Looking very nice Todd! I'm wondering when the touch technology will make it to the G500/600 line. I just got back from 135 recurrent and was trained on our new G500H suite and autopilot. It begs for touch screen!

Do you need a test pilot when it is complete or for any instruction in type? This would be for airframe handling, not for avionics per SE.

Hi Bill,

Actually, this airplane has been flying since 2002. The previous owner was an Engineer that built it to perfection, but never painted it. I bought it earlier this year and had it painted. I then decided that I wanted a panel that matched the performance and technology of the airframe, so I decided on the G3X system.

Performance One Aviation (the broker for the seller) hooked my up with Bill Walker who is a senior engineering test pilot with about 30k hours - mostly of which is in single engine military aircraft. He has forgotten more about flying than I will likely ever know. Anyway, he gave me a few hours of checkout in the airplane after he delivered it to me.

I then flew it around for a couple of hours to get comfortable in it before loading my wife up for a trip to FL. It was the most pleasant trip I have had in the 50+ times I have made this trip. I have never flown a plane with such light and tight controls and an airframe that simply pounds through the bumps regardless of the airspeed. Cruising at 215 knots burning 13.5 GPH and descending at 245 knots indicated while still in the green arc makes for a very satisfying flight.

Todd, you are a convincing guy, you should be in sales . I find myself looking at Glasair ads now and I NEVER would have considered that before. Of course the issue is, I don't know what I don't know. I would want to make sure I had a guy like Bill baby sit me until he was comfortable putting his daughter in there with me. Keep us posted.

Hi Bill,

Actually, this airplane has been flying since 2002. The previous owner was an Engineer that built it to perfection, but never painted it. I bought it earlier this year and had it painted. I then decided that I wanted a panel that matched the performance and technology of the airframe, so I decided on the G3X system.

Performance One Aviation (the broker for the seller) hooked my up with Bill Walker who is a senior engineering test pilot with about 30k hours - mostly of which is in single engine military aircraft. He has forgotten more about flying than I will likely ever know. Anyway, he gave me a few hours of checkout in the airplane after he delivered it to me.

I then flew it around for a couple of hours to get comfortable in it before loading my wife up for a trip to FL. It was the most pleasant trip I have had in the 50+ times I have made this trip. I have never flown a plane with such light and tight controls and an airframe that simply pounds through the bumps regardless of the airspeed. Cruising at 215 knots burning 13.5 GPH and descending at 245 knots indicated while still in the green arc makes for a very satisfying flight.

Some pics of the capability and comfort. You can get more in this plane than you would originally think.

Alex / Luc,

The Glasair is a cakewalk to fly. Once you get used to the light controls, speed, and high wing loading it truly is an easy plane to fly. You simply point it where you want to go. Speed does not matter. Maneuvering speed is almost 190 knots indicated.

Way to go Todd, that thing looks awesome.

Knowing pilots, I don't think I'd ever put my daughter in a 2 seater with a pilot

How 'bout 4 seats? "Two in the back..."

It truly is an incredible machine, but it has limitations. You really need 3000 ft or more of runway to be safe. The engine out scenario is not good, but with the extended wing tips it is better than the short ones.

My biggest concern is ice. I'm hoping to find a day here where it is above freezing on the ground and a decent ceiling and some healthy ice in the clouds above. I want to try loading the plane up with some ice to see how it reacts while being able to descend into warm air to lose the ice beforing slowing down for a landing. I know how the baron, Duke, and bonanza handle the ice, but this thin winged hot rod is different, I am sure.

You need a better neck pillow for your wife and window shades.

Todd, the man I was going to recommend is former military also,in fact a " Top Gun " winner, but he was also a Glassair factory and demo pilot for Glassair.
Someone who recently has thousands of hours of military time is going to have all or most of that in jets, not the type of plane like a Glassair.
US military doesn't really use piston planes anymore,other than for some basic.
You,or your guy may have it well in hand,just felt I should offer. And you are doing a lot of mods,be careful with cg,etc. And I am not a Glassair expert,but do think it has more potential to go wrong than a simple low wing loading plane.

Thanks Bill. I appreciate the offer. The guy that trained me has about 1500 hours in the Glasair. He has been a test pilot mostly in single engine piston and turboprop aircraft.

As for CG, this plane is pretty hard to load wrong. The occupants sit on the CG center, so that does not matter. The fuel is pretty neutral as well except for the header tank of 8 gallons that is a little forward of CG. I am removing about 35 lbs of avionics, but my new prop weighs about 15 lbs more than the original. Using the new data, I can put full fuel in the plane, 100 lbs in the baggage area, and 2 180 lb occupants and still be well within the weight limit and CG range.

Some of the older glasairs with the lighter parallel valve engine and two blade props had aft CGs, but this one does not. It is a really easy plane to manage and fly. The heavy wing loading actually makes the plane more capable in x country. You just have to understand the rate of descent can creep up on you. It really is not that bad, though. My old Iskra jet would literally descend at 25k per minute.

Todd, thats a beautiful Glassair. I had a Lancair 360 that gave great performance numbers. I just couldnt sit in it for more than 2 hours at a time.