Jeff,
     On the "3 for a short one" scenario, Are you saying mainly that you don't
have enough useful load left to put in fuel for a long trip with 3 or that the
3rd person is always uncomfortable in a IVP?

Colyn,

 

Good question. I will take two passengers and offload fuel to make a 1-2 hour/ out and back day trip (no bags). But if I am taking bags I will only take one other passenger and then always load the aft seat first and then the baggage area. There is not enough useful load to make a max fuel/ max range trip ( 4 hours ) with baggage and three souls on board. Three people are not going to be comfortable for a four hour trip--especially when you have to FEDEX their luggage and stop twice for fuel. The leg room in the back is non existent. This ain't no Cessna 206-- but it is a heck of a lot faster. If you need to get more passengers better buy another IVP cut off the left wing of one and the right wing of the other and glue the whole thing together like the P-61.

 

Perhaps Lancair could design a six passenger aircraft that is about four inches wider with the ES wing (could carry a bunch of fuel) and a Walter engine.  Or you could put down some cash for the Epic or a PC12.

 

There are very few aircraft out there that you can fill the seats and the tanks and be legal and safe. Let me know if you find one.

 

Jeff