In 2022, we introduced the Readers’ Choice Award to recognize a product or development in the GA space that resonates most with our audience—and we continue that honor this year. 

But there’s more. We also felt there was a gap—an emphasis on things—and a place we needed to make to salute a person who has contributed in a comprehensive way to the aviation community with years of commitment, expertise, and spirit. 

A New Award

That’s why for 2023 we’re inaugurating the Sean D. Tucker Award, to do just that. And for the initial award, we’re presenting it to the legend himself, Tucker.

Tucker’s resumé as an aerobatic star and air show performer is well known, and perhaps, too, his propensity to give back to the industry that has nurtured him from his modest beginnings and early struggles to the success he is today. But Tucker is a person who measures himself not by the scores on a championship run, but by the lives he’s touched through the Experimental Aviation Association’s Young Eagles program, and most recently, the Bob Hoover Academy in his hometown of Salinas, California. At BHA, he and his fellow volunteers not only introduce disadvantaged area youth to the magic of flight but also help them achieve a pilot certificate and follow-on goals.

For those contributions ongoing to improve the lives of those around him with his joy, FLYING is thrilled to launch this award in his honor.

Innovation Award: Swift Fuels UL94

While the spark of inspiration may transpire in a moment, transforming an innovative creation to a market-ready and delivered product takes time, money, and persistence. There are no shortcuts to enduring success. In the current environment where so much attention is focused on cleaner solutions for GA, the critical element of bringing a viable unleaded fuel to aviation consumers must be recognized—because it has taken more than a decade to accomplish and realize in full.

For accomplishing this with its UL94 aviation gasoline, we’re proud to bestow the 2023 FLYING Innovation Award upon the team at Swift Fuels. The company’s “mission every day for the last 10 years,” according to founder and CEO Chris D’Acosta, has been to develop “a solution to the 100LL problem” and drive that progress in a tiered approach. 

Swift debuted a lower octane unleaded fuel, UL94, in 2015. It serves as a drop-in solution for more than 130,000 aircraft on the FAA registry that can operate on a 94-octane or lower fuel. Swift accomplishes this through a supplemental type certificate that will be good for any unleaded avgas it produces in the future. 

And UL94 is not just avgas with the lead out—it’s a better fuel in many ways, according to D’Acosta. “There is a market draw to our fuel,” he says, because all Swift fuels burn cleaner, with lower toxicity overall. The need to clean lead from the engine every 50 hours no longer exists, for example.

But announcing the availability of a product, and getting it to the customer are two different things. Swift has done the legwork to ensure pilots can trust the fuel—that it meets the ASTM unleaded avgas specification—and that it reaches them in a geographically distributed way, direct to the airfield. With roughly 81 airports, universities, and private users on the U.S. map—and distribution at events like EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin—Swift continues to expand its reach.

And that’s important, because the company is far from finished. Its UL100 fuel is in the confirmation and approval process via ASTM and STC to serve the remainder of the piston market requiring a higher octane level. 

Readers’ Choice: Garmin’s Smart Glide

When we posed the question earlier this year to FLYING’s audience as to what innovation made the most impact on the community, the choice was clear among the contenders.

Garmin’s Smart Glide functionality was introduced in late 2021 and expanded through the STC process to dozens of additional single- and multiengine airplanes. Smart Glide builds upon other aftermarket GTN Xi navigator features, and the GFC 500 or 600 digital autopilot, in a wide range of airplanes. Smart Glide includes the GTN’s range ring optimized for an engine-out situation. It aviates, navigates, and communicates for the pilot—partially—and gives the option to squawk 7700, for example. If the autopilot is engaged, the sequence begins by pitching for best glide speed.

An airport glide indicator helps the pilot determine which airport to go to, setting up a direct-to course to the nearest, if one is in range, and putting the CTAF or tower frequency in the standby—or the emergency frequency of 121.5 if not within gliding distance of anything in the database. It will also tell pilots if the destination becomes unreachable according to the data. If the airplane is less than 2 nm from the airport, the autopilot will not couple, anticipating the pilot’s prompt action instead.

It’s all in the service of assisting pilots—not flying the airplane for them. With the host of “helping hands” that Smart Glide provides adding significantly to safety of flight, pilots who read FLYING confirmed Garmin’s latest tech made the best choice for innovation of the year.

Editors’ Choice Awards

Aircraft: Daher Kodiak 900

Merging two “aviation families” into one cohesive aircraft manufacturer—as Daher and Kodiak have accomplished over the past four years—deserves a round of applause. To bring forth as its first consolidated effort a backcountry beauty like the Daher Kodiak 900 within that time frame is impressive indeed—and we won’t even mention the pandemic. 

The 900 began as a Kodiak 2.0 vision years ago within the original Quest team. Daher’s horsepower in advanced aircraft design and manufacturing propelled the project into FAA type certification in July 2022. The new model took the high-performing, short-field wing of the 100 series, stretched the fuselage, incorporated the cargo pod cohesively into the belly, powered it with a new Pratt & Whitney PT6A-140A turboprop, and streamlined it all behind a cowl that performs wonders in reducing drag.

The answer to the question, “What’s next in town-and-country flying?” has been firmly answered with the Kodiak 900, which is why we gave it our Editors’ Choice Award this year. With the 900, Daher has opened up a new market segment—and kept the good habits of the series from which it has been born.

Avionics and Apps: ForeFlight Terrain Awareness

It’s common to chase “feature fever” in app development, adding gee-whiz elements to already robust programs that do little more than clog up the works. Not so with the folks at ForeFlight, who continue to evolve their flight planning and navigation app in ways that truly add safety and efficiency benefits.

In our estimation, one feature added last year to ForeFlight’s palette is the Hazard Advisor suite, which takes terrain and obstacle data it first launched 10 years ago and repackages it in a way that truly adds to the pilot’s situational awareness. For those using ForeFlight Pro Plus, Hazard Advisor altitude preview allows them to manually control Hazard Advisor’s altitude before flight, and Auto Hazard Advisor, which transitions HA into auto mode after takeoff, following the current altitude for a view of the surrounding terrain. 

Combined with per leg altitude planning—giving pilots the ability to select multiple attitudes within a flight plan—ForeFlight starts situational awareness early during the flight planning process. The upshot? We feel it makes a bold move toward combating a perennial cause of GA accidents, controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). 

Gear: Lightspeed Delta Zulu

Our editors do a lot of their own flying, both in aircraft they own as well as rent or use for instruction, and the investment in a headset is a real debate amongst the team. But for the last year one option has stood head and shoulders—intended—above the rest, and that’s the latest from Lightspeed Aviation, the Delta Zulu.

The active noise reduction (ANR) Bluetooth-enabled headset gives the pilot the ability to customize its auditory acuity with the help of an app, and it also has a built-in carbon monoxide detector that provides an auditory warning if there is CO present in the cockpit. The free Lightspeed app allows the pilot to check the CO sensor data visually during flight and review it later. The app also makes it possible for the user of the headset to fine-tune the device to meet the wearer’s hearing needs. 

And how does it wear? According to our testers, it’s one of the lightest-feeling ANR headsets out there, with ear seals comfortable enough that one tester noted she “forgot it was there.” That’s awesome praise for a vital pilot tool.

Training: Redbird Flight Simulations for Redbird Pro 

Known for its low-cost, full-motion flight training devices, Redbird Flight Simulations expanded its remit in the training arena last year with the launch of a pilot proficiency app called Redbird Pro. The app is designed to assess pilot knowledge and tailor training options through artificial intelligence to help them improve their weak points. The app utilizes articles, simulator scenarios, and quizzes as training tools. 

Many of the training scenarios are drawn from I.L.A.F.F.T. and Chart Wise content from FLYING, as well as content from the AOPA Air Safety Institute. Yes, Redbird Pro is aimed directly at those GA pilots who don’t typically spend the hours logged between flight reviews practicing toward proficiency. The gist? We’re really not as good at retaining that proficiency as we could be. Just as an app such as Duolingo encourages you to daily practice a language, Redbird Pro gamifies the proficiency quest and rewards you for frequent engagement. 

For giving shape and life to that practice—and making it fun—Redbird deserves a nod for making real strides toward improving pilot competence and confidence.

The post FLYING Reveals Innovation Award Series for 2023 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Here are some of the sights from that event, including the winners of FLYING‘s Editor’s Choice and Innovation awards.

All photos by Stephen Yeates.

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The intelligence was there: in the form of electronic stability protection (ESP) to level the airplane, overspeed and underspeed protection, automated emergency-descent management, GPS navigational guidance and approaches that take you to the pavement, and weather, traffic and terrain input to analyze where to go and how best to get there. The brains only needed the “muscle” to make an autoland system happen—managing the throttle or power lever, extending the flaps and gear, executing a proper round-out, and braking to a safe stop on the runway.

We honor the foresight and decade of effort invested by the team at Garmin Aviation, as well as those significant contributions of their OEM partners—Piper Aircraft, Daher, and Cirrus Aircraft—to bring an automated landing within reach of general aviation pilots and passengers. With more than a thousand test landings completed during its run-up to certification, we’re still waiting for that first use of the silent button that will save a life. It’s a privilege to give the 2021 Flying Innovation Award for this incredible leap forward in GA safety to Garmin Aviation.

We also commend our 2021 Flying Editors Choice Award winners: Innovative Solutions & Support with Pilatus Aircraft and Textron Aviation, for the ThrustSense autothrottle in the Pilatus PC-12 and the Beechcraft King Air 360; and SpaceX and NASA, for the successful Crewed Dragon Module that carried astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the International Space Station in 2020.

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A premier collection of aircraft and products earned our highest level of commendation, the Editors’ Choice Awards, by our team back in February —with the Innovation Award winner to be announced later this week—and in the August 2020 issue of Flying.

Last year at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, we announced that Gulfstream’s G500 business jet secured the 2019 Flying Innovation Award, not just for the aircraft itself—which exemplifies style and performance—but also for the layers of innovation within Gulfstream’s development program, setting the bar high for aerospace manufacturers. While we won’t have the opportunity to celebrate the 2020 winner at AirVenture (following that event’s cancellation) we will bring the news to you on Flying’s social media channels.

Here’s a recap of those ECA winners—all candidates for the Innovation Award—and be sure to stay tuned this week for the big announcement.

Epic E1000

It has been a long journey to certification for Epic Aircraft—a tale that started more than 20 years ago. The Epic LT launched in 2000 with plans by the former company owners to bring that experimental turboprop to the market while, at the same time, pursing certification for a future version. The story turned into good news under the leadership of LT owner and entrepreneur Doug King. He took on the role of CEO—backed by different owners and then a Russian company—and set out to fulfill the challenge of turning a kit-built aircraft into a Part 23-compliant mount.

In 2019, after nine years of pursuit, the FAA signed off the E1000 following its last test-flight hour in the fall, with type certification granted on November 6. Propelled by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-76A producing 1,200 hp, and flying at a top cruise speed of 325 knots, the E1000 is now poised to make challenges of its own, in the hot single-engine-turboprop market.

Texas Aircraft Colt LSA

If ever there were an airplane tough enough to carry on the banner of a solid future-pilot training machine, surely, it’s the Texas Aircraft Colt. Think of this light-sport, metal and composite aircraft as a Cessna 150 on steroids, an airplane that solved many of the concerns expressed by pilots and instructors over the years.

Climbing into the Colt is a snap, thanks to doors designed to hinge open 180 degrees because of wing struts built to fit behind the doors rather than in front. Once inside, the Colt offers enough room for even large people to move arms and feet freely. The Colt was designed with a welded chromoly passenger safety cell and a glass-panel Dynon EFIS system powerful enough to drive high-resolution graphic displays and a truly useful autopilot. The Colt also offers an optional ballistic parachute.

Student pilots on a solo will love the 31.7-gallon fuel tank that delivers nearly six hours of flying while miserly gulping just 5 gph. Dramatically highlighting the results of modern aerodynamic design, the 1,320-pound Colt, powered by a 100 hp Rotax engine, delivers a sprightly climb rate. We featured the Colt in the May issue of Flying.

uAvionix tailBeacon

If you want to know the truth, we considered the uAvionix skyBeacon for recognition this past year, but our admiration for the ADS-B Out device—and its new brother, the tailBeacon—solidified in 2019 as a rush of owners installed the units in order to meet the final ADS-B compliance date of January 1, 2020.

The avionics take an elegant approach to a problem that plagued many aircraft owners: how to comply with the requirement without spending a lot of money and adding another box to their instrument panel. First, uAvionix debuted the skyBeacon, a self-contained replacement for the airplane’s left-wing navigation light that a reasonably handy owner could swap out on their own—only a maintenance technician with inspection authority needed to sign off on the work. Then, in summer 2019, the company launched the tailBeacon, which had the same concept of just replacing the nav light on the empennage of the airplane.

In talking with owners, though there have been hiccups unique to various airplanes, the certification covers such a broad range of needs at a reasonable price point—making it a friend, indeed, for pilots needing to keep flying in ADS-B-required airspace.

Tecnam P2012 Traveller

In the very last week of 2018, Tecnam gained European Union Aviation Safety Association certification of its 11-seat P2012 Traveller, a piston-powered twin aimed directly at the commuter-aircraft market. On paper, perhaps that doesn’t sound like a slam-dunk, but the Traveller proved in 2019 that it fills a niche few aircraft can.

In October, the mighty mini airliner made a transatlantic trip to gain FAA certification, with a delivery to its first and—at least for now—most important customer, Cape Air. Yes, the regional airline famous for its flights to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, Massachusetts, but with bases around the US, it worked hand in hand with Tecnam on the airplane’s development. And they didn’t just have their own specs in mind, though the airplane’s easy baggage loading and passenger-centric entry/exit door sure make the case for it. They, along with the manufacturer, also envisioned a green future for the airplane, placing it firmly within the airline’s own road map for alternative fuels and efficiency of consumption.

Powered by two Lycoming TEO540C1A engines actuated by full authority digital engine control, and with Garmin G1000 NXi avionics in the cockpit, the airplane’s operating costs are projected to run at $391 to $405 per hour. With the ability to complete a 500-nm trip at 155 knots at 10,000 feet, there’s a lot of application for the P2012 Traveller we’re just beginning to see. We featured the Tecnam P2012 in the June issue of Flying.

Sporty’s PJ2

With glass cockpits abound these days, hardly anyone thinks much about a communications failure anymore, but it still happens. That’s why plenty of pilots carry a backup two-way radio in their flight bag. However, the problem with most of them is, when they’re needed, trying to communicate with a small handheld radio demands that the pilot needs to pull off their headset to talk, and that means picking up a serious amount of background noise.

Late in 2019, Sporty’s unveiled a solution to the cockpit-noise problems inherent in handheld radios. Called the PJ2, Sporty’s backup doesn’t require removing a headset, only unplugging it from one location and plugging it into the jacks conveniently located on top of the handheld PJ2. The result is a transmitter able that takes advantage of the noise-canceling microphone on a good headset.

The PJ2 includes 20 scannable memory channels, a last-frequency button, an oversize backlit screen, and even a quick access button to listen to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration broadcasts. Press and hold the number “2″ key for three seconds, and the PJ2 automatically switches to 121.5. Sporty’s PJ2 runs on six AA batteries but includes a USB-C plug for backup power.

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Sunday mornings at the Waypoint Cafe at the Camarillo Airport (KCMA) in California are generally bustling with hungry visitors eagerly awaiting a seat while drooling over the delicious menu. But on the Sunday in early May when I met Doug King, Epic Aircraft’s CEO, outside the restaurant, it was deserted despite crystal-clear blue skies. The reason for the quiet was the coronavirus pandemic. The Waypoint was closed.

I walked across the nearly empty ramp to greet King at the Epic E1000 he had flown from the factory in Bend, Oregon—the first certified example of the sleek, carbon-fiber, single-engine turboprop. King had picked up its new owner from his vacation home near Lake Tahoe to bring him to Bend for training. Sadly, we had to opt out of hugs and handshakes, donning face masks and keeping our distance as much as we could.

Long Way to Certification

Epic emerged nearly two decades ago, and the first kit was delivered in 2004. Plans from the start were to build a certified turboprop and two jets (single- and twin-engine)—all streamlined, carbon-fiber designs. The company chose to start marketing an experimental version of the turboprop, the Epic LT, to build capital for the certification effort. The reasons that effort took so long are many; I cover the first fascinating decade in my article on the Epic LT (“We Fly: Epic LT,” November 2014).

When I flew the LT in 2014, Epic Aircraft expected certification of the E1000 the following year. However, the delays continued. Had it not been for a seemingly limitless cash flow from the Russian owner, Engineering LLC, and an equally limitless passion for the product from the company leadership (such as King, who took the helm in 2010), Epic’s journey might have ended similarly to other composite aircraft manufacturers in Deschutes County, Oregon.

Columbia Aircraft went bankrupt, and in 2007, its aircraft designs were taken over by Cessna, which later moved the production to Mexico. The assets of Redmond-based Lancair were purchased in 2017 and the company moved to Uvalde, Texas. Epic owners can thank these events for the talented composite builders they left behind.

Increasingly stringent FAA regulations for aircraft design along with supply-chain issues, slight performance and structural modifications, and bugs in the flutter-analysis software that extended the testing program for months were only a few of the issues that added complexity to the effort, King said. “We had some opportunities to accelerate the [type-certification] schedule but were unwilling to do so if it compromised performance,” he said. “For example, the decision to optimize the engine- airflow induction system likely cost us several months but certainly boosted our performance numbers.”

From LT to E1000

At first glance, the E1000 looks nearly identical to the LT kit airplane. However, King said, “Everything changed—but only a little bit.” The most notable exterior modification is the larger engine inlet, which helps the PT6 engine breathe easier and improves high-altitude-takeoff performance. An emergency exit on the opposite wall from the airstair has also been added. Other little changes include a larger trim tab for the rudder and double pitot tubes—a certification requirement resulting from the devastating Air France Flight 447 crash in 2009. (Some LTs have double pitot tubes too.)

While there are not many changes on the outside, “from the skin in, it’s different,” King said. Many improvements have been made in the cabin, beginning with the airstair. The stairs themselves have been aesthetically and functionally improved, and a small button near the hinge point of the door provides power to the interior lights for 10 minutes, lighting up the path to the cockpit. The windows are electrically dimmed, allowing each passenger to choose how much natural light is brought in and how much of the outside world they see. When parked, the windows automatically dim to the darkest setting, keeping the cabin cool on hot days.

The E1000 cabin is better than many for social distancing. The passenger area provides enough space that, sitting opposite the owner—who is 6 feet, 3 inches tall—there were several inches in between my knees and his, which is more than I can remember observing in other turboprops and light jets. Part of the reason for the ample space is that there is no separate luggage compartment cutting into the fuselage area. There is, however, a space behind the aft-most seats where 120 pounds of luggage can be placed. The Epic has a full-fuel payload of 1,070 pounds, or it can carry as much as 2,238 pounds with 90 gallons of fuel on board.

Frankly, it’s a bit tricky to get seated in the cockpit, but experienced aviators know that most general aviation airplanes require some awkward maneuvering to access the coveted flight controls. Once you’re seated, the Epic provides terrific comfort.

The first thing I noticed as I slipped into the left seat was the generous headroom. I remembered having to cock my head slightly to the right so as not to lean my head against the left side of the windshield in the LT when seated in the highest and most forward position on the left seat. I prefer to sit close to the controls and high enough to see above the cowl—though I’m hardly short at 5 feet, 7 inches. In the highest and most forward position in the E1000, I was able to sit upright with ample space around my head.

Now for the goodies. While Epic had decided initially to stick with the original version of the G1000 to reduce certification time, it was decided to swap the old for the new. The panel is dominated by the G1000 NXi, which much has been written about in the pages of Flying since Garmin introduced the system in 2017. With crisper, swifter componentry in the displays, Garmin also added new features—such as SurfaceWatch to prevent runway incursions, visual-approach capabilities (with a three-degree glideslope), and a selectable map overlay for the HSI, which can also display weather and traffic in the pilot’s field of vision.

The E1000′s G1000 features two 10-inch PFDs, mounted on the pilot’s and copilot’s sides of the panel, and a 12-inch MFD in the center with a keypad mounted below for quicker data entry. I prefer the tangible keys of this system to the touchscreen controllers that are available for Garmin’s G2000, G3000 and G5000 systems.

Only one thing takes away from the avionics. Rather than Garmin’s integrated autopilot, the E1000 uses Genesys Aerosystems S-Tec IntelliFlight 2100. The autopilot works great, but the setup results in additional data entry.

One of my favorite things on the panel—mostly because it’s unique to the Epic—is a small screen below the windshield called the Wedge Annunciation Panel, or Wedge for short. The Wedge serves as a status panel to use before takeoff and landing. This miniature checklist activates when the takeoff/go-around button on the power lever is pushed and held. Anything not configured properly is shown in red on the status panel. Once the airplane is set up correctly, all of the items on the Wedge are displayed in green. “All of the actions that need to be addressed prior to takeoff are clearly displayed right in front of you,” King said.

Right next to the Wedge checklist is an angle of attack gauge integrated with the Safe Flight stall-protection system, which provides a stick-shaker warning and stick-pusher stall prevention. The FAA requires two independent computers, both of which must agree, to activate the stick pusher. L3′s stellar ESI-500 serves as the electronic standby instrument.

The logic on the panel is beautifully laid out, with button sequencing from left to right for startup and right to left for shutdown. The sleek push buttons and switches are optimized for clumsy pilots and turbulence. Three beefy color-coded levers make up the power, prop and condition lever. The POH also has oversize pages and big fonts to help pilots whose near vision is beginning to fade. “You have to know your customer,” King said.

The circuit breakers are lined up at the bottom of the panel for easy access. The fuel-switching process has been automated to prevent fuel imbalance. When we made sharp turns on the ground, the fuel would slosh over to the outside wing and a fuel-imbalance alert would come on, activating the system.

For $3,250,000, almost anything you could wish for is included, but options such as Iridium satellite communications, radar, TCAS and TAWS can be added.

Flying the E1000

I was in the right seat for the first leg to take notes. I connected my iPad to the Garmin Flight Stream 510 installed in the G1000, and the IFR flight plan from KCMA to Half Moon Bay (KHAF) from the panel-mounted avionics automatically dropped into my ForeFlight app.

The takeoff in the E1000 is truly impressive. The PT6 can crank out 1,200 shp for the first 5 minutes, after which the power is limited to 1,000 shp. I could feel myself getting pushed into the backrest of the seat as we rolled down Runway 26.

The climb performance is equally as awe-inspiring. In the initial climb, we averaged 3,000 fpm. At FL 300, we were still climbing at around 1,300 fpm, and we made it all the way to the service ceiling—FL 340—in a little more than 17 minutes despite a short level-off at FL 300.

Once at altitude, the PT6 was sipping about 48 gph to give us 315 ktas, with all gauges happy and well in the green. King had started with a full 264-gallon tank of jet-A in Bend that morning and then landed once to pick up the customer before getting me in Camarillo. According to the fuel rings, if staying at FL 340 at the same power setting, we could have flown all the way back to Bend with a 45-minute reserve.

While 315 ktas is respectable, I wanted to see quite how epic the speed could get. Dropping down to FL 260 and pushing up the power for a fuel burn of 65 gph, we got up to 329 ktas. That’s with ISA+8, so Epic’s published max speed of 333 ktas is not exaggerated. Yes, the E1000 is as fast as it looks.

Closing in on Half Moon Bay, there were several airplanes in the vicinity of the nontowered airport despite gusty 25-plus-knot winds. We were on a 4-mile final for Runway 30 when a Cirrus reported on downwind. “We’ll come in behind you,” King announced. “How’s this going to work out?” I thought to myself. I figured for sure that we would have to make some S-turns or potentially go around. But King demonstrated the incredible speed range of the E1000 by slowing to around 90 knots with gear down and full flaps. He had no trouble slotting in behind the SR22 and made a nice, smooth landing, getting off about halfway down the 5,000-foot runway.

Despite having about 40 knots on the nose, we made the trip in an hour and five minutes—almost twice as fast as I could get there in my Mooney M20C and about six times faster than in a car, even without California traffic.

Only a handful of airplanes were in the parking area at Half Moon Bay. King showed off by putting the power lever in full beta and backed the Epic into a parking spot. We grabbed some very tasty fish and chips from a busy restaurant on the shore—takeout only.

With bellies and gas tanks full, we departed the beautiful Bay Area. I had a big smile as I took the controls and shot up to FL 330. With 60 knots on the tail, we could have made it to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Without quite as much help from the wind, Memphis, Tennessee, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, were also in reach, with a 45-minute reserve, according to the fuel rings on the G1000.

Most aspects of flying the Epic E1000 were straightforward and ergonomic. I loved the beefy, color- and shape-branded power levers and the panel layout. However, the trim switch on the yoke took a little getting used to. It must be engaged by pushing the button down before it can move up, down, left or right. Also, the armrest was too low for me in my preferred seat position. However, I felt comfortable enough flying without having my elbow supported.

While its nimble climb- and cruise-performance capabilities are important, so is the airplane’s ability to descend quickly. This is valuable not only in case of an emergency but also for the ability to remain at high altitude, where true airspeed and fuel burn are optimal, for longer. You can keep up the power in the descent or get down really quickly. During our descent, the red line kept creeping up from 215 kias at FL 320 to 230 kias at FL 280 (giving us 358 ktas). We were able to descend at well over 4,000 fpm. Thankfully, the pressurization system kept up.

We dropped down to 10,500 feet to do some maneuvers, with no surprises. With help from the flight-path marker, I found it easy to make perfect, steep 360-degree turns. Slowing it down and getting it dirty, I experienced the E1000′s exceptional slow-flight characteristics, which had helped King get behind that Cirrus at KHAF. The controls were remarkably responsive even at 80 kias with gear and full flaps, and the stall in the E1000 truly was a nonevent. Forcing the yoke into my lap after the stall shaker started alerting me of the high angle of attack, the pusher broke the stall inside the red line, around 67 knots on the airspeed tape. The break was straight, smooth and easy to recover from.

Satisfied with the handling characteristics, I pointed the E1000 toward Camarillo. The tower controller instructed me to come in on the right downwind—the usual approach coming from the northwest. King suggested between 15 and 18 percent torque on the descent in the pattern and 95 kias on final with full flaps and gear down. The winds were light, and the airplane made it easy for me to softly kiss the ground.

With King coming to Epic as an LT owner, he wanted to ensure continued support for the experimental fleet, even though the production of the LT has ceased. There are 50 LTs flying. “We didn’t want those people to be orphaned,” King said. The maintenance and support for the LT products are, however, driven through a separate company, Epic Flight Support.

Epic is also committed to keeping their customers engaged. Each year, the company hosts an event in Bend to inform and entertain their customers. Having been fortunate enough to be a part of the event in 2018, I know it’s a tightknit group of people who truly love their airplanes. In 2016, six Epic LTs—more than 10 percent of the fleet—flew around the world in 21 days, covering 16,405 nm in 51.5 flight hours and landing in nine countries, which is a huge testament to the design.

The certified E1000 is likely to be equally as beloved by its customers as the LT has been. The E1000 can get in and out of short fields, climbs like a homesick angel, and can take you around the world quickly and efficiently. The name Epic is a tough one to live up to, but the E1000 truly does.

This story appeared in the August 2020 issue of Flying Magazine

The post We Fly: Epic E1000 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The editors at Flying announced today that Epic Aircraft’s E1000 has won the 2020 Flying Innovation Award. The new turboprop combines power with passion to earn our highest honor, amongst a strong field of 2020 Editors’ Choice Award winners. “We’re really pleased to be in a position to award the 2020 Innovation Award to Epic Aircraft for the phenomenal job that you’ve done, not just bringing the aircraft to certification over a couple of decades, but also in the midst of everything that we’ve been going through over the last 4 months now, to continue pushing forward, to get those first deliveries out the door, and into the hands of some extremely happy pilots,” said Flying’s Editor-in-Chief Julie Boatman.

We shared the news with the team at Epic Aircraft in a Zoom call on Wednesday, July 1. Epic CEO and President Doug King enjoyed the news, as a validation of the incredible efforts involved in bringing the E1000 to life from its genesis in the Epic LT. “Flying magazine is the premier publication for our customers and having read Flying magazine since I was riding around in my dad’s lap in his 172—that’s pretty cool!”

“I just gave a demo flight to a guy,” added King, “and it’s always fun when a potential customer comes out of the airplane, because they always have the same kind of reaction—holy cow! Or something not repeatable.” This resonates with the reason why the E1000 was chosen as this year’s award winner: “The feedback from the first owners who have flown it have completely validated the assessments that we’ve made over the years,” said Boatman.

Flying launched the Innovation Award in 2016 as an extension of the Editors’ Choice Awards to celebrate the overarching achievement demonstrated by one of the five ECA winners previously announced. That first winner, the HondaJet, exemplified the kind of out-of-the-box thinking that compelled us to set it above the rest. The Epic E1000 deserves similar acknowledgment—based on the relentless quest for quality and performance that meant a long development cycle, leading to a superb product that has rolled off the production line in Bend, and a few remarkably innovative features. The physical award presentation would normally take place at EAA AirVenture, but instead will be presented to the Epic team at an event this fall.

Look for our feature on the E1000 in the August 2020 issue of Flying.

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