Piaggio P.180 Avanti

The Piaggio P.180 Avanti is a business aircraft with turboprop engines and pusher propellers. The aircraft is based on the "three- space " concept. The Avanti achieves relatively high speeds for propeller aircraft, jet propulsion with less fuel consumption, which is compared to similar sized aircraft both on the optimized aerodynamics as well as to the more fuel-efficient turboprop engines.

History

Avanti

The P.180 was initially a joint development between the two companies Gates Learjet and Piaggio. After the US-based manufacturer of jet aircraft had retired in 1986 from the project - were preceded by four years joint research and development work as well as intensive wind tunnel testing - launched the prototype on 23 September 1986 actually planned first flight in 1985. Nearly four years later, on 29 January 1990, the first flight of the first production aircraft. By the end of 1998, 36 aircraft were produced. After an interruption, new orders came from three Italian Armed forces Italian Air Force with nine machines ( 15 in total), Italian army and Italian Navy, each with three aircraft and other orders for the police, fire and civil defense.

Avanti II

Machines of the series P.180 Avanti II to be built from mid- 2005. These differ by two to 625 kW also throttled PT6A - 66B engines and a glass cockpit Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21, which is equipped with three 20 cm × 25 cm large flat panel displays. As of mid- 2008, the equipment variant "it" is delivered with a new cabin design. By the beginning of 2009 about 175 machines were delivered, more orders from customers at home and abroad are such that the production is sold out through 2012. The test flights for the military machines were and are held in Pescara, among others.

For specialized tasks, there are three special optional equipment available, for example, can be installed for surveillance flights of the military and an optical imaging infrared video system. Another offered use Description is the role of radio measurement platform for calibration ( check measurements ) of radio navigation systems, for example, approach systems at airports. Furthermore, the Avanti is offered as an ambulance aircraft.

In February 2013, an unmanned version of the P.180 was presented as P.1HH Hammerhead at IDEX in Abu Dhabi.

Specifications

Avanti consists of 95 % of aluminum alloy and is similar in structural design here ducks aircraft, however, the small front wings have no elevator function. This is taken from the T-tail. The main hydrofoil having a larger aspect ratio are disposed at the level of the rear end of the cabin and have a low flow resistance, as to the center of the profile depth of a laminar flow occurs. The small front wing and the main wing are fitted at the trailing edges with buoyancy aids. The body has an elliptical cross section. The two Pratt & Whitney PT6A - 66A or B engines are mounted in nacelles on the wings and drive two counter-rotating pusher propeller.