The 'fast and furious' Epic E1000 takes flight
Promising to be a prop that think it’s a jet, the new Epic E1000 combines strength, speed and durability, flying faster than any other single-engine aircraft in the market.
The E1000 is designed by Epic Aircraft and originates from a kit plane, the Epic LT Dynasty. The E1000 has just completed a significant milestone with its first successful test flight at the end of December, taking off from Bend Airport in Oregon.
With six seats, it’s surprisingly spacious with cabin length of 15ft, width of 4.6ft but designed to accommodate extra head and legroom for passengers up to 6ft 8 inches in height.
When you compare the Epic E1000 on performance stats, it looks to be impressive. With a range of 1650 nm, at a top speed of 325 kts, it could also win some flights from rival twin-props such as the Beechcraft King Air and VLJs such as the Citation Mustang or Phenom 100.
The aircraft looks great too, inside and out. The sleek and elegant curves of its carbon fiber frame will give it a great ramp presence. The interior offers leather reclining seats, electronically dimming windows for passengers as well as the latest in high-tech Garmin avionics in the flight deck.
Costing $2.95 million, the all carbon fiber single-engine turbo prop is powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-67A engine. The aircraft is currently going through its certification programme, which it hopes to finalise by the end of 2016.
The expectation is for the primary market for the E1000 to be individual owners, but crossing over into corporates for shorter private flights as well as subscription and charter market. With over 60 orders in the pipeline, the company is forecasting selling around 50 aircraft per year.
We’ll be watching it’s progress closely as it prepares for the second test flight this Spring. The Epic E1000 could offer a very cost-effective flight experience for short flights, and a striking new competitor in the mix.
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