 STORY FROM CASCADE BUSINESS NEWS >
BY CAM DAVIS WORDPLAY CREATIVE COPY & CAMPAIGNS ON DECEMBER 13, 2022 BUSINESS & INDUSTRY, E-HEADLINES, FEATURE SECTION (Photo | courtesy of RDD) Innovative Experimental Aircraft Continues to Soar Despite Growing Pains Since returning from the 2022 EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin — the nation’s massive annual summer gathering of aviation enthusiasts — RDD’s Co-Owner and Director of Marketing, Sales and Business Development, David McRae has been swamped with inquiries about the company’s LX7 personal aircraft. “We had to take a two-year hiatus from Oshkosh due to COVID-19,” said McRae. “But after going back this year, I’ve been getting three or four calls a day from interested customers. As a result, we have developed quite a waiting list.” Over the past several years, Redmond-based RDD has transformed the iconic Lancair IVP into the revolutionary LX7. This experimental aircraft delivers unsurpassed speed and performance with its turbo-prop reaching up to 315 KTAS (Knots True Airspeed) and its piston model achieving a range of up to 2,125 Nautical Miles in 8.5 hours, while offering critical safety features like an all-carbon-fiber structure, front seat airbags and a whole-aircraft parachute. The excitement over the LX7 has created a two-year backlog of work for the tight-knit team of engineers and technicians at the company’s headquarters near the Redmond Airport. That type of demand has the potential to fuel tremendous growth for a company like RDD. However, as many other local businesses have found recently, hiring is not as simple as putting out a Help Wanted sign. “First of all, we are pretty particular about the kind of men and women we hire,” said McRae. “But candidly, we are dealing with some of the growing pains that are common with other industries in Central Oregon. “Of course, we can offer an incredible lifestyle, as well as competitive salaries for the aviation industry. Yet, when talented prospects from outside the area discover the cost of housing in the Redmond area, which has literally doubled since 2020, it can be hard to close the deal.” There is no denying that COVID had a tremendous impact on the personal aircraft industry. With people being more self-centered and cautious of public spaces, flying without the hassles and health risks of commercial airlines has become very appealing. But with inflation, higher gas prices and a shakier economy, McRae doesn’t expect the current demand to last forever. “We could see a downturn in the market in the not-too-distant future,” he claims. “So, we are already planning our next move that will give current LX7 owners and future customers an even better flying experience. On top of that, we will be able to develop it even more efficiently than our current operation.” With some suppliers having delivery challenges of their own, McRae is somewhat coy about revealing when the company’s next venture will be launched. “But when the time comes,” he says, “I’m sure the phone will be ringing off the hook again.” About RDD: RDD Enterprises is a premiere American-owned and funded aviation Research, Design & Development group with a rich aviation heritage serving the personal aircraft community. Our goal is to provide serious aviators technologically advanced aircraft and systems with impeccable safety and world-class support. Located in Redmond, Oregon, RDD is proud to have been selected to help achieve aviation goals for a wide range of customers, from individuals to large corporations. Collectively, the RDD team has extensive experience with both experimental and certified aircraft in the areas of engineering, research, design, development, modification, fabrication, construction and customer support. To learn more about the LX7 piston or turbine models, visit lxaircraft.com or call David McRae, at 541-504-0305, extension 1. 541-504-0305
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 When your experimental aircraft is turning heads and breaking distance and speed records left and right, people in high places tend to notice. That’s precisely what happened earlier this summer when none other than AOPA chose to feature the LX7 on their LIVE THIS WEEK podcast.
On June 24, AOPA Editor at Large, Dave Hirschman spoke to RDD’s Co-Owner, David McRae and LX7 owner Lin Hough about how the aircraft’s numerous performance, comfort and safety innovations create a truly revolutionary flying experience. Check out the three-minute segment at the beginning of their weekly report on the aviation industry.  As posted on Cascade Business News... Leave it to RDD, manufacturers of the innovative LX7 personal aircraft, to make a virtually impossible feat like flying from coast to coast seem down-right routine. That’s exactly what happened on Sunday, April 18 as 79-year-old Ken Wolf and his friend Lin Hough piloted Wolf’s LX7 from RDD headquarters in Redmond to his home in Jacksonville, Florida without a single stop whatsoever. The two aviators covered the 2,100 nautical miles from the airport in Redmond to Jacksonville in just eight hours and 23 minutes, and they even had to slow down their arrival time to allow a thunderstorm to pass through Jacksonville.
Wolf, a retired eye surgeon, purchased his LX7 a little more than a year ago and chose the piston engine model for its exceptional fuel efficiency, cabin comfort and innovative features, all of which make it ideal for traveling longer distances. The turbo-prop version, chosen by Wolf’s friend Hough, is capable of extraordinary feats as well, with an emphasis on speed and performance.
“The automatic fuel management system in the LX7 gives the plane greater range by keeping the fuel more evenly distributed between the wings,” said David McRae, RDD’s co-owner and director of Marketing, Sales & Business Development. “Maintaining nearly equal weight on each wing reduces drag and significantly increases fuel efficiency over the course of 1,000 nautical miles or more.” For decades, pilots of personal aircraft considered flying 1,000 nautical miles without stopping to refuel a major accomplishment. Yet, as proven by Wolf and Hough, the LX7 is capable of doubling that distance and then some. “With the west-to-east tailwind, we had enough fuel left in the tank to go all the way to Jamaica,” said Wolf. “Next time, we’ll bring our passports,” joked Hough. But traveling exceptional distances is just the beginning of what makes the LX7 so unique. The team at RDD has gone to great lengths to make every mile more comfortable with hand-crafted heated leather seats, ergonomic controls and a pressurized cabin. What’s more, safety is paramount with airbag front seat restraints and a whole-aircraft parachute. With a climb rate of 2,000 feet/minute and a flight range enhanced by a fuel capacity of 180 gallons, the LX7 is putting up some impressive numbers for a personal aircraft in its price range. “Specifications and capabilities are how we compare ourselves to other aircraft,” says McRae. “But when all is said and done, it’s all about giving the every-day aviation enthusiast freedom from typical aircraft limitations and, of course, getting there safer.” Redmond manufacturer shakes up aviation industry with innovative ideas and efficient process. Redmond, OR – Late last July, a small experimental aircraft manufacturer from Redmond, Oregon quietly introduced the latest version of its LX7 personal aircraft at the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin – the largest gathering of aviation enthusiasts in the world. Two months later, people are still buzzing about it.
The company, known as RDD, brings a wealth of experience in all aspects of design, construction and maintenance of both certified and experimental aircraft. The LX7 is the result of more than a dozen years of innovation, development and refinement that creates a flying experience unlike any other in both piston and turboprop configurations. “We went into Oshkosh as a relative unknown,” said David McRae, RDD’s Co-Owner and Director of Marketing, Sales & Business Development. “But we knew the plane was ready to turn some heads and it most certainly did that.” According to McRae, RDD cultivated five solid leads from the AirVenture who will be coming to Redmond as potential LX7 buyers, a company from Brazil wants to buy a plane and become a dealer, and Aviation Industry News (AIN) wants to come fly the plane and write an article soon. McRae credits the work done by Kinetic Branding and Wordplay of Bend for creating a high-quality brochure and a booth display that helped AirVenture attendees envision the experience of coming to Redmond for a test flight. The booth featured kiosks and table top information that highlighted the LX7’s seven most prominent talking points: Innovation – including extra wing flap area that enhances cruise performance and helps control landing speeds.
It all adds up to an aircraft that reflects RDD’s relentless innovation and is making a tremendous impression on the industry. “We’re not trying to sell this plane to the entire world, just the most knowledgeable aviators,” said McRae. “We could tell that the AirVenture visitors who walked all around the plane and read every kiosk were seriously interested.” That means, the next challenge for the team at RDD is converting all of those interested flyers into buyers. About RDD RDD Enterprises is a premiere aviation Research, Design & Development group with a rich aviation heritage serving the experimental aircraft community. Our goal is to service serious aviators by providing technologically advanced aircraft systems with impeccable safety and world-class support. Located in the Redmond, Oregon, RDD is proud to have been selected to help achieve aviation goals for a wide range of customers, from individuals to large corporations. Collectively, the RDD team has extensive experience with both experimental and certified aircraft in the areas of research, design, development, modification, fabrication, construction and customer support. To learn more about the LX7, contact: David McRae david.mcrae@rddent.com 541-410-8265 # # #  Stock configuration plane cruises from Anchorage, AK to Redmond, OR in 5.5 hours. Redmond, OR – Whoever said records are made to be broken must’ve known something about RDD, an experimental aircraft manufacturer from Redmond, Oregon. In March of this year, just before COVID19 quarantines went into place, Sisters, Oregon resident Paul Hodge piloted his LX7 personal aircraft from Redmond, Oregon to Anchorage, in just six hours for, a new all-time record for that distance.
After arriving in Anchorage, Hodge and co-pilot Laird Hamilton, CMO of Laird Superfoods in Sisters, Oregon, were picked up for an epic day of heli-skiing and boarding at Tordrillo Mountain Lodge. Hodge was delighted at how the LX7’s average airspeed of almost 269 mph with standard range made it so easy to get there despite less than favorable winds. “It’s pretty amazing to be able to climb into your own plane and be someplace epic so quickly,” he said. “Virtually every other personal aircraft would’ve had to stop to refuel in Canada, which would mean wasting an hour or more going through customs.” To prove the six-hour outward bound flight was no fluke, Hodge hopped in his LX7 a few days later and flew back to Redmond in just 5.5 hours, shattering his own record with an average speed of 317 mph. “Setting two records in two flights was pretty amazing,” said Hodge. “But I think it’s even more incredible that I had enough fuel left on the return flight to continue all the way to Los Angeles if I wanted to.” Thanks to RDD’s relentless innovation, the LX7 piston-powered aircraft is quickly becoming known for doing unheard of things in the air, including: • Climbing at a rate of 2,000 feet/minute. • Extending range with a fuel capacity of 180 gallons. • Traveling 2,125 nautical miles in as little as 8.5 hours. “For many years, the Holy Grail for experimental aircraft was the ability to fly 1,000 nautical miles without stopping,” said David McRae, RDD’s Co-Owner and Director of Marketing, Sales & Business Development. “But these days the LX7 just obliterates that mark with the efficiency to go 2.5 times that distance.” With its exceptional range, it’s only natural that McRae and the crew at RDD have their sights set on breaking the record for flying from coast to coast. But traveling exceptional distances is just the beginning of what makes the LX7 so unique. The team at RDD has gone to great lengths to make every mile more comfortable with hand-crafted heated leather seats, ergonomic controls, and a pressurized cabin. In addition, safety has been enhanced as well with an automated fuel management system, airbag front seat restraints, and a whole-aircraft parachute, among other reassuring features. The LX7’s advancements in speed, distance, comfort and safety couldn’t come at a better time as flights on commercial airlines become less convenient and more restrictive. What’s more, aviation enthusiasts from all over the world will be able to take a closer look at the LX7 as the EAA AirVenture – normally held in Oshkosh, Wisconsin – goes online later this month. Says McRae: “We’re extremely proud of the fact that our planes are regularly breaking records for speed and distance – not with professional test pilots flying in heavily modified aircraft under optimum conditions – but with regular people like Paul Hodge just doing what they enjoy most. To us, that’s the ultimate sense of freedom.” About RDD RDD Enterprises is a premiere aviation Research, Design & Development group with a rich aviation heritage serving the experimental aircraft community. Our goal is to service serious aviators by providing technologically advanced aircraft systems with impeccable safety and world-class support. Located in the Redmond, Oregon, RDD is proud to have been selected to help achieve aviation goals for a wide range of customers, from individuals to large corporations. Collectively, the RDD team has extensive experience with both experimental and certified aircraft in the areas of research, design, development, modification, fabrication, construction and customer support. To learn more about the LX7 piston or turbine models, visit www.lx7aircraft.com or call David McRae, at 541-504-0305, extension 1. |
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