Lancair IV

Hello,

I'm looking for good/informative web sites on the Lancair IV planes.
I don't see many for sale on ASO.com or Controller.com and I can't
find much info on them.

Any one ever fly one and can share their experience?

Thanks,

Dico

Dico Reyers wrote:

I'm looking for good/informative web sites on the Lancair IV planes.

You may have done this already, but the first step should be to check out what's
available at http://www.lancair-kits.com . Go first to the Lancair IV page and check
out the links page. There are links to several builder pages.

George Patterson
If a man gets into a fight 3,000 miles away from home, he *had* to have
been looking for it.

Dico,

I'm looking for good/informative web sites on the Lancair IV planes.
I don't see many for sale on ASO.com or Controller.com and I can't
find much info on them.

Any one ever fly one and can share their experience?

The CAFE Foundation has a flight test of the IV-P on their website:

http://www.cafefoundation.org/aprs/L...0for%20PDF.pdf

I'm not shure if you are considering a "-P" but if you do, the numbers are
worth looking at.

Best Regards

Kai

Strikefinders and non-metallic airplanes

I'm here to tell you I had a real mud wrestle with a Glassair III and a
Strikefinder.

Problem was that the airframe was non-conductive AND generated static
electricity as it zoomed thru the air.

After I chased down all the problems that were related to the lack of
shielding (like unbelievable treatment of the alternator required) I was
completely defeated by the generation of static at speeds 120kt or so.

You could hear the crackling in other radios, even the VHF comms. I had
no idea how to go about troubleshooting it. Where could the potential
differences be? It also wiped out the ADF.

I don't know if the carbon fiber in the Lancair is conductive or if other
steps are taken; but I can tell you that unless they are, you will fight
an uphill battle.

I once had the same battle with a T210. It turned out that in this model year,
the magnetic compass was not grouned... it just floated on the windshield.
Running a wire from it to the airframe solved the problem.

Once on an MU-2, the metallic paint stripes were found to be gathering
static. It was necessary to remove them and repaint with non-metallic.
The dots went away.

But then on a dark and stormy night over by North Platte in the Glassair
I could hold my hand by the windshield and draw arcs several inches long.
I really wondered what the hell I was doing in a plastic airplane with 60
gallons of fuel in it near a TSTM. That's when I gave up on the strike
installation.

Bill Hale

Bill Hale wrote:

Strikefinders and non-metallic airplanes

I'm here to tell you I had a real mud wrestle with a Glassair III and a
Strikefinder.

Problem was that the airframe was non-conductive AND generated static
electricity as it zoomed thru the air.

After I chased down all the problems that were related to the lack of
shielding (like unbelievable treatment of the alternator required) I was
completely defeated by the generation of static at speeds 120kt or so.

You could hear the crackling in other radios, even the VHF comms. I had
no idea how to go about troubleshooting it. Where could the potential
differences be? It also wiped out the ADF.

I don't know if the carbon fiber in the Lancair is conductive or if other
steps are taken; but I can tell you that unless they are, you will fight
an uphill battle.

I once had the same battle with a T210. It turned out that in this model year,
the magnetic compass was not grouned... it just floated on the windshield.
Running a wire from it to the airframe solved the problem.

Once on an MU-2, the metallic paint stripes were found to be gathering
static. It was necessary to remove them and repaint with non-metallic.
The dots went away.

But then on a dark and stormy night over by North Platte in the Glassair
I could hold my hand by the windshield and draw arcs several inches long.
I really wondered what the hell I was doing in a plastic airplane with 60
gallons of fuel in it near a TSTM. That's when I gave up on the strike
installation.

Bill Hale

Even metal airframes can suffer from static build-up. I completely lost
comm one time flying in dry snow in my Skylane. Installed static wicks
after that and never had the problem again. Did you try wicks on your
airplane? I don't know if the airframe of a Lancair is conductive
enough to make these effective, they are a pretty cheap solution to try.


Matt

"Kai Glaesner" wrote in message . com...
Dico,

I'm looking for good/informative web sites on the Lancair IV planes.
I don't see many for sale on ASO.com or Controller.com and I can't
find much info on them.

Any one ever fly one and can share their experience?

The CAFE Foundation has a flight test of the IV-P on their website:

http://www.cafefoundation.org/aprs/L...0for%20PDF.pdf

I'm not shure if you are considering a "-P" but if you do, the numbers are
worth looking at.

Best Regards

Kai


The numbers seem pretty attractive as far as speed and fuel
consumption. I wouldn't be building it personally and would have
someone/some company (thats built a few) build it for me. I don't
pretend to be a builder, but I would like to get from point A to point
B quickly.

Thanks for the link, I will check it out.

-Dico

"Dico Reyers" wrote in message

The numbers seem pretty attractive as far as speed and fuel
consumption. I wouldn't be building it personally and would have
someone/some company (thats built a few) build it for me. I don't
pretend to be a builder, but I would like to get from point A to point
B quickly.

Why don't you just buy a Columbia 400? It will cost the same or less,
probably hold its value better, and cost a heck of a lot less to insure,
assuming anybody wants to insure a 4-P. Not to mention it seems like a much
safer airplane. Those 4-Ps are some incredibly hot birds but they strike me
as being just a little too close to the razor's edge. The fact that it gains
something like 100 knots over the Columbia 400 tells you something. Me, I'd
rather have the 20 knots lower stall speed.

Best,
-cwk.