 For immediate release, July 27, 2023
For more information, contact: David McRae [email protected] 541-504-0305 Redmond, OR – Just in time for the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Fly-In, where more than a half-million aviation enthusiasts will congregate this week, RDD Enterprises has launched the LX7-1, a kit version of its incomparable LX7 personal aircraft. Thanks to the LX7, Redmond, Oregon-based RDD has raised the bar for experimental aircraft to dramatic new heights in terms of safety, performance and comfort at a price that’s much lower than comparable planes. Now, they have taken the industry to another level yet again. “The LX7-1 is a gamechanger on three levels,” said David McRae, RDD’s Co-Owner and Director of Marketing, Sales and Business Development. “It empowers aviation enthusiasts to customize the plane to suit their needs; to take control of the construction timeline; and to significantly lower the cost of entry.” For an introductory price of less than $500,000, RDD delivers an initial construction package, which includes:
The package features a one-week Build Assist Program which will close the wing and the horizontal stabilizer, mate the wing to the fuselage, and attach the empennage to the fuselage. “The Build Assist Program effectively completes the geometric assembly of the entire airplane,” said McRae. “This ensures that every LX7-1 will be constructed accurately and have consistent flight characteristics. Each plane leaves our facility capable of having a maximum gross weight of 3,750 lbs. and an expected empty weight of 2,100 lbs., offering a full fuel payload of 900 lbs. From there we expect the owner to keep a close eye on things and use good technique to achieve the optimum results.” Upon delivery of the basic body of the aircraft, RDD can help identify locations where owners may choose to assemble the aircraft at their convenience for a set weekly fee. RDD also sets up customers with detailed instructions that will enable them to complete the assembly of the plane with a host of optional features, such as: a dual bus electrical system, aircraft wire harnesses, an instrument panel and/or interior panels from an LX7, a BRS whole aircraft parachute system, Buenos Technologies Buenos De-ice electro-thermal ice protection, and electric air conditioning with climate control. Customers are invited to contact RDD for tech support. Plus, for a nominal fee, they can contact RDD experts for In-process Inspections at key points throughout the assembly, as well as for their First Flight Program and Factory Transition Training. “Assembling your own aircraft can take more than 1,100 hours,” said McRae. “But it’s well worth the time and effort to gain a deeper understanding of your aircraft’s capabilities and safety features. And we highly recommend our First Flight Program and Factory Transition Training to make sure you go skyward with assurance and peace of mind.” By saving a substantial amount of money on that peace of mind, many aviation enthusiasts could soon be flying on Cloud 9. About RDD RDD Enterprises is a premiere aviation Research, Design & Development group with a rich heritage serving the experimental aircraft community. Our goal is to service serious aviators by providing technologically advanced aircraft systems with impeccable safety, unbeatable value 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 LX7-1 piston or turbine models, visit www.lx7aircraft.com or call David McRae, at 541-504-0305, extension 1. # # #
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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  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 [email protected] 541-410-8265 # # # |
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