Epic E1000 GX

The Epic E1000 is a six-seat, single-engine, pressurized turboprop built from carbon-fiber composite by Epic Aircraft in Bend, Oregon. It is the certified evolution of the Epic LT experimental kit aircraft that Epic sold in the 2000s, and it received FAA type certification on November 7, 2019 after a lengthy development program. Deliveries of the production E1000 began in 2020, and Epic quickly refined the airplane into the current E1000 GX (Garmin upgrade) and, more recently, the E1000 AX with autothrottle and Garmin Autoland.

The airplane's defining claim is speed: at 333 KTAS maximum cruise it is the fastest civilian single-engine turboprop in production, a direct competitor (and often superior on pure speed) to the Daher daher-tbm 960 and the Pilatus PC-12 NGX. The E1000 GX pairs that speed with a 1,100 lb full-fuel payload, 1,560 nm range, and FL340 ceiling — putting it in a performance band that a decade ago required a light jet. Owners are typically successful business operators flying themselves between city pairs that are inconvenient for the airlines; the single-pilot owner-flown mission is the core of the market.

Approximately 100+ E1000-series airframes have been delivered since certification. The airplane is manufactured in Bend, Oregon, and Epic provides factory-based training and support.

This page focuses on the E1000 GX as the most common late-model variant on the used and current market. The earlier plain E1000 is mechanically and aerodynamically very close; the AX adds avionics but not performance.

Book max cruise is 333 KTAS at approximately FL280 in ISA conditions on the PT6A-67A at full 1,200 shp (five-minute limit); max continuous is closer to 1,000 shp, and realistic long-range cruise is 317-325 KTAS burning around 55-60 gph of Jet A. Eco cruise at 260 KTAS drops fuel burn closer to 40 gph and stretches range toward the published 1,560 nm.

The airplane's climb is genuinely impressive — 4,000 fpm initial at light weights, holding better than 2,000 fpm through 20,000 ft — which collapses time-to-cruise and makes short legs viable at high altitude. Unlike the TBM, which is limited to FL310, the E1000 routinely operates at FL340 where fuel flow is materially better.

The carbon-fiber airframe is stiff and quiet, but the airplane is slick: pilots transitioning from piston singles must plan descents aggressively or risk shock cooling the PT6 and arriving high and hot. Vne/Vmo is approximately 270 KIAS and must be watched in descent. Hot/high and heavy runway performance remains excellent for a turboprop in this class thanks to the 1,200 shp and large five-blade Hartzell composite prop, though the airplane is not a true short-field machine — plan on 2,000+ ft of runway over a 50 ft obstacle.

The E1000 is a rare turboprop single in that full fuel + full seats is close to achievable, but not quite. With 288 gal (1,930 lb) of Jet A and a 2,860 lb useful load, full-fuel payload is approximately 930-1,100 lb — enough for four adults and modest bags, or three adults and full bags. Filling all six seats with 180 lb adults (1,080 lb) plus 300 lb of bags means trading about 30-40 gallons of fuel, reducing range from ~1,560 nm to ~1,300 nm at high-speed cruise.

Realistic mission profiles:

• Two pilots + full fuel: 1,560 nm max range / 1,400 nm with reserves at long-range cruise, or ~1,100 nm at 325 KTAS max cruise. Coast-to-coast US with one stop.
• Four adults + bags + full fuel: ~1,500 nm with reserves, still long enough for most meaningful business legs.
• Six adults + bags: ~1,000-1,100 nm with reserves at high-speed cruise — a genuine six-seat long-range mission that most piston twins and many turboprops cannot match.

Compared to the daher-tbm 960, the E1000 offers slightly more cabin volume, higher max speed, and a higher ceiling, at the cost of somewhat less mature support infrastructure outside North America. It is a strong fit for the owner-flown business-travel and cross-country missions where speed, range, and six-seat capability all matter simultaneously.

• Business Travel (10/10): This is the mission the E1000 was designed for. 1,500+ nm single-pilot legs above the weather at jet-competitive speeds, six seats, pressurized cabin, modern Garmin panel, and Jet A economics. Few airplanes match its speed-per-dollar in the owner-flown turboprop segment.
• Cross-Country (10/10): Same logic — the E1000 crosses the US comfortably in two legs with tailwinds. Range, speed, cabin, and ceiling all support coast-to-coast travel.
• Cargo Hauling (5/10): 2,860 lb useful load is healthy, but the cabin is configured for passengers with a modest cargo door and no floor hardpoints. Usable for gear-heavy family trips, not for commercial cargo.
• Local Fun (4/10): Capable but wildly over-specified; $1,600/hour variable cost makes pattern work absurd.
• Flight Training (1/10): Not a trainer in any sense. Factory differences training only.
• Surveying (3/10): Too fast for most survey work and not set up for sensor installations; a Kodiak or Caravan is the right tool.
• Backcountry (2/10): Retractable gear, low wing, high wing loading, and fragile composite fairings make unimproved strips a bad idea.
• Aerobatics (1/10): Not approved, not designed for it.

All certified E1000-series airframes ship from the factory with the Garmin G1000 NXi integrated flight deck — there is no "base" panel; this is a fully-equipped airplane from day one. Standard equipment includes dual GTC touchscreen controllers, dual WAAS GPS/VHF/NAV, GFC 700 autopilot with Electronic Stability Protection (ESP), Synthetic Vision Technology, TAWS-B, TCAS, GWX-75 weather radar, GDL-69A SiriusXM weather, and ADS-B In/Out via a GTX 345R.

The E1000 AX adds Garmin Autothrottle (GTA 65), Garmin Autoland (Emergency Autoland), and a refreshed cabin package. Autoland is not currently available as a retrofit to earlier E1000/GX airframes, which materially affects resale comparisons between AX and GX.

Because the panel is fully integrated by the factory, aftermarket avionics changes are rare and generally limited to cabin connectivity (Gogo Avance, Starlink) and ADS-B In display options. See avionics-pricing.md for comparative panel economics.

Unlike legacy piston singles, there is a very limited STC ecosystem for the E1000:

• Gogo Avance L3/L5 in-flight Wi-Fi — typical install $40-80k including hardware
• Starlink aviation — emerging option, ~$150k all-in
• Custom cabin interiors — Epic offers factory interior refresh programs
• ADS-B In with traffic/weather display upgrades

Engine STCs are effectively nonexistent; the PT6A-67A at 1,200 shp is already aggressive for the airframe, and Epic controls the type certificate tightly. There is no paint/avionics aftermarket comparable to a King Air.

Epic Aircraft provides factory service in Bend, Oregon, and maintains a network of authorized service centers. Parts availability is good as long as Epic remains in production — factory-made composite structural parts, interiors, and airframe systems are generally only available from Epic. Third-party PMA parts are essentially nonexistent. The PT6A-67A, in contrast, is supported worldwide by the P&WC network plus third-party overhaul shops (StandardAero, Dallas Airmotive, Covington). See maintenance-ecosystem.md for broader context.

Typical direct operating cost figures (per Aircraft Cost Calculator, 450 hours/year, $7/gal Jet A):

• Total annual budget: ~$725,000
• Variable cost per hour: ~$1,140 (fuel ~$400, maintenance labor ~$240, parts ~$245, engine reserve ~$150, misc)
• Fixed annual cost: ~$210,000 (insurance, hangar, recurrent training, subscriptions, crew if applicable)
• Engine reserve: The PT6A-67A overhaul is $350k-$450k at 3,600 hours, plus ~$40-60k HSI at mid-time
• Annual inspection: $15-30k at an authorized shop, more if component work is required

Expensive line items unique to the airplane: composite repair labor rates, five-blade Hartzell composite prop overhauls, pressurization system service, and any warranty-lapsed factory structural work.

Epic lists the 2025 E1000 GX at approximately $4.25M and the E1000 AX at approximately $4.5M new. Used market values for low-time (300-800 hours) 2021-2023 GX airframes are generally $3.6M-$4.0M, with very early 2020 E1000s (pre-GX) trading closer to $3.2M-$3.5M. See valuation-methodology.md for framework.

Key value drivers specific to the E1000:

• Avionics generation: AX vs GX matters because Autoland is not retrofittable. Expect a $400-600k delta between comparable GX and AX airframes over the next several years.
• Engine time: With 3,600 hour TBO and typical owner utilization of 150-250 hours/year, most airframes on the market have significant engine life remaining. A mid-life engine discount is meaningful — $200k+.
• Factory support records: Airframes with complete Epic factory service histories trade at a premium; third-party-serviced airframes get discounted because of the specialist nature of composite repair.
• Interior configuration and paint — refresh costs are high ($100-200k), so clean cosmetic airframes hold value.

As a young type certificate, the E1000 has a short AD history but some recurring service bulletins and owner-reported issues:

• Fuel system service bulletins — Epic issued multiple SBs in the early production years addressing fuel quantity indication and fuel system plumbing; inspect logs for compliance.
• Landing gear rigging and squat switch issues — early airframes had intermittent gear position indication and WOW switch faults; addressed via service letters.
• Environmental/bleed-air pressurization tuning — some early owners reported cabin pressure fluctuations traced to outflow valve tuning.
• Composite airframe NDT and paint delamination — normal for carbon-fiber GA airframes; require shops familiar with composite repair.
• PT6A-67A hot section — recommended HSI at ~1,800 hours; nothing unusual for the PT6A family but a real budget line.

Because the fleet is small and young, a thorough factory-authorized pre-buy at an Epic-approved service center is essential. Pay particular attention to correct SB compliance and any evidence of hard landings on the composite airframe.

Insurance on the E1000 is firmly in the owner-flown turboprop category and is priced accordingly. Typical annual premiums run $20,000-$35,000 for a qualified owner-pilot, with hull values of $3.5M-$4.5M and $1M-$5M liability limits. See insurance-underwriting.md for the underwriting framework.

Underwriter expectations:

• Total time: 1,000+ hours minimum, 1,500+ preferred
• Turbine time: 250+ hours PIC turbine strongly preferred; transition pilots from piston singles face higher premiums and may be required to fly with a mentor pilot for 25-50 hours
• Instrument rating: Required, current, and regularly exercised
• Initial and recurrent training: Epic factory-authorized initial training at Bend (or SimCom) is effectively mandatory; annual recurrent is universally required
• Age factor: Pilots over 70 face significantly harder markets, especially single-pilot
• Claims history: The type has a relatively clean loss record, which keeps the market competitive

First-year transition pilots from piston singles commonly see premiums 50-100% above steady-state, improving materially after the first clean year.