Product liability, the big bugaboo question, has not been a problem for this company. According to Lake president Armand E. Rivard, the company has never lost a product liability suit and has never settled out of court.
Another big seaplane
question relates to where you can fly. Having been embroiled with the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers in a dispute over landing in "their" water, I have
personal knowledge of how unreasonable bureaucrats can be about seaplanes. That
battle was won, and in most cases if you see a motorboat in the water you can
operate your seaplane there. The key is always the word "prohibit."
If it is published that seaplanes are prohibited, don't splash down. For
example, in New Jersey seaplanes are specifically prohibited except on four or
five pieces of water.
Who buys amphibians? They
can't really tie that down. Rivard says that people who like fine machinery and
who like to fly are the customers. The overseas business is good, and Lake
offers a mean-machine military version called the Seawolf that is quite
successful. It has hard points and radar and can drop survival stuff to
unfortunate folks in the water. The Seawolf is not a certified airplane and
flies at a gross weight 400 pounds higher than the Renegade.
As you might expect, the
base price of the Turbo Renegade puts it in the class of a big boy's toy. And
the way they are equipped shows that the buyers aren't out to buy the world's
least expensive seaplane. A full Bendix/King flight control system is approved
in the airplane, and the most elaborate to date had this along with a
Bendix/King RDS 82 radar, Stormscope, dual horizontal situation indicators, and
dual altimeters. Nothing that's this much fun is inexpensive, and it only takes
one day of flying and floating to convince you that a Renegade goes right up at
the top of a list of things that make you work ever harder to afford.
LAKE TURBO RENEGADE
SPECIFICATIONS
Powerplant LYCOMING
TIO-540-AA1AD, 270 HP
Recommended TBO 1800 HR
Propeller HARTZELL 76 IN. DIA.Q-TIP constant speed
Length 28.2
FT
Height 10
FT
Wingspan 38
FT
Wing area 170
SQ FT
Wing loading 18.6
LB/SQ FT
Power loading 12.2
LB/HP
Seats 4-6
Cabin length 10.3
FT
Cabin width 41
IN
Cabin height 39
IN
Empty weight, as tested 2,165.9 LB
Gross weight 3,140
LB
Useful load, as tested 974.1
LB
Fuel capacity, std 76
GAL (456 LB)
Fuel capacity, w/opt tanks 90 GAL (540 LB)
Baggage capacity 200
LB
PERFORMANCE
Takeoff
distance, ground roll 880
FT
Takeoff
distance, water run 1,250
FT
Rate
of climb, sea level 900
FPM
Max
level speed 155
KT
Cruise
speed/Range w/45 min rsv, std fuel
(fuel consumption)
@ 78% power, best economy 145 KT/588 NM
12,000 ft (94.8
PPH/15.8 GPH)
Max
operating altitude 20,000
FT
Service
ceiling 23,800
FT
LIMITING AND RECOMMENDED AIRSPEEDS
Vx (best angle of climb) 65 KIAS
Vy (best rate of climb) 80 KIAS
Va (design maneuvering) 121 KIAS
Vfe (max flap extended) 125 KIAS
Vle (max gear extended) 125 KIAS
Vno (max structural cruising) 125 KIAS
Vne (never exceed) 147 KIAS
Vr (rotation) 57 KIAS
Vso (stall, in landing configuration) 49 KIAS
All specifications are based on manufacturer’s calculations. All performance figures are based on standard day, standard atmosphere, sea level, gross weight conditions unless otherwise noted.