Glasair and Lancairs: 3 planes, one sky

Two lancair 360's and one Glasair or as we sometimes label ourselves when we fly together: Lancair 1, Lancair 2, Lancair 3 (yeah, it's a Glasair..but Harv doesn't mind). Today we head out to lunch and introduce a few other angles on the cameras as a test to see how it all works out. Hope you enjoy the views today.
NOTE: I will be publishing a video next week for those who just want to see the planes. I am expecting it to be a mashup of flights from the last month. Make sure you hit the notification button so you are made aware of when it publishes.
Thanks for stopping by!
Blue skies.
Tony M

[@AviewFromUnder]

I have always loved the classic blended with modern look of the Glasair.

[@HUDPilot]

I agree!! Just wish the seating had less recline to it. Just a bit much for my tastes.

[@Garbelli100]

what's the difference in performance?

[@HUDPilot]

Hi Garbelli. If you watch the previous video in the series you get a sense of faster or slower between the planes. Given that the white lancair has bigger horsepower and variable pitch, he is the fasted by 10 to 15 knots at times. The Glasair and my plane are closer matched with a regular 170kt cruise. When we go all out the glasair beats me by a few mph but he has the advantage of variable pitch vs my fixed pitch. The bigger advantage is that the Glasair (and other Lancair) can set their prop pitch along with regular power setting and cruise without a worry whereas if I want to keep up with my fixed pitch, I have to put her full in which eventually gets me in redline which of course I do not want to remain.
Summary all planes fly in the 170kt range equally but the Glasair hits slightly higher at about 174/5 and the other lancair with bigger engine at 190-195kt. Hope that answers the question. Take care and thanks for stopping by.

[@kasm10]

@@HUDPilot is there any clear differences that makes one preferable to the other?

[@HUDPilot]

@kasm Clear differences that make you say "wow glasiar instead of lancair (or vice versa)" , in my opinion no. What do I mean by this? Speed: Glasair a few knots faster but that is due to prop... variable vs my fixed pitch. Would I pick the glasair because of that? No... I wanted fixed pitch for less expensive cost of ownership. The owner of that Glasair does light aerobatics whereas I cannot. Does it matter.. No. I did aerobatics early on in my aviation life and didn't like it one bit.. my head and stomach are not built for it :-) . The one thing I liked is that the glasair had more room than lancair. You "wear" a lancair which is why you feel like you are flying a fighter plane in my opinion. However, getting in and out of the Glasair was difficult compared to the lancair (taller fuselage wall when measured vertically off the wing root) and I didn't like that at all.
I could go on but like I said.. there isn't much CLEAR choice. It is about what you are personally attracted to, how it feels during takeoff and landing:that is how I think you should pick a plane. Possibly not the answer you were looking for but there isn't a definite choice in my opinion.