The Industry’s First “No Hassle” Environmental System

You’ve got it in your Audi, BMW, Lexus or Mercedes-Benz, so why not your airplane?

That’s what certified aircraft owners have wondered for years about the automatic “set and forget” climate control systems that are now commonplace in luxury cars, but until now have been absent in airplanes.

The Lancair Company is changing that by announcing certification of general aviation’s first intelligent system for Columbia 350 and 400 certified aircraft. The climate control system allows Columbia operators to set their desired cabin temperature using a digital display on the instrument panel. An electronically controlled system regulates heating or air conditioning to maintain the desired temperature automatically – on the ground and in the air.

The system will soon become a factory-installed option available exclusively on Lancair Columbia 350 and 400 aircraft. The Company has already installed and delivered the first three Columbias with the climate control system, one of which is being used for demonstration flights this week at the Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In. Most Columbias delivered in the past 17 months have also been pre-fitted for the system and aftermarket installation kits for those aircraft will be available soon, according to Company officials.

“This is easily the most sophisticated and effective climate control system ever developed for a piston-powered aircraft,” said Lancair Vice President of Engineering Tom Bowen, who oversaw the development project. “In addition to the set and forget capability, the climate control system is so efficient and capable that it can be used throughout the entire operational envelope of the aircraft, from taxi to take-off to landing. Set and forget means that you can select 72 degrees on the ground in Santa Monica and enjoy the same comfortable cabin temperature up to FL250 on your trip to Orlando Executive and never be too hot or too cold.”

That assertion is backed up by test results that show that the system can lower the cabin temperature by 20 degrees in five minutes and up to 35 degrees in only 17 minutes.

Unlike many other air conditioning installations in piston-powered aircraft, the system in the Columbia was designed in for maximum effectiveness and minimum intrusion. Venting for the system is through flood vents that direct a curtain of air over the door and window areas of the cabin to enhance the perception of initial cooling as well as through directional valves that can be individually adjusted by the front and rear occupants. In total, the system uses 12 vents, all of which can be adjusted to regulate temperature for each cabin occupant. All venting and ducting is cleanly built into a leather-covered, ceiling-mounted console. With the exception of the digital control unit built into the panel, the system is invisible.

“Most air conditioning installations in piston aircraft are clearly “add-on” units. They detract from the aesthetics of the aircraft’s cabin and often don’t work very well,” Bowen said. “Our objective was to design the system into the aircraft to maintain the elegant appearance of the Columbia’s cabin as well as to maximize the effectiveness of the system. I think we’ve succeeded on both of those objectives.”

FMI: www.flycolumbia.com