Aero-TV: The Lancair Factory - Where High Performance Begins

Kim Lorentzen Provides a Tour of Lancair's Redmond Facility

As composite structures began to emerge in the late 1970s, Lance Neibauer's aviation interest quickly went from hobby to inspiration; having graduated with a BFA in Graphic Design, Neibauer believed he could develop a sleekly designed aircraft that optimized both performance and handling. The resulting Lancair 200 made its aviation debut in 1984, premiering for Oshkosh attendees the following year. Exhibiting such advancement, the Lancair 200 is now displayed at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Museum in Oshkosh, WI.

The Lancair team became synonymous with innovative aircraft, including the Lancair 320/360, whose unprecedented design and beauty earned a display place at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. In 1993, Neibauer launched Pacific Aviation Composites USA (later renamed 'Columbia Aircraft'), eventually developing the type-certificated, piston single-engine Columbia 300. In February of 2003, Neibauer announced the sale of his kit company to Joseph Bartels. Since the sale, Bartels has led the company forward with Neibauers legacy, developing the new Lancair Evolution.

Today the company offers seven Fastbuild kits: The Lancair Legacy Fixed Gear, Lancair Legacy, Lancair ES, Lancair ES-P, Lancair IV, Lancair IV-P, and the Lancair Evolution. Located at the Redmond, OR airport, Lancair International operates a 38,000 square-foot facility featuring full service maintenance and builder assist programs; the builder assist program allows Lancair customers to receive hands-on technical assistance and guidance throughout their aircraft build. Currently, the program is offered for all Lancair aircraft.

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[cobrala]

@HDaviator Your absolutely right its hard for US companies to stay afloat without offshore labor, there is alot of economic dynamics involved. Also Boeing has the 787 almost built entirely overseas. thats how you fix the labor unions!

[HDaviator]

@cobrala

Lancair isn't a big company. You need to understand business is business and profits are the bottom line. If something can be made offshore for cheap then the business will always choose that over the other alternative. U.S. companies are being bought left and right by asian companies, such as Cirrus. It is sad, but it is only happening because there isn't anyone willing to invest in the U.S. Blame the incompetent government and the expensive wars.

[cobrala]

@klesmer Its just upsetting how we have hard working Americans out of work and big company's have no qualms about shipping the jobs overseas. She admits "there just labor". There has to be a way to keep the jobs in the US. Maybe have half the workforce but theres gotta be a way.

[klesmer]

Guess I won't be buying a Lancair kit afterall, I don't build airplanes that are made offshore, Phillipines,India,China or where ever.I have had enough dealings with other products-like firearms, learned my lesson the hard way. Japan or South Korea certainly, the Phillipines,never.

[jjralph77]

Hey Scrapheap71, i'm not a professional, just a private pilot, but I worked line service for a year and a half at the Redmond airport and dealt with lancairs and their pilots on a daily basis. In my opinion there are two things that combine to make the fatality rate high in lancairs. They are extremely fast both in cruise and landing, and SO many people who buy them are new pilots who have way more money than experience. I've seen pilots with 60 hours in a C-172 flying a turboprop lancair.

[BR5499a]

This here.  This here. This here. This here.

[mooneyexecutive]

THIS HERE is a good video....

[TruthinFilm]

very informative. If I was to change anything I'd request you STOP saying "this here" and simply say "this"

"This is the fast build...." sounds so much better than

"This here is the fast build..."

If I'm trusting my arse to your aircraft at least give me the comfort of knowing you've mastered English !

[flydenny1]

Hi Kim, like your tour...Dennis

[Scrapheap71]

Does anyone know why Lancair IV's have such a high accident fatality rate??