Evolution Aircraft Company, maker of the high-end Evolution Turbine and Evolution Piston kit planes, is adding two more versions of the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprop to its pressurized single-engine lineup. The Evolution airplanes were previously part of the Lancair brand of experimental aircraft, but Kevin Eldredge, president of Evolution Aircraft Company, sold the Lancair assets to a father-son pair in Texas to focus on the Evolution series aircraft last summer. Evolution now offers the Evolution Piston EVOP-350, powered by the 350-HP Lycoming iE2 full-FADEC avgas-burning piston, and the Evolution Turbine powered by three variants of the P&W PT6 at 550 HP, 750 HP, and 867 HP. Evolution says the 867-HP EVOT-850 will cruise at 330 knots. Eldredge says the EVOT-850 is “simply the big dog.” He explains, “Increasing the torque over 200 pounds and the max cruise speed to close 330 knots will prove to be the most incredible performing four-place aircraft you can fly.”
Although certificated as an experimental aircraft, nearly all of the Evolution’s kits are built at an Evolution-affiliated build and service center with the buyers providing the legally required involvement in the build process under the supervision of professional mechanics and technicians.
