There's a big rush to get to certification (albeit with claimed performance numbers). After that, there are many, many tweaks that can be made.

Some changes already made can be seen through the years on LTs. Here's a later example with a big inlet and plenum:



Let them refine and perfect details. Cleaning up/covering the gear wells, better cowl ducting, a FADEC PT6E-67 like the Pilatus, fancier props, other black magic that I'm unaware of, etc...

In the farming pic, is that a private airstrip, or a road?

An airstrip

I'm pressing on with figured out flight in RVSM airspace. I hadn't dug into the altimetry system error (ASE) piece of the puzzle because it smelled like it'd cost a lot. After communication with the FSDO and few dead ends, that clearly became the next hurdle.

Originally, I thought this would be a $100k+ test flight and a week's downtime flying around with a cone off the tail. Not fun and not worth it.

RVSM altitudes presented a few benefits in my view: 1. clearing weather, 2. extending range, and 3. getting in the way of everyone else

Still working out kinks, but it may be a fraction of my expected cost (still expensive, but something like ~$15k) and doable in a day. I got in touch with Aero Mech. They have authorization to issue RVSM STCs with their DER and do lots of work for OEMs and one-off projects.

They'll will supply substantiation for the plane's ASE monitoring. An Epic LT wouldn't need an STC since there's no TC to stick it to, so I literally just need to have paperwork checking ASE and the required training.

Overarching assumption is I meet part 91 appendix g requirements. I'd assume flight test will determine flight envelope min and max speeds.



The rest of my considerations laundry list:
1. better pilot/copilot o2 masks. TUC at 34k is 1/3 to 1/5 the time of 28k. Maybe a second bottle behind pilot/copilot seat? Plenty of room there.
2. revising the experimental type cert/POH to show a higher service ceiling. Right now it's 28000 because for RVSM
3. confirm cabin pressurization annunciation. We have an arduino display that shows red if cabin altitude goes over 10,000', and a CO guardian that displays a red "cabin pressurization" CAS on the G900X and a chime if over 10,000'
4. convert and calculate Mmo (.64 mach) to IAS for altitudes between 28000'-34,000'
5. Staying warm. ISA temps at 34,000 are in the mid -50 can be 10ºC colder
6. fuel temps. Don't have heated fuel
7. revised drift down time for in flight restart


34,000' comes to mind because that's what's being used in the E1000 program. Practically, I may not want to go higher, but it's interesting to consider the possibility.

Some cabin altitude figures:
-atmospheric pressure at 34k' ISA is 3.63 psi. With 6.7 diff P, that's a ~9500' cabin.
-A 10,000' cabin is ~35,300'
-A 12,500' cabin (9.16psi - 6.7 diff P) is... 42,000'? This is above the engine's service ceiling, way above my comfort level, and frankly, above RVSM altitudes. I don't want to be anywhere up there anyways with the stubby wings

This may all be pie (way, way up) in the sky, but still working through things.

Fun! I can't wait to see if you pull it off!

Did you decide not to sell it?

Selling the first because we moved into another.

Then this would be the other one. I found it very appealing but gave up on it when NOBODY would talk to me about it, not Epic, the owner, the build shop, no one. That's never a good sign. I did hear a comment that the CG was way off and fixing it became a full-time job.

I would love the scaled down Epic with a -10. Didn’t know they existed until this thread. Sounds like it would blow my Meridian out of the water. Is there any more info about them?