[2] Neibauer, a fine arts graduate from Michigan State University, designed the 200 because he found the existing production aircraft in the 1980s uninteresting.

"That was my primary motivation for starting on the Lancair 200 in the first place, to build what I hoped would be an aesthetically more pleasing design with better performance and handling."

After displaying the Lancair 200 at Oshkosh in 1985, the design generated a high degree of interest and he began selling kits, initially under the company name of Neico.

The production aircraft is made from composite materials, including DuPont Nomex honeycomb structure, some graphite parts and epoxy-impregnated fiberglass cloth for covering.

Its 23.5 ft (7.2 m) span wing employs a NASA NLF(1)-0215F natural laminar flow airfoil and mounts flaps.