Story ID: 
In the Works: Epic Aircraft LT
By: AIN Staff
Caption: Holding to a schedule announced last year, Epic Aircraft of Las Vegas flew its prototype Epic LT for the first time on July 17, from Redmond Airport, Ore.,
Word Count: 195
Holding to a schedule announced last year, Epic Aircraft of Las Vegas flew its prototype Epic LT for the first time on July 17, from Redmond Airport, Ore., not far from the company’s research and development facility in Bend, where the airplane was assembled. Dave Morss was the test pilot. The airplane had about 25 hours on the airframe when it made its first long cross-country flight, to EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., later in the month, where it was unveiled. At Oshkosh last year, Epic announced it would show the composite, turboprop single at this year’s event. Epic CEO and co-owner Rick Schrameck said normal-category certification of the $1.9 million, six-seat Epic is still planned for the first quarter of 2006. Before then, however, the Pratt & Whiney Canada PT6A-powered single is being offered as a kit-built airplane, with about 16 sold at a price of $1.2 million. “Customers may build their 51 percent of the aircraft only in our facility and we’ll watch the process very closely,” Schrameck said. “This will help us learn and improve our production process for the certified airplane.” He expects the second Epic to be flying by the end of January.