A Seriously Zippy Homebuilt Aircraft
By James Grahame
The Lancair PropJet is an incredibly fast home-built aircraft. It cruises at a jaw-dropping 370 mph (595 kph), powered by a 750 HP Walter 601E turbine. She can travel 1400 miles (2,254 km) without refueling and the cabin seats four with room for up to 150 lb of baggage. The airframe is constructed from advanced composite materials (translation: lightweight and really strong). The climb rate of this machine is phenomenal, too: up to 7000 feet per minute (solo).
A fast-build kit costs a mere $129,500 (cough... cough...) and you'll need a high-performance endorsement before even thinking of getting behind the controls of this little rocket. Oh, and don't forget to pack your platinum credit card when you fly -- the fuel tank holds a whopping 125 gallons (473 L).


