Cobalt you are absolutely right, as I said my comment is imagined and based on how is seen the brand and on what as been shown on the net. Very few information has really filtered about epic, except that this design based on lancair type planes, and so has probably the same kind of pros and cons.
The Epic E1000 is essentially born out of the same design as the Kestrel (will it ever be certified?) both of which were developed initially by Farnborough Aircraft as the F1 back in the late 90-ies early millennia.
It takes forever to develop anything in aviations it seems. Even Tecnam, with support from the government, take at least 5 years to bring a new aircraft to market. Considering their portfolio of new designs, they’re probably as good as anyone. How long have Diamond been working on their DA50 I wonder… Another iteration presented with retracts and diesel power just recently, but I’m not holding my breath on that one…
Hello, Peter. We have been away from the website for a while, so we just got your question.
I pic has delivered in the vicinity of 54 experimental versions. They no longer offer the experimental version. I’m told they have sold 80 of the certified aircraft with first deliveries in December of this year (2019). I don’t yet know what that translates into for wait time. But I hope to find out. Gail Evans, their marketing director, has promised Alice and I a “fit test”. She tells me they have pilots that are 6 ft 8 inches tall flying the airplane. I am 6 ft 6 inches. We’ll see.
Peter wrote:
The company is Russian owned and funded, according to the above article.
The Epic build rights were acquired by a russian group (also owning S7 airlines). This groups millionaire owner and her father perished in an Epic when they crashed in Egelsbach.
Is it FAA and EASA certified?
FAA certified for certain. I don’t know about EASA.
It’s a killer deal compared to the TBM. Newer engine, better performance and about $1 mill cheaper. Granted the TBM has the G3000 vs. G1000 of the Epic, but I’m sure that will change eventually. The is the best buy in that category right now.
AdamFrisch wrote:
It’s a killer deal compared to the TBM.
Is it really? It must come at some other cost.
I think it is mostly equipment. G3000, weather radar, radio altimeter, sat weather, TAS and RVSM equipment. These are not included in the base price of the Epic. Next would be materials. I haven’t seen an Epic in person, but can tell from the pictures that there is a difference in the interior quality. TBM is upholstered with leather all around, every panel, ceiling too. Carpets are super thick and I had wool coming out of them for months. The carpet in the Epic looks like cheapest office stuff one could buy. Another thing I noticed when watching Epic videos on youtube is lack of integration. A side panel for autopilot instead of a FMA, a small panel for pressurization, a small display for AoA. You get it all on the main displays in the TBM. Maybe the final product will be better integrated. I don’t know. Lastly, there’s 5 years of maintenance in the price of a TBM.
Anyhow, the basics of the Epic are better. Carbon fiber plane with a stronger engine.
It must come at some other cost.
I think Socata can charge 4M because
Carbon fiber plane with a stronger engine.
Exactly.
I think it is mostly equipment. G3000, weather radar, radio altimeter, sat weather. These are not included in the base price of the Epic.
That’s interesting. What avionics do you get in the base price? Wx radar is a must, sat wx you can get from Golze ADL (probably not integrated with panel avionics though). A RADALT is of little use in reality; it has no place in fixed wing CAT1 IFR procedures.
I would buy a G1000 plane without worrying about another one being G3000. Avionics makes zero difference to mission capability or (in most cases) safety.
Next would be materials. I haven’t seen an Epic in person, but can tell from the pictures that there is a difference in the interior quality. TBM is upholstered with leather all around, every panel, ceiling too. Carpets are super thick and I had wool coming out of them for months.
The problem is that the customers in this sector probably do care about that. Socata were listing a CD player for the TBM for something like 5k 
Epic ought to engage a fancy car cabin designer to do this.
Peter wrote:
What avionics do you get in the base price?
It’s on the website
Peter wrote:
Avionics makes zero difference to mission capability or (in most cases) safety.
Once you fly the G3000, there’s no going back to knobs. There may be some senior customers that have flown G1000 for years and are not willing to change, but generally touch is superior because it takes extremely little time to load procedures, input frequencies and such.
