Wed, Nov 09, 2005
Piaggio Displays Avanti II At NBAA
Coinciding with the first US display of its upgraded Avanti II
aircraft at this year's NBAA Convention (one year after announcing
the airplane at NBAA 2004), Piaggio America announced the
forthcoming FAA certification for the radical looking airplane --
and they also took a moment to share some speedy news.
"We can virtually set a speed record any time we wish," said
Piaggio America President and CEO Tom Appleton. "We flew from our
new service center in Indianapolis to Orlando in 1.75 hours, at an
average groundspeed of 515 mph." In all, the tri-winged (all three
horizontal surfaces are lifting surfaces) turboprop has set 17
world records.
That was in the regular Avanti -- not the new Avanti II, the
advanced permutation of the company's original P.180 Avanti.
Featuring updated PT6A-66B pusher turboprops, the Avanti II has a
maximum takeoff weight of 12,050 (a 500 lb improvement over the
original) and a 300 lb higher zero fuel weight. The airplane also
features the Collins Pro Line 21 avionics package, including three
10"x8" liquid crystal flight adaptive flight displays -- a system
which may be made available for retrofit into earlier Avantis.
"Obviously we are very excited about the Avanti II," said
Appleton to Aero-News. The aircraft received EASA certification
this past September, and FAA certification is anticipated "within
two weeks."
The company also announced the opening of two new completion
centers for the Italian-built aircraft, in West Palm Beach, FL and
Denton, TX, to complement the original center in Greenville,
SC.
The 100th original Avanti one was also recently delivered to
Avantair, a fractional ownership program flying Piaggio aircraft
exclusively. A Piaggio P.180 was also recently selected by the
Italian Forest Service for use as an air ambulance, according to
the company.
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