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The primary carbon-fiber construction material makes up all major structures, all flight controls, trim tabs, cabin panels and flooring, most fairings and trim pieces, and even the firewall (shown here).
a little “maturity weight” and still be a thoroughbred performer.
Combine that with prop and engine airflow refinements made to improve thrust output, and the E1000 GX re- tains the same bragging rights as its LT brethren. In some areas, it even bests them. E1000 GX pilots can fill the tanks (264 gallons usable), fill all six seats with FAA-standard size adults (with some payload left over for baggage), climb at 3,000 to 4,000 FPM to FL340, and then cruise north of 315 KTAS in the 50 gallons per hour (GPH) range.
Flying the E1000 GX
It took me over a year to connect with Epic’s Flight Training Program Manager, Peter King (no relation to CEO Doug King). A pandemic, crazy work and flight schedules, 2,000 miles of separation, and demands on Epic’s
beef-ups required to meet certifica- tion standards for redundancy and crashworthiness (which allowed the E1000 to achieve certification in the tougher Utility Category). But, much of that weight is in interior improve- ments added because Epic wanted to, not because they had to.
Soundproofing and vibration dam- pening was added throughout the airframe, making it the quietest and smoothest single-engine turbo- prop I’ve flown. The airstair door was revised and, when opened, interior courtesy lights switch on to ease loading when the aircraft is otherwise unpowered. A secondary emergency exit was added, and the large windows got an electronic dimming feature. Significant flight deck enhancements were also added, resulting in an incredibly ergonomic design that lowers pilot workload and increases safety from the adjustable glare shield down to the auto-switching fuel selector. Critical to offsetting these weight- adding features and boosting performance was the enlargement and reshaping of the engine intake to better optimize air induction.
The advantage Epic had in retaining its performance pedigree throughout
One example of the design of the various E1000 GX’s subpanels, organized into logical rows and groups with sequential button placement to create easy workflows.
the 7-year certification effort was not about what it ended with but what it be- gan with. Specifically, power. A lot of it. From day one, Epic’s business end has harnessed the trusty Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67A turboprop, sporting 1,200 SHP. It is not takeoff limited as in some other single-engine turboprops in this category. All 1,200 horses are available to the pilot through takeoff and initial climb, and 1,000 of them are available continuously (thus, the E1000 designa- tion). With so much power available, the certified model could afford to gain
working f leet of aircraft made mak- ing all the stars align difficult. It was worth the wait!
Peter King is a highly experienced f light instructor, f light test pilot, and Garmin avionics guru. Our aviation paths have crossed many times in the past couple of decades, so there was an easy comfort between us as he walked me through a preflight. We talked about such arcane topics as Bound- ary Layer Energizers (BLEs), span-wise f low control devices and optical ice detectors (all of which the E1000 GX
November 2022 / TWIN & TURBINE • 15