Transportation Services Consulting

LANCAIR IVP

N100DQ "Dairy Queen"

Winner of the last Wright Brothers Award 1995

Cover Plane:

Private Pilot (Aug 1995)

Kitplanes (May 1996)

Design News (Sept 1995)

NAA speed record from Atlanta GA to Dayton OH in 1:16 at 337MPH.

Lancair IVP  N100DQ

PERFORMANCE

• 325MPH @Best Power = 22GPH = 282KTAS @24000' = 4.5hrs = 1269NM (30min reserve) 317MPH @Economy (65%) = 17.5GPH = 275KTAS @24000' = 5.7hrs = 1556NM (30min reserve) No Wind
• Stall Speed (minimum) 64 IAS
• Glide Ratio approx. 7.0-1
• Wing Loading 34 lbs/sq. ft.
• Power Loading 9.71 lbs/h.p.      

SPECIFICATIONS

• Length 25 ft.
• Wingspan 30.2 ft.
•  Height 8.0 ft.
• Max Gross Wt                       3400 lbs
• Empty Weight                       2251 lbs
• Usable Fuel capacity 114 Gal    667 lbs
• Useful load w/ Full fuel  -         482  lbs
• Wing Area 98 sq. ft.
• Aspect Ratio 9 : 1
• Washout 2.0°

ENGINE

• Continental TSIO-550B (350 h.p. @38", 2700 rpm) twin turbo & twin intercooled.
• 630 SMOH 30 STOH (aircraft is in use so these figures may vary)
• Engine running strong, cool and dry
• Complete exhaust ceramic coating. Including turbos.
• Oil used- Aero Shell 100W Plus
• Oil & filter change interval--25 hours
• Compressions – All High 70’s
• Recent magneto/fuel system overhaul
• Iridium Fine Wire sparkplugs (RHB32S)
• GAMI fuel injector nozzles.
• Engine compartment temperature indicators

PROPELLER

• MTV-14-195/-30B 4blade 75 diameter (German, wood and fiberglass, 45 lb.)
• Installed new 09/12/04
• TTSN 295 hrs (aircraft is in use so these figures may vary)
• Hi-Glo Kevlar Spinner

CABIN

• Air-Conditioned. Refrigerant system allows for door closed cooling on the ground with outside air temperature over 100 degrees.
• Pressurized to 5 PSID Cabin 8500' at FL230 
• Cabin airflow muffler for quiet pressurization. This is a huge benefit.
• Lowest seat position for maximum headset clearance. Another huge benefit if you are above 5'10" tall.
• Oxygen system mounted with individual sidewall pockets for masks. Oxygen available for over 4.5 hours flight with four occupants.
• Cabin Width (interior) Front seats = 46 in./ rear seats = 43 in./ Cabin Height (max)= 48 in. Cabin Length =126 in.  
• Extended baggage space for longer outsize cargo.

AIRFRAME CONSTRUCTION

• Primary structure is carbon fiber/ Nomex honeycomb with high temperature, epoxy based resin systems.
• The Shell DPL 862-TETA ( http://www.avtcomposites.com/resins.php3 ) (12,000 PSI tensile strength) epoxy system was used in laminate construction. Hysol was used as a structural adhesive.
• Electro/hydraulic actuated gear and full slotted fowler flaps.
• Dual side stick controls.  Teakwood grips with hand rest.
• Security system with electrical system/ door and fuel cap locks.
• Single left side cabin entry and baggage access door.
• All windows tinted except windshield. 
• All flight controls are centerline hinged and fully balanced.
• Cabin door operates smoothly & fits flush w/ electric door seal.
• Single piece main gear doors. Carbon upper cowling.
• Baggage area will accommodate skis(185cm) /golf bags /fishing poles. Placarded for 150lbs.
• Baggage door has gas strut that holds the door open.
• Baggage door closed indicating system.
• High-energy brakes allow minimum landing stopping distances slightly over 1000 ft.
• Static wicks.  Eliminates "P" static in radios.
• Full Engine electric pre-heat. Oil Pan and Cylinder bands.
• Direct rudder cable to bellcrank connection.  Gives more control and is much lighter.
• Highly maneuverable on ground. Will pivot on main landing gear.
• Lower footprint due to using the standard wingtips. This gives better ground storage /handling and higher air speeds due to less drag.

AVIONICS

• Garmin GNS 430W (WAAS/GPS/COM/VOR/LOC/GS)
• Garmin MX20 (VFR / IFR low / IFR high charts / Navigator/ TCAD/and Terrain displays)
• XM Weather display on MX20. (GDL 69)
• Ryan TCAD (9900 BX). (Traffic collision avoidance) Registered for upgrade to ADS-B.
• KY-97A com
• KA 134 Audio Panel w/ KR22 Marker Beacon
• KT 76 Transponder
• King DME
• Insight Graphic Engine Monitor (w/ infrared PDA database exchange)
• Insight Strike Finder (Severe Weather Avoidance)
• Clock (w/ ATC and Clearance recorder. 10-minute COM recorder & aural checklists)
• TruTrack full three axis (yaw damper) digital rate base gyro autopilot. GPS Flight plan coupled.
• Standard analog 2 in. United Instruments basic engine instruments.
• All instruments (except vacuum pump) have internal lighting.
• S.I.R.’s Lighted Magnetic Compass
• Mid-Continent Battery backup attitude indicator
• Vacuum for backup DG. (Only instrument on vacuum)
• EI fuel flow
• EI Volt-Amp meter
• JPI FS-450 fuel monitoring system
• Gear up indicating system
• Speed brakes  (variable and controllable on control handle)
• 12V electrical system PS Engineering Stereo Audio Panel
• Alpine XM FM CD entertainment system.
• Bose headsets (Series 10) (front seats)
• Telex 450 (rear seats)
• HID XE-VISION Landing Light
• Cascading Strobe Lights
• Heated Pitot
• 12 volt single battery system

STATISTICS

• First flight December 1994
• Now has 2200 Hours flying time (2/12/11) (aircraft is in use so these figures may vary)
• Time to build - 25 months
• No Fastbuild options were available at that time.
• Built in Redmond , OR under the watchful eye of Lancair personnel including several inspections by Lance Neibauer

Q & A

 I've heard that the Lancair IV is hard to fly. How can I tell if I will be able to fly this airplane safely?

Licensing Requirements are;

A private pilot's license and instrument rating-- with the complex/high-performance/high-altitude endorsements. (if you are not grandfathered in).

To test yourself, you should be reasonably comfortable flying the commercial pilot standards outlined in “faa-s-8081-12b” (Sections I thru XI excluding ASES).

Read http://www.avweb.com/news/ /184264-1.html  and 14 CFR section 61.31(g)  

How much total time do I need?

There are no hard and fast rules, but Insurance companies are adverse to insuring anyone with less than 1200 hrs total time. You should be willing to self-insure if you are a low time pilot.

When looking for a safe and reliable Lancair, what is the best indicator?  

Time and condition. A high time aircraft that has been maintained properly gives assurance that it is a mechanically proven and stable aircraft. Low time is not a good thing. If the airplane is hangar in a T hangar  without climate control-- corrosion and rust may be evident. DQ is in a large insulated hangar with climate control.

Why do I need pressurization?

The Lancair IV P is designed as a four place cross-country aircraft.

 To fly on top of the weather in the high teens and low 20s will give a much more comfortable ride.  And with pressurization you can forgo wearing the cumbersome oxygen mask.

Assuming certain relief capabilities, 5 1/2 hours a pressurized aircraft will give you a much more comfortable flight. You will arrive at your destination much more refreshed and able to make complex decisions. And if you are a business person, you will be able to be on "top of your game" in the business world. Once you fly an airplane with pressurization, you will never willingly go back to a unpressurized aircraft.

Why not just get a Turboprop?

DQ provides Turboprop speeds and altitudes for piston prices. The reliability and accident records are nearly the same between a IV turbine and the piston Lancair IV P. With 114 gallons of fuel on board DQ and with an average fuel consumption of 18 gallons per hour--that gives it 5 1/2 hours endurance with reserves.

DQ has flown from Fargo North Dakota to Daytona Beach Florida in 4 hours 40 minutes (1300 nm nonstop).  On arrival, when I filled the fuel tanks, I had one hour fuel remaining (18 gallons). Wind factor was practically zero having been balanced out by a 90° turn off course (by ATC) for over 30 minutes. Overall I averaged 280KT groundspeed.

Meanwhile, a mythical turbine would have averaged 320KT gs-- and would have had to make a fuel stop. That would have cost them at least an hour--if not two, and they would have had to use the time and fuel to descend/land/ get fuel/ takeoff/climb back the altitude— total time in flight four hours--but counting the stop--five hours enroute for the turbine. At 35 gallons per hour or 175 gallons versus DQ at 100 gallons.

Meanwhile, Dairy Queen sat back, and purred along, as I ate my sub, munched my Apple, listened to my XM, and watched the clouds roll by. Cleared direct DAB when less than 100 miles after leaving Fargo. The biggest job was changing frequencies (and fuel tanks) every several hundred miles and monitoring engine temperatures and mixtures.

On flights longer than 800 nautical miles a turbine usually will land for fuel.  DQ will be just getting started and at 800 nautical miles would have approximately 60 gallons of fuel remaining. Enough for another 600 miles or more.

You can fly above " Indian territory " (Comanche’s / Apaches/ Warriors/ Arrows etc. etc.) and take advantage of less traffic and higher tailwinds.  But if headwinds are present you can fly lower and cooler- with air conditioning.  Turboprops use more fuel at lower altitudes and on a cross-country that means more stops. Quite often a piston turns out to be a much faster airplane over a total trip than a turbine because our fuel flows remain relatively constant at 18 gallons per hour.

Why doesn’t DQ have deicing equipment?

The list of reasons is long. Anti/De-icing offers assurance that you can fly into moisture at freezing temperatures and prevent or be able to shed ice. You will be tempted to fly on days that you should stay home. You will continue flight into icing areas until you cannot get out.

I believe that assurance is not warranted.

In-flight icing is such a hazardous- life threatening event, that to place one’s life at risk on an experimental system is not wise.

The equipment is heavy and expensive. It degrades the airfoils so that the airplane is slower.

It is usually only partial coverage. Windshield/ engine air inlet's/ propeller/fuel vents/must be accounted for. As the airplane gains weight and airfoils are degraded, the need for power goes up. As you add power, cylinder head temperatures rise above 400°. At that point you need to descend to reduce the power and get the temperatures down.  As you descend into the cloud below, the icing increases.  If this happens over mountainous terrain, you are in trouble.

And finally, the testimony of the users.  When the equipment is not up for sale--and they are telling the truth, they will say that it is neither reliable nor trustworthy. Several have confessed this to me.

I have had several experiences with ice and have flown over the mountain west including the Cascades in the winter. My strong recommendation is that icing events are to be avoided, regardless of the equipment installed.

There are several leading edge coatings that can be used. None are guaranteed.  The one I have used for years is called Kiss Cote. Not enough for flight into known icing--but it has worked well to "escape" encounters I thought were going to be a problem.

Will Charlie train you and your mechanic?

Yes, with reservations.

Charlie built DQ. He is a Designated Airworthiness Representative and has certified nearly 200 Lancair IV's. He is an aircraft and powerplant mechanic /airline transport pilot /flight engineer/ flight instructor and a professional Lancair consultant. He KNOWS this airplane. He has trained hundreds to fly their own Lancair IV’s and continues to this day inspecting/certifying/training and giving recurrent training to builders/owners in their Lancair IV's.  He will give you the benefit of his 20 years of Lancair IV experience. He will also provide a set of performance charts.  

Buying from Charlie, you (if qualified) will be able to insure Dairy Queen with Aviation Insurance Resources http://www.air-pros.com/default.html

Coverage would be with Global Aerospace   http://www.global-aero.co.uk/

Then you can maintain the airplane and your personal currency standards in accordance with the airplanes  Operating Limitations and FAA part 61 FAR's standards.