Columbia 300 (LC40-550FG)

Buyer context and ownership considerations

Start with the Columbia 300’s model-specific records and retain every unresolved source limitation shown below.

What to verify on the aircraft

• Where FAA-primary confirmation is marked unresolved, obtain the applicable current documents before relying on the figure.
• Confirm model, serial, engine, fuel capacity, installed equipment and approved limitations for the specific aircraft.
• Arrange a composite-experienced inspection and obtain current support, parts, insurance and training information.

Use the source-tagged specifications below as research context. Retain the stated model, serial, configuration, units and source limitations. NOT VERIFIED means further evidence is needed.

Identification

Manufacturer

Lancair Company / Lancair Certified, Bend/Redmond, Oregon [Secondary]

Tc Holder

Textron Aviation Inc., Wichita, KS [EASA-TCDS]

Model Designation

LC40-550FG [FAA-FR]

Marketing Name

Columbia 300 [Secondary]

Aircraft Class

Normally aspirated, fixed-gear, 4-seat composite piston single; FAR 23 Utility category [FAA-FR]

Type Certificated

Original type-cert date September 18, 1998 [Secondary -> FAA-TCDS]

Production Years

~1998 certified; deliveries began February 2000; built through ~2003 (superseded by the 350) [Secondary]

Total Built

~79 airframes (LC40 serials 40001-40079) [FAA-AD]/[Estimate]

Serial Generation Breaks

SN 40001-40079 [FAA-AD]

Variants Covered

Base LC40-550FG (Columbia 300) [Secondary]

Powerplant

Engine Make Model

Teledyne Continental IO-550-N [Secondary]

Rated Hp

310 hp @ 2700 rpm (normally aspirated) [Secondary]/[EASA-TCDS]

Num Engines

1 [Secondary]

Aspiration

Normally aspirated [Secondary]

Propeller

Three-blade constant-speed; Hartzell PHC-J3YF-1RF/F7691D-1 (de-ice variant F7691DK-1) [Secondary]

Tbo Hr

~2,000 hr (Continental IO-550-N typical; verify against current Continental SB) [Estimate]

Fuel Type

100 / 100LL minimum [EASA-TCDS]

Fuel Total Gal

106 US gal [Secondary]

Fuel Usable Gal

98 US gal (CONFLICT: some sources say 102; 300 likely genuinely 98 - needs FAA-primary) [Secondary]

Oil Qt

8.0 qt (same IO-550-N as LC42, EASA-confirmed 8.0 qt) [EASA-TCDS]

Weights

Mtow Lb

3,400 lb [Secondary]/[EASA-TCDS]needs FAA-primary for LC40

Max Ramp Lb

~3,400 lb (= MTOW per sister models) [Estimate]

Max Landing Lb

3,230 lb [Secondary]/[EASA-TCDS]

Empty Weight Typical Lb

~2,580 lb (typical equipped) [Secondary]

Useful Load Typical Lb

~820 lb (derived 3,400 - 2,580; NOT a published figure) [Estimate]

Max Baggage Lb

120 lb total (20 lb hat-shelf sublimit) - family value [EASA-TCDS]

Cg Range

Datum = wing-saddle leading edge 97.05 in aft of reference datum (family value, EASA-confirmed). LC40-specific CG envelope NOT VERIFIED - needs FAA primary [EASA-TCDS]/[Estimate]

Datum

Wing-saddle leading edge 97.05 in aft of reference datum [EASA-TCDS]

Dimensions

Wingspan

~36 ft 0-1 in [OEM]

Length

~25 ft 1-2 in [OEM]

Height

9 ft 0 in [OEM]

Wing Area Sqft

141.2 sq ft [OEM]

Cabin Width In

49 in (max; height 49 in max) [OEM]

Seating

4 (1 pilot + 3 pax) [EASA-TCDS]

Landing Gear

Fixed tricycle; castering (non-steerable) nosewheel, differential-brake steering [Secondary]

Performance

Max Cruise Ktas

190 KTAS at max cruise power (density altitude; 350 sheet pins same at 8,000 ft DA) [OEM via Secondary]

Vne Kias

235 KIAS (POH factory sheet; not a TCDS value) [OEM via Secondary]

Vno Kias

179 KIAS [OEM via Secondary]

Va Kias

148 KIAS (Va @ 3,400 lb) [OEM via Secondary]

Vs0

57 KIAS (landing config) [OEM via Secondary]

Vs1

65 KIAS (takeoff flaps) / 71 KIAS clean [OEM via Secondary]

Roc Sl Fpm

1,225 fpm @ 3,400 lb (1,400 fpm @ 3,000 lb) [OEM via Secondary]

Service Ceiling Ft

18,000 ft [OEM via Secondary]

Takeoff Over50 Ft

1,250 ft (ground roll 700 ft; SL, std, 3,400 lb) [OEM via Secondary]

Landing Over50 Ft

2,350 ft (ground roll 1,550 ft; SL, std, 3,400 lb) [OEM via Secondary]

Max Range Nm

1,320 nm best-economy / 950 nm best-performance (incl climb + 45-min reserve) [OEM via Secondary]

Endurance Hr

NOT VERIFIED (not stated on factory sheet)

Fuel Burn Gph

~17 gph @ 75% [Secondary]

Avionics Systems

Avionics By Era

Avidyne Entegra glass (early Columbia era); some steam-gauge early aircraft [Secondary]

Autopilot

S-TEC-class (Avidyne-integrated) [Secondary]

Notable Systems

Side-stick control; oxygen provisions; no pressurization; no airframe parachute [Secondary]

Common Stcs

Early Avidyne Entegra are common Garmin-retrofit / ADS-B-Out candidates; no popular gross-weight-increase STC found (already Utility category, +4.4 g) [Secondary]/[Estimate]

Known Issues

Composite-repair complexity/scarcity of composite-experienced shops; 'wheel walk'/aft-fuselage damage from hard braking (castering nosewheel compounds it); nosewheel shimmy; COM1 weakness (belly antennas shadowed); turbo n/a; parts availability post-2018 [Secondary]

Certification

Certification and AD entries are research references, not a compliance determination. Review current applicability and the individual aircraft’s compliance records with a qualified provider.

Tcds Number

A00003SE [FAA-FR]

Tcds Revision

NOT VERIFIED - needs FAA primary (Rev 20 cited in a ~2007 FAA airframe record; 'Rev 22 / Jan 2008' cited secondarily) [Estimate]

Certification Basis

14 CFR Part 23 per 'Amendment 6 to TCDS A00003SE'; FAR 23.1309 evaluated at Amdt 23-46; FAR 23.1305 at Amdt 23-52; FAR 23.1359 at Amdt 23-49 [FAA-FR]

Notable Ads

Family flight-control AD 2007-07-06; rudder-hinge AD 2009-09-09; brake/'wheel-walk' AD 2013-11-10 (LC40 serials included); Avidyne PFD AD applies to Entegra-equipped aircraft [FAA-AD]

Pricing and ownership costs

Request a current, aircraft-specific market and ownership review. Historical price ranges, operating-cost estimates and insurance examples have not been refreshed for this launch and are omitted here.

Ask for current comparable-aircraft evidence and separate quotes for insurance, maintenance, training, hangar and financing where relevant.

Data notice

Data as of June 2026. Certified data per FAA TCDS A00003SE; verify the current revision at drs.faa.gov. Market figures approximate.

Published model data does not replace review of a specific aircraft’s serial, installed equipment, logbooks, and approved performance documents. No HPA inspection or aircraft-specific review is implied.