Photograph:
Neico Lancair 235 VH-REX6 (c/n S32) at the Australian International Airshow at Avalon, VIC in February 2003 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Two-seat light amateur-built touring aircraft
Power Plant:
One 80 kw (100 hp) Continental 0-200 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 7.16 m (23 ft 6 in)
- Length: 5.99 m (19 ft 8 in)
- Height: 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
- Wing area: 7.06 m² (76 sq ft)
- Max speed at sea level: 343 km/h (213 mph)
- Max cruising speed: 315 km/h (196 mph)
- Economical cruising speed: 306 km/h (190 mph)
- Stalling speed, engine idling: 89 km/h (55 mph)
- Max rate of climb at sea level: 457 m/min (1,500 ft/min)
- Service ceiling: 6,100 m (20,000 ft)
- Range with max fuel: 1,609 km (1,000 miles)
- Empty weight: 295 kg (650 lb)
- Loaded weight: 578 kg (1,275 lb)
History:
The Lancair 200 is a two-seat sport and touring monoplane designed by Lance Neibauer for the homebuilt market. Of composite construction, it was initially supplied in kit form by Neico Aviation Inc of California, or Lancair International of Redmond, Oregon, this including a completely pre-moulded airframe with main spar, retractable tricycle undercarriage, and flight control systems. All parts requiring welding were completed by the manufacturer before supply of the kit.
Designed as a two-seat sporting and cross-country light aircraft with a retractable undercarriage, design of the Lancair 200 (formerly known as the Lancer 200) began in January 1981 and construction of the prototype began in January 1983. The prototype flew for the first time in June 1984 at Chino, California, delivery of kits beginning in May 1985. Certification in the Experimental category was received from the FAA, and since then more than 1,000 kits have been supplied throughout the world. By 1986 the Lancair was the largest selling kit plane for that year; and in 1987 it was the largest selling single piston-engined aircraft in the world.
The wings were of composite fibreglass construction, with Nomex honeycomb fitted with conventional ailerons and flaps of composite construction. The fuselage is also of conventional fibreglass construction with Nomex honeycomb, and the tailfin is incorporated in the structure. The undercarriage is of retractable type and is hydraulically operated. The 80 kw (100 hp) Continental engine has a two-blade fixed-pitch propeller and fuel is supplied from a main tank and two auxiliary tanks with a total capacity of 114 litres (25 Imp gals). Accommodation is provided for two under a forward-opening canopy, and the baggage hold has a capacity of 0.23 cub m (8 cub ft). Design factors are +9 and –4.5 at gross weight.
The Australian company Avtex Pty Ltd of Ballina Airport, NSW was granted a licence to build the Models 235 and 320 kits, the Company taking prospective builders step-by-step through the construction manual. By 1990 deposits had been received for 28 aircraft, the Company stating it had the capacity to build one kit every ten days.
One of the first to be completed in Australia was VH-HTD, registered to Avtex at Ballina, NSW, the importer, in September 1988 but this machine was lost in an accident at Coffs Harbour, NSW in December 1993. This Company by mid-1992 was reported to have imported Lancair 57 kits to this region for customers and at that time was building the Lancair under licence, and also producing parts for Lancair which was then in California.
The first Lancair in Australia built from a kit was completed in 1987 and more than 70 examples of the series have been completed. Others are under construction. Examples of the Lancair 320 and 235 have been registered in New Zealand and the first Lancair 360 was registered as ZK-MHS. The type was advertised as ”You can get into a new Lancair, the Lamborghini of the skies, for far, far less than a slower aircraft”.