TYPE: Side-by-side kitbuilt.
PROGRAMME: Prototype (N199L) first flown 16 July 1999, publicly displayed at Oshkosh 28 July 1999. First kitbuilt example (N540L) first flown 15 May 2001. Early aircraft were marked "Legacy 2000".
At Reno, Nevada, on 13 September 2002, a Legacy flown by Frederick E Schrameck claimed a Class C-1c Group 1 record for speed, over a 3 km course at restricted altitude, of 297 kt (550 km/h; 342 mph).
CURRENT VERSIONS: Legacy: Retractable landing gear version, as described.
Legacy FG: Fixed landing gear version introduced at Sun 'n' Fun 2003; as standard Legacy, but built mainly of glass fibre, rather than carbon fibre. Prototype N359L.
CUSTOMERS: Ten sold during Oshkosh debut; 16 by end of 1999, 150 by May 2001; by September 2002, over 100 had been delivered. Sales exceeded 230 by October 2003.
COSTS: Legacy US$49,900; Legacy FG US$32,900 (2003).
DESIGN FEATURES: Improved version of Lancair series of two-seat kitbuilts, offering increased cabin area, new wing and better performance; only part common to Lancair 360 is horizontal stabiliser. Quoted build time under 1,000 hours.
Streamlined design. Sweptforward wing trailing-edge, tapered tailplane and sweptback fin; low wing and mid-mounted horizontal tail.
Wing section NLF(1)-0215F; incidence 1°; dihedral 3°; twist 1° 30'; thickness/chord ratio 15 per cent.
FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional and manual. Fowler flaps. Aileron and elevator electric trim system included. Optional rudder trim and speedbrakes.
STRUCTURE: Carbon fibre airframe.
LANDING GEAR: Tricycle type. Mainwheels retract inwards; nosewheel rearwards. Cleveland 5.00-5 in wheels and brakes. Hydraulic retraction system.
POWER PLANT: Legacy: Initially offered with one 149 kW (200 hp) Textron Lycoming IO-360-C1D6 flat-four driving a two-blade Hartzell or three-blade MTV-12B constant-speed propeller. Hartzell introduced 7694-4T two-blade propeller specifically for Legacy in February 2002. By 2003 this had been upgraded to a 231 kW (310 hp) Teledyne Continental IO-550-N driving a three-blade constant-speed propeller. Optional engines include 134 kW (180 hp) Lycoming IO-360-B1F and -M1A and 194 kW (260 hp) Lycoming IO-540. Standard fuel capacity 250 litres (66.0 US gallons; 55.0 Imp gallons).
Experimental example with supercharger displayed at Sun 'n' Fun 2002, offering 295 kt (547 km/h; 340 mph) at 4,570 m (15,000 ft).
Legacy FG: One 149 kW (200 hp) Textron Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 flat-four driving a Hartzell Scimitar two-blade propeller. Standard fuel capacity 246 litres (65.0 US gallons; 54.1 Imp gallons).
ACCOMMODATION: Pilot and passenger in 25° reclined side-by-side seats beneath forward-hinging, one-piece canopy.