Piaggio Aero Industries, which emerged from receivership in 1998, found a new lease on life for its sleek P.180 Avanti business turboprop with the establishment of Piaggio America two years ago. A visit to the U.S. by Piaggio Aero president Piero Ferrari earlier this year brought fresh enthusiasm and a promise of new things to come. Speaking with AIN, Ferrari expounded on his expectations for the Avanti.
The Avanti made its maiden flight in September 1986 and remains a standard in radical design. Its “Star Wars” appearance is enhanced by a large aft wing from which twin Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-66 engines are hung in a pusher configuration. Small canards on the nose and a T-tail add stability. The single-pilot certified airplane has a cabin seating six, a max cruise speed of 395 kt, service ceiling of 41,000 ft and max range of 1,700 nm. Despite the Avanti’s attributes, the Genoa, Italy-based company struggled in the late 1980s, and its most obvious client for the airplane was the Italian government.
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