Flight Testing Nearly Complete On First Airplane…

Epic Aircraft is working towards FAA certification of a new turboprop business airplane, the E1000, which the company says will be "the fastest, highest performing, most affordable and comfortable, six-place single-engine turboprop in the world.

Mike Schrader, Director of Sales and Marketing for Epic Aircraft, told Aero-News at NBAA-BACE in Las Vegas that the company is in the process of finishing up final structural testing on the airplane, and flight testing is nearly complete on the first aircraft. Flight testing will soon begin on a conforming airplane, he said.

According to the company website, the E1000, powered by a 1200 HP Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67A, will climb at 3,000 feet per minute with a maximum authorized ceiling of 34,000 feet. The airplane has a range of over 1650 nautical miles carrying a payload of 1100 pounds fully-fueled.

The company says that the E1000 will travel at over 325 KTAS, faster than any single-engine turboprop on the market, and rivals the performance and speed of most personal business jets.

Epic uses advanced carbon fiber composite material throughout the construction of its entire E1000 airframe. The strength-to-weight ratio and capacity to mold complex curves and shapes makes composites the optimal material for producing aerodynamic forms and establishing a new standard of performance for many industries.

The company is currently accepting reservations for the airplane. Schrader said the company is "shooting for" certification in May or June of 2018.

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FMI: www.aero-news.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://epicaircraft.com