We took off from Camarillo under calm, clear blue skies. The hillsides along the coast of Southern California displayed a panoply of colors — bright-green grasses mixed with expansive patches of purple, yellow and orange flowers. The last time I was in Camarillo in a Lancair Evolution, the airplane had a big Pratt & Whitney PT6A up front and the hills were brown. During this flight, it was not just the view that was significantly different.
We Fly: Lancair Evolution Piston
Key Takeaways:
- The Lancair Evolution Piston is a new, more affordable version of the high-performance Evolution aircraft, equipped with a powerful Lycoming iE2 piston engine but utilizing the same advanced composite airframe as its turbine sibling.
- It offers a lower entry cost (around $895,000 ready-to-fly) while delivering impressive speed (223 knots true), exceptional range (e.g., California to Hawaii capable), and a pressurized cabin.
- A significant benefit is the aircraft's modular design, allowing owners to later upgrade to a turbine engine using the same airframe, and its experimental status permits extensive customization and rapid modifications.
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