Lancair Announces Gross Weight Increase

The charge toward certification continues for the turbocharged Lancair Columbia 400. Lancair announced at an Oshkopsh Press conference that the certification article will begin flying this week and will spend the next few months primarily in the air.

“Once the test article takes off, I don’t foresee it spending too much time on the ground again until certification is complete,” said Lancair Vice President of Strategic Projects Tom Bowen.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do, but the program is coming along nicely.”

By that, Bowen means that Lancair has achieved a number of milestones for the turbocharged aircraft including a gross weight increase from 3,400 to 3,600 pounds.

“The gross weight increase more than offsets the additional weight of the turbocharger installation and will provide additional payload capability without any impact on the aircraft’s handling characteristics,” Bowen continued. “The Columbia 400 is going to be extremely docile in slow flight, just like the Columbia 350, and yet very responsive when the throttle is opened up. Its performance envelope is huge and very pilot friendly.”

In addition to increasing the gross weight, Lancair has also added a few additional features Columbia 400 owners are certain to appreciate, including an optional, built-in oxygen system and Avidyne’s FlightMax Entegra primary flight display and multi-function display.

"The Columbia 400 will roam the flight levels nearly as fast as a King Air 90 twin turboprop, more than 260 miles per hour, and the cabin will be at least as well equipped,” said Lancair Vice President of Sales & Marketing Mark Cahill. “There literally is nothing on the certified aircraft market that approaches the Columbia 400.”

FMI: www.lancair.com/certified