In The Air: Lofty Legends
August 4, 2003
Once a turbine engine is running, no ground run-up check is required. Dan Gray and I went through a quick pre-takeoff checklist and positioned the Legend on the runway numbers. Advancing the throttle to 68 percent power pushed us back into our seats. With rotation at 60 knots, the ground run was probably less than 600 feet, with climb-out at 100 knots. With this much power available, a nearly vertical climb was possible, achieving over 5,000 feet per minute. This gave us an altitude of over 2,000 feet before the Legend cleared the end of the 2,500-foot runway. It makes one wonder what it would do if 100 percent of the available power were used.
Taxiing the aircraft is also different. The turbine runs at a constant speed, and the pilot uses the power lever to accelerate or slow down by changing prop pitch. By utilizing the “beta,” or reverse thrust capability (the prop may be controlled to the extent that the thrust may be diverted forward to slow or back up), the aircraft can be accelerated or slowed without braking. The nose wheel is a castering type, and differential braking is used to steer during taxi maneuvers. Ground handling is easy, and the power lever is precise at controlling taxi speed.
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc(); "Comfortable tandem seating.")
The wide cockpit provides comfortable tandem seating. (Click image to enlarge)
Using a forward speed of about 180 knots, the Legend can climb at over 2,500 feet per minute while giving good visibility over the long nose. Level flight results in a speed of about 280 knots true.
The handling of the Legend is as good as its appearance suggests. Controls are light, and control harmony is just about spot-on, with a slight reduction in pitch force as speed increases. Rolls are quick and easy, requiring little rudder to accomplish. It is not a difficult aircraft to fly, in spite of its prodigious performance.
advertisement
