentence in my whole life. I wonder if that's the first time ever in the history of humanity that sentence has been created?
PLEASE don't let this become a poll...
Would you rather have:
a> heated seats
b> your junk horse-whipped
I'm afraid to see the results.