Piaggio Aero Industries Avanti P180 II Specs and Description

Background/History

Development of the Piaggio P180 Avanti dates back to program launch in 1981. Gates Learjet became involved in the project in 1983, but withdrew for economic reasons in 1986. Piaggio assumed total control of the program and all tooling was transferred to Italy. The first prototype flew in 1987 and the type was certified by Italian authorities in March 1990.The first production aircraft was rolled out in May 1990 and US FAA certification was granted in October 1990. First customer deliveries began in September 1991. The innovative Avanti, with its jet-like performance and turboprop-like operating costs, was unfortunately a slow seller in spite of its modern features and advanced design. Production was halted in the mid-90s but the aircraft was re-introduced to the marketplace in 2000 with deliveries beginning once again. The Avanti II was certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in October 2005 and the first aircraft was delivered in December 2005, to enter service shortly after. The Avanti P 180 II aircraft received US FAA certification in March 2006.

Power

The engines are mounted above the wing in all-composite nacelles. The Pratt &Whitney Canada PT6A-66 turboprop engines drive Hartzell five-bladed, constant-speed, fully feathering, reversible-pitch, rear-facing push propellers. The position of the propellers removes the drag of propeller vortices on the wings. Pratt & Whitney PT6-66B engines rated at 850 shp were introduced in 2006, gave a 12kt increase in the cruise speed to the maximum of 398kt at altitudes over 35,000ft. Time between overhauls is 3600 hrs.

Avionics

The Avanti II avionics are based on the Rockwell Collins ProLine 21 suite and includes three 10in by 8in liquid crystal displays, an FMS 3000 flight management system and AHS 3000 attitude heading reference system. The radar and navigation systems include the Collins WXR-840 color radar and a dual Collins VIR-32 VOR, a Collins ADF-462, DME-42 and ALT-55B radar altimeter.

Design Features

The Avanti P180 is a twin-turboprop business aircraft constructed of aluminum and composite materials. Its unorthodox design is unique for a corporate type aircraft in that it features three flying surfaces-the canard foreplane, main wing and T-tail. This arrangement offers not only the benefits of the canard but also allows the wing to be positioned further aft on the fuselage so that it does not adversely affect cabin interior space. The canard also provides a positive lift component in addition to that produced by the main wing. This design allows the main wing to be reduced in size, resulting in less weight and drag. The pusher engine configuration was chosen to reduce cabin noise. The Avanti employs a retractable tricycle landing gear with a single wheel on the main gear mounts and a dual nose wheel mount.

Accomodations

The P180 II aircraft is certified for single-pilot operation and seats up to nine passengers. The cabin is 5.8ft high and 6.1ft wide and is fitted with five fully-adjustable cabin leather chairs and a divan. The operational ceiling of the Avanti II is 41,000ft allowing the aircraft to fly above weather systems. The Avanti II cabin is rated at 68dbA speech interference level. The pusher engines direct sound toward the tail of the aircraft, minimising engine noise. The combined design of the wing, engine and fuselage provides a significant reduction in vibration for passenger comfort. With a 9psi differential, the Avanti II’s cabin maintains sea-level pressure up to 24,000ft.