Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Columbia (later Cessna) Model: LC41 Nickname: Columbia 400
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Airplane SE Piston
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane Single Engine Land
> Engine Description: single piston
Aircraft Experience
> As of: 6/25/2024
> Number of Hours Flown: 19
> Number of Times Flown: 11
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: LC42, Columbia 350, Cessna 350 & 400
First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 156
> Date First Flown: 6/21/2006
> Location First Flown: Salem, OR airport (KSLE)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: Paul Damschen & Stacy Miller, Garmin flight test
Recollections: This aircraft started out life as a homebuilt (by Lancair), was later certified by “Columbia Aircraft” (with what I believe were fairly substantial changes to the wing and flight controls) and later the design was purchased by Cessna/Textron.
I first flew an LC42 as part of my job as an FAA Test Pilot (the project was an autopilot certification of the new-ish Garmin GFC-700 Autopilot, installed in the Columbia 350; my first flight involved insertion of pitch malfunctions caused by the Attitude Heading Reference System and Flight Director), was FAST! It didn’t fly all that great (side-stick with manual controls; heavy forces and disharmony, made more challenging by relatively high approach speeds for landing) but the speed for cross-country flights made it a winner. Combined with the excellent Garmin G1000 system and GFC autopilot, this airplane was the perfect single-engine A-to-B airplane.
I flew 7 flights for the autopilot certification and later was checked out in a 400 at a local FBO (Galvin Training at Boeing Field). Never flew it after the sale to Cessna.
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