Interview on Lancair IV-P with Doug Johnson @ 28J Palatka, Florida

Impromptu interview at the fuel pumps of Palatka, Florida (28J) with Dr.Douglas Johnson , former Air Force Officer, about his beautiful Lancair IV-P. The intended 4 minute discussion turned into a great 10 minute overview of the Lancair. I must apologize for the video and sound quality but iphone was the only device used. Here are some Lancair characteristics:
Specifications (Lancair IV-P) Data from Lancair website and AOPA
General characteristics
Capacity: pilot + three passengers
Length: 25 ft 0 in (7.62 m)
Wingspan: 35 ft 6 in (10.82 m)
Wing area: 98 sq ft (9.1 m2)
Aspect ratio: 9:1
Empty weight: 2,200 lb (998 kg)
Gross weight: 3,550 lb (1,610 kg)
Fuel capacity: 90 U.S. gallons (340 L; 75 imp gal), 110 U.S. gallons (420 L; 92 imp gal) with extended tanks
Powerplant: 1 × Continental TSIO-550 six cylinder, horizontally opposed piston engine, 350 hp (260 kW)
Propellers: 3-bladed Hartzell PHC-H3YF-1RF, constant speed, 12 ft 8 in (1.93 m) diameter
Performance
Maximum speed: 342 mph (550 km/h, 297 kn)
Cruise speed: 335 mph (539 km/h, 291 kn) @ 75% power, at 24,000 feet
Stall speed: 71 mph (115 km/h, 62 kn) in landing configuration
Range: 1,250 mi (2,010 km, 1,090 nmi) with 45 minute reserve at 24,000 feet
Endurance: 4.3 hours with 45 minute reserve
g limits: +4.4/-2.2 (utility category), +3.8/-2.0 (normal category)
Rate of climb: 3,000 ft/min (15 m/s) at 3550 lbs gross weight
Wing loading: 36.2 lb/sq ft (177 kg/m2) without winglets

[@brjndr]

This is a great plane and the owner had a great story, but it's also a great interview. Not too many question, friendly and informative for the viewer. I encourage you to make some more videos like this, I really enjoyed it.

[@billinga]

Thank you for the feedback and yes, I will make more of these type videos. Stay safe!!

[@gxlbiscuit]

@@billinga yeah man that was really cool off the cuff.

[@tomsamuelson767]

What a great story/airplane/builder/pilot, etc. Glad you had the courage to ask for the interview. That guy knows his aircraft inside out and in between. 23 years on the same engine is impressive.

[@douglasjohnson2247]

Thanks for the opportunity, Arthur! Most interesting re-fueling experience I've ever had!

[@billinga]

Doug, it was my pleasure and thanks for taking the time to chat. Stay safe!!

[@Jolinator]

Incredible aircraft thanks for taking the time to share this with us.

[@edredBryan]

...echo the majority of comments. Super interview; Doug was so accommodating regarding his plane. His attention to detail and care for his plane shows...23-yrs in the air w/ the original engine. Thanks Art.

[@je8367]

I really enjoy your videos because there is no fluff, no BS, just straight shooter with great content. Thanks for sharing.

[@Glofilter]

Great interview. Great airplane. Not only about the airplane, but shows the brotherhood among pilots.

[@andrewh8504]

Captured two of my favorite things. Some day I’m hoping to get a IV-P and I used to skydive at Palatka about 15 years ago.

[@kennethwolf392]

Doug- impressive how easily you entered the cockpit! Nice interview, nice airplane! Ken

[@billinga]

Ken, How is the CJ2 doing? Stay safe!!

[@DerekRobinsonTech]

Excellent Interview, Nice Bird, you definitely have a new subscriber, thanks for the good content!

[@Thewaldo12345]

Heard one of these fly over today but never saw it. Got on Flightradar 24 to see what it was because it sounded different. Neat airplane.

[@fredeb67]

I always give my hats off to people that share their time, airplanes and knowledge with others. Nice interview sirs.

[@herobo123456]

Two cool guys !! Great vid

[@scottspitler1443]

What a cool Colonel! A great airplane builder too!

[@BudFunOne]

This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing!

[@MrWoowootila]

Love the paint scheme and interior.

[@Rico11b]

That's a beautiful plane for sure.

[@outandabout1325]

Wow. 23 years original paint.

[@spikekavalench]

Great interview, very impressive airplane and builder.

[@classicraceruk1337]

Cheers Doug great interview

[@freakfly23]

My dad flew the jump pane there back in the early 90s. I rode my bike all over that airport. There are a few lost ninja turtle action figures in the grass somewhere. I have since flown my musketeer in and out of there to pick up my sister and her kids. Great airport.

[@tobberfutooagain2628]

Great guy. Nice chat….

[@zutrue]

LoL....nice to see you again, Sir.

[@pbbrown1963]

Nicely built Lancair IV-P. Never heard of the Aussie flight testing for the plane before. It's nice they figured out a fix for the stall inversion. Nice video. Thanks, Mr. Billingsley.

[@billinga]

Thanks for watching!!

[@jonasbaine3538]

Very interesting to apply the stall mod to left wing. Always see it applied to both wings.

[@unclefreddy2009]

Outstanding overview. Thanks for this

[@billinga]

Thanks for watching!!

[@skipstraut9719]

Great Great Interview!

[@John.Halsted]

Awesome thank you

[@PatrickJWenzel]

Brilliant! Outstanding interview. This Ozzie is sub'ed.

[@flyhigh5056]

very good

[@classicraceruk1337]

The range exceeds my bladder capacity I can understand that, happens to all of us as we get older!!!!

[@patrickbradley4339]

What a great video.

[@N98858]

Wow Art... Thanks for that impromptu interview/tour and "Good Seeing You!" Hope all is well, See Ya ';-) Mike...

[@billinga]

Thanks Mike, BTW, are you still driving the 425? Stay safe!!

[@Dzordzikk]

Great plane and great guy, amazing power and amazing cruise speed. I like it much more tan Cirrus SR ...

[@Karuiko]

I swear I've seen this Lancair before. Then he mentioned my home airport.

[@dvsmotions]

One of my favorite planes. 9.5 hours coast to coast for a single is ridiculous!!!!!!

[@bikersoncall]

Yeah, and that's diagonal to boot, I mean probably another few hundred miles over coast to coast on a latitude line, I would think.

[@williambutler2177]

I would LOVE to have a plane like that! Don't imagine I'll be able to afford it until I'm his age, which kind of kills the idea of getting 25 years of experience flying it.

[@backcountyrpilot]

Great interview! I gotta get a Lancair now.

[@codmott286]

amazing, i would have figured he built this just a few years ago

[@juteint4068]

Nice interview but pity he didn't talk about the benefits of the winglets.

[@thomasmahoney9748]

NICE PAINT!

[@videoman876]

I love the lancair I V

[@billinga]

It is a very nice airplane. Thanks for watching!!

[@Aviatorpeck1957]

Love it. My dream plane

[@bikersoncall]

Who builds something like that, stays with it to the end, I believe the completion ration in general of kits is not as high as one would expect, and this plane is probably twice as complex as a typical exp build.

[@oisiaa]

291 knots.......wow!

[@jwboll]

Bonus footage, skydiver faceplant at 9:50

[@DanFrederiksen]

It looks great, I thought it was a very recent model. It looks different somehow, maybe it's the effect around the rear window. Also the door lip looks different than other IV-Ps. It's pretty much my favorite bird because it goes fast with relatively modest means. It can essentially match a Cirrus Visionjet for speed and by far bests any commercial single piston prop plane and that's a disgrace to the GA world. Sleek body, turbo and pressure cabin so it can fly high with the jets. But as great as it is I know there is even far more potential for improvement. It's a relatively heavy bird at a full ton empty and you can recline the seats for smaller cross section. The lighter the aircraft the smaller the wing needs to be so the benefits compound. I imagine a modern 4 cyl turbo engine could produce 200HP and match the same high speed if the plane is say 400kg empty and I believe that's very doable. And use car gas. If it's lean in every way costs just go way down and if you have an owners club of 4 or even 8 owners, it's like having private jet capability for free. And there is even more room for improvement. GA is hugely neglected. We are really dealing with Cuba or eastern Europe behind the iron curtain neglected, so much could be done.

[@billinga]

Dan, thanks for watching and your insightful comments. I agree, GA can do more and the models like the Lancair can deliver attractive benefits to the traveling public.

[@douglasjohnson2247]

Dan, you are the first person in 23 years to notice my special treatment of the rear windows: when they came out with the pressurized version, they reduced the size od the rear windows. I thought they looked too small, so I used an optical illusion to get around that by painting a 2" dark area around them. Bingo--larger looking windows from a distance. Take a look in a parking lot sometime, as the auto industry designers do it all the time! Thanks for noticing! Doug J

[@DanFrederiksen]

@@douglasjohnson2247 I hadn't seen your comment until now, you're welcome :) thanks for doing a nice bird. I take it you added the static wicks too. The interior colors are very modern too, did you pick that grey back then or was that upgraded with the avionics? As singularly outstanding as the IV-P is, I've come to realize there is huge potential in a similar 4 place config but tear drop light body, skinny U2/glider wings and two small turbofan engines at the back. If the body shape is teardrop it has a uniform double compound curve that will make just a thin carbon fiber shell very rigid, meaning it can be an ultra light structure. It also lends itself naturally to pressurization. Jets are normally considered fuel inefficient but the world distance record belongs to an off the shelf simple turbofan engine so if you just go high, you get speed for free and jet engines can be much lighter than piston and you have two for ocean crossing safety. It would be a quantum leap plane. A Lancair 5P :) Jet is so smooth and quiet, it's worlds apart more civilized than the tractor shake of pistons. And jet engines often have 5000hour TBO. It would be the freedom of private jets but without the costs. Let's say it could go 750km/h. That really leaves a Cirrus SR22 behind. And I'd like to see zero altitude cabin pressure. At FL450 :)

[@douglasjohnson2247]

@@DanFrederiksen thanks for your kind comments, Dan. Yes, the interior is original just like the paint. I share many of your thoughts about the reliability and efficiency of turboprops (TP). They have some drawbacks, however, as noted by many of the Lancair guys who have put a TP on their birds. First, much of the weight savings promised by the light powerplant is offset by the much higher jet-A fuel burn (twice the piston rate, or more) thus requiring much bigger fuel capacity and carry weight. Also, the expenses with TP are much higher: not only fuel but also the required routine maintenance items. For instance, i heard a Pratt rep state at a Lancair meeting that a section wash should be done after EVERY flight if you live near the coast or in the South, lest your warantee be invalidated! Not unusual to see $20-30k in annual maintenance for TPs. On another note, I was not aware of the TP record you mentioned-- I thought the round-the-world flight of the piston-powered Voyager held the longest non-refueled distance record! Cheers. Doug

[@DanFrederiksen]

@@douglasjohnson2247 I agree TP is not a good compromise, I meant turbofan engines. Jets with bypass like airliners and private jets use. 2 small ones in the back, not in the nose. The record is also a turbofan. 40000km without refueling at around 500km/h. Globalflyer I think it was called. And last I checked that's further than any prop plane I know :) So we can have speed and fuel efficiency and the quiet civility of jets. And tiny jet engines can be produced for little money and jets often have TBO of 5000 hours. That would be less maintenance than a piston. Napkin math says that a 4 seater could do with 15kg engines. Maybe 10.

[@garyplewa9277]

I always liked the sleek lines of the Lancair, but those skinny gear legs make me nervous. They seem like they wouldn't take too much abuse, meaning you have to be spot on with your landing technique in all wind conditions. I'll stick with my C310. Its fast enough for me and forgiving on those less than perfect landings.

[@MatHelm]

Note how he said he flew once a week to stay on top of it.

[@garyplewa9277]

@@MatHelm Understood. I try and fly my 310 weekly if not more often to stay sharp too. High approach speeds mean a short time horizon in the final moments of landing. My whole point was, and I could be wrong without knowing the strength of the Lancair gear, is they look quite delicate. Weather conditions (e.g. gusts & crosswinds) are not always ideal upon arrival at a destination. Given the choice I prefer a plane with more robust landing gear.

[@douglasjohnson2247]

I shared the same concern, Gary, when first building it. I was somewhat reassured, however, when I saw that some of the parts were stamped "Cessna" when building the gear assembly--turns out it is pretty much the same gear as seen on the larger Cessna retracts. That said, I've made the decision to not fly it off soft fields (although other owners have done so successfully for years). Cheers. Doug J

[@sleepy399]

I notice in the above, and also at 05:50 they state the prop is 12' 8". The conversion from metric obviously off..

[@grantkorgan]

👍👍

[@mts592]

👍

[@lefthandedhardright8839]

Awesome airplane. Stupidly expensive.

[@doctorj2280]

Where have you been? Thanks for the interview... hope to see you in the twin cessna soon..!

[@billinga]

Thanks for watching. I am doing well but I have been on the commercial birds until now. Looking forward to more Songbird driving shortly. Stay safe!!

[@doctorj2280]

@@billinga yeah I've been watching the old videos listening to the twin Cessna engine rumble on Startup!

[@doctorj2280]

Hope to see Twin Cessna N69846 really soon rumbling through the skies once again!

[@garymccann2960]

If you put another engine in the backseat it is the fastest twin engine.

[@terry12327]

Wow! a piston engine turboprop propeller-type flying pressurized personal Jet speed airplane...

[@wololo10]

291 kn is no joke

[@fly-n-m9445]

Can you operate a Lancair from a 2700’ grass strip @ 620’ asl?

[@notj5712]

Could buy a lot of luggage for that.

[@yurimoros]

Wooow what a beautiful