Italian aircraft manufacturer Piaggio Aero has reached a milestone with its global P180 Avanti and Avanti II fleet passing 500,000 flight hours.
The P180 Avanti world fleet comprises 203 aircraft (plus four prototypes), with the original Avanti certified in 1990 and its younger sibling the Avanti II following suit in 2005. The fleet reached half a million flight hours last month, and earlier this year the Avanti II was in the country for a brief demonstration tour.
“The total flying hours is not just a number; it marks a milestone of steadily accumulated experience in building, operating and maintaining,” Piaggio Aero’s CEO Alberto Galassi said. “Over the years our unique product has allowed Piaggio Aero to become one of the most authorative ambassadors of Italian high technology worldwide.
“ It gives me great satisfaction to celebrate this event with our personnel who have been able to design, manufacturer, maintain and improve this incredible aircraft and enabling Piaggio Aero to reach this important milestone. While we constantly look for ways to improve our product, it is appropriate to pause briefly and celebrate this important milestone and then focus on the next one.”
The P180 Avanti II, an advanced executive/multi-utility twin turboprop with a MTOW of 5488kgs, offers the speed of a light/mid-size jet while boasting fuel efficiencies that are nearly 40 per cent higher than most business jets. The aircraft cruises at 402kts, has a maximum altitude of 41,000ft and a range of 1500nm.
Up front the aircraft features fully digital, automatic flight control and utilises the latest generation Pro Line 21 avionics system that it is also single pilot certified.
The largest fleet of P180 aircraft is owned by Florida-based fractional ownership company Avantair, whose fleet of 55 P180s have flown a combined total of more than 225,500 flight hours and average more than 120 hours per month per aircraft.
CAPTION: The Piaggio P180 Avanti II during its Australian demo tour earlier this year. Note the aircraft's progressive design features. (John Absolon)
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