Lance Neibauer Describes the Journey that Revolutionized Aircraft Design

After graduating with a BFA degree in 1971, Lance Neibauer began a career as a graphic designer; his love for aviation, however, was never far from his mind.  Having grown up exposed to aircraft at an early age (his uncle, Ray Betzoldt, produced aircraft for Al Meyers), Neibauer loved flying, but most aircraft designs didn’t appeal to his aesthetic eye. As composite structures began to emerge in the late 1970s, his aviation interest went from hobby to inspiration; Neibauer believed he could develop a sleekly designed aircraft that optimized both performance and handling.

The resulting Lancair 200 made its aviation debut in 1984, premiering for Oshkosh attendees the following year.  Due to its extremely light 1,275 pound gross weight and low-drag airframe design, the Lancair 200 delivered an astounding 2.5 mph per horsepower from a 100 hp Continental O-200 engine.  Achieving 167 knots, the aircraft revolutionized the homebuilt market, offering pilots more performance, freedom, and value than anything previously seen. 

The prototype exhibited such advancement that it is now displayed at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Museum in Oshkosh, WI.  Neibauer, inundated by market interest, quit his job as a graphic designer and started his first aircraft company. 

The Lancair team became synonymous with innovative aircraft, including the Lancair 320/360, whose unprecedented design and beauty earned a display place at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.  In 1993, Neibauer launched Pacific Aviation Composites USA (later renamed ‘Columbia Aircraft’), eventually developing the type-certificated, piston single-engine Columbia 300. Though his companies have changed hands, Lance Neibauer’s legacy remains ever-present; the homebuilt kit division continues to evolve at Lancair International Inc., and the advanced composite division continues to evolve at the Cessna Aircraft Company.

In 2009, the Experimental Aircraft Association honored Neibauer’s outstanding contribution to the general aviation industry by inducting him into the EAA Hall of Fame.  Join Aero-TV as we speak to the legendary aircraft designer, Lance Neibauer.

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