Photograph:
Turbine Legend C-GBEP (c/n 2) at Gatineau, Canada in September 2009 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
High-performance sport monoplane
Power Plant:
One 540 kw (720 hp) Walter M-601 turboprop
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 8.69 m (28 ft 6 in)
- Length: 7.84 m (25 ft 9 in)
- Height: 2.86 m (9 ft 5 in)
- Wing area: 9.38 m² (101 sq ft)
- Never exceed speed: 643 km/h (400 mph)
- Max speed: 573 km/h (356 mph)
- Cruising speed at 7,620 m (25,000 ft): 537 km/h (334 mph)
- Stalling speed in landing configuration: 123 km/h (76 mph)
- Service ceiling: 10,670 m (35,010 ft)
- Rate of climb: 1,981 m/min (6,500 ft/min)
- Range at max cruising speed with standard fuel and reserves: 1,520 km (944 miles)
- Empty weight: 930 kg (2,050 lb)
- Loaded weight: 1,496 kg (3,298 lb)
History:
In the 1990s Performance Aircraft designed the Legend as a high-performance sport aircraft for amateur construction but the Company was later acquired by Legend Aircraft of Winnsboro of Lousiana. The first design in the range was known as the Legend and it was fitted with a converted Chevrolet V-8 piston engine which produced 429 kw (575 hp) which drove a three-blade propeller. This was developed to the Turbine Legend and it was fitted with a 540 kw (724 hp) Walter M-601 turboprop driving a three-blade propeller. The aircraft was a streamlined low-wing monoplane constructed basically of carbon-fibre and reinforced polymer, having a retractable tricycle undercarriage. Accommodation was provided for two in tandem with dual controls.
A few variants have been noted. The prototype, mentioned above, had the Chevrolet V-8 engine. This was followed by the Turbine Legend with the Walter M-601 turboprop. A model known as the JC-100 was built in 2000 by Toys-4-Boys; and this was followed by the Turbine Legend [Garrett] developed by Innovative Wings Inc which utilised an 820 kw (1,100 shp) Garrett TPE331-10 turboprop.
A variant was developed for military use and became known as the Turbine Legend Venom. It was intended to be sold to countries which required an aircraft for the light attack role. It was fitted with a 559 kw (750 shp) General Electric H-75 turboprop and had major changes to the wing etc for the military role, including increased fuel capacity to 550 litres (121 Imp gals), a full digital panel and Fowler flaps.
In 2015 a Garrett powered Turbine Legend was noted under construction at Tyabb, VIC.