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.”