Marc Cook

Getting a handle on it; by Marc Cook.

Lancair Aircraft is revolutionizing its already successful turboprop line of kits with the new Evolution, a 750-horsepower, Pratt & Whitney-PT6A-powered, carbon-fiber composite, 380-mph four-seater to be available later this year.

Lancair Aircraft is revolutionizing its already successful turboprop line of kits with the new Evolution, a 750-horsepower, Pratt & Whitney-PT6A-powered, carbon-fiber composite, 380-mph four-seater to be available later this year.

This brand new power management system harnesses CPU power to eliminate the need for much of an aircrafts wiring by consolidating major electrical functions into a single box. It comprises three units: a display, controller module/panel housing and mag controller. Bundled into the setup are radios, instruments (including GPS, EFIS and engine monitoring) and lights. Each flight phase is broken down into the tasks normally performed manually by the pilot, and the VP-200 addresses them more or less automatically, while also providing override capability in the event of a system failure.

Taking a measured, conservative approach to the development of new technologies and basing decisions on real-world experience rather than hearsay is the best way to move forward in homebuilding.

Contributing Editor Rick Lindstroms Zodiac 601XL made its show debut at Sun N Fun this year. It represents the first of the new quickbuild kits from Zenith Aircraft to be completed. This 601 is powered by a William Wynne-modified Corvair engine driving a Sensenich wood prop. Lindstrom says his 601 cruises at 105 knots while burning under 6 gph. Follow the story of Lindstroms project beginning in the June issue of KITPLANES.…

After the press conference today at Sun N Fun, Comp Air president Ron Lueck told journalists that a gentleman with a distinct Swiss accent had looked at the Comp Air 12 at the company's outdoor display and said, simply, You cant do that. It doesn't take much imagination to assume the man was thinking of the Pilatus PC-12 and the possible confusion with the massive composite from Merritt Island, Florida. Lueck chuckled at the…

Tuesday at Sun N Fun, Lycoming's Senior Vice President and General Manager, Ian Walsh, announced a continuation of the company's revitalization begun in 2004. Current projects for Experimentals include the Thunderbolt line, which is undergoing refinement and expansion of the options and a big push forward with the IO-580 powerplant. In addition, Walsh announced that Lycoming has received funding from parent company Textron ...

Mating a prop to an engine requires more than a big wrench and some safety wire. Follow along on a real propeller vibration test.

Welcome to the first of what we expect to be many web-based updates on KITPLANES big project for the year, the construction of a...