With the new Avanti II, the Italian renaissance is alive at the Piaggio factory in Genoa, Italy. And the art and alchemy spun at Piaggio Aero is but a small part of the rich arrazo, or tapestry to be woven on any visit to Italia.

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Un Passagio per Piaggio: A Passage to Piaggio

My Maserati Does 398! It is said that the blue shark has one of the most hydrodynamically efficient shapes in the ocean. It needs to since it never stops swimming—ever, or it dies. The blue shark’s shape evolved to maximize efficiency and minimize drag as it moves through the water. Looking at the continuous, clean line of the P.180 Avanti II, anyone with an inkling of aerodynamic sense will also see its extraordinarily aerodynamic and, dare I say, aquatic shape. The Italian word for shark is squalo, and of all the twin turboprops on the market, the P.180 Avanti II is surely the most aggressive in styling and performance—but that’s what attracted Ferrari in the first place. Piero Ferrari, president of Piaggio Aero Industries, said, “This aircraft, with its new generation Pro Line 21 avionics, represents the next generation of Piaggio aircraft . . . the engineers and technicians at Piaggio Aero have succeeded in enhancing an already incredible aircraft.”

As I take my seat in Avanti I-FXRD next to Maurizio Longaretti, one of Piaggio Aero’s production test pilots, I immediately appreciate one of the P.180’s quirks—the seat bottoms on the flight deck fold up to minimize the contortions sometimes necessary to slide into position. This P.180 isn’t one of the new Avanti IIs currently in production—those were either in flight test or already delivered to a handful of lucky customers, so none were available the day I was at Piaggio Aero’s headquarters, though there were quite a few at various stages of completion. Enrico Sgarbi, head of media relations at Piaggio Aero, mentioned that they’re planning to deliver 24 P.180 Avanti IIs in 2006 and 30 in 2007, and that they’re simultaneously ramping up and streamlining production to make more of a dent in their 100-plus aircraft back orders. This adjustment to what they’re calling “lean manufacturing,” for which they were consulted by automaker Porsche, is being incorporated into Piaggio Aero’s new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility under construction in nearby Villanova d’Albenga (final assembly will remain in Genova Sestri). Enrico said that about 70 percent of production goes to the United States, and fractional operator Avantair is Piaggio Aero’s biggest customer.

Avantair’s Founder and CEO, Steven Santo, a pilot with more than 1,000 hours flying the Avanti, explained the reason why his company chose the Piaggio. “I started the program for the back of the airplane,” he said. “Passengers like the space. The cabin room is equal to the Hawker 800, and it’s the cabin that sells the Hawker—same for the Piaggio.” I was initially looking at CJ2s when a friend called to show me the Piaggio,” he continued. “They flew it to Teterboro, New Jersey. I liked the Avanti’s size, cost, cabin, and speed.”

This morning I lamented the weather when I took my caffé on the terrazzo of my suite at the Splendido. Here in Genoa, at the Christoforo Colombo airport (Columbus was from Genoa) the weather was no better, with ATIS advising 800 broken, 3000 overcast, winds from 130 at 11, and for some continental flare, an altimeter setting of 1017 hectopascals. Runway 11 was active. It was time to unleash the cavalli, or horses. Engine start was standard turbine; taxi was smooth.

“Avanti I-FXRD, autorizzato per decollo.” We were cleared for takeoff. We set 2,000 pounds of torque (ram effect increasing it to 2,150 at our rotation speed [Vr] of 106) and propeller RPM at 2000, and at 106, I tugged us smoothly into a 13-degree climb. We were only 2,750 feet down the runway when the ubiquitous 50-foot obstacle flashed by. Airframe clean and climb power set, I held a best-rate airspeed of 154, the result—an express elevator to the clouds rocketing up at 3,300 feet per minute. Maurizio told me we could expect at least 2,000 feet per minute to FL240. He then asked me to lower the nose a bit and hold 200 knots, a good number for cruise climb.

For the Avanti II, the maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) has been increased from 11,500 pounds to 12,050 pounds. With the resultant increase in useful load, operators gain an extra 300 miles with a full cabin of passengers. The Avanti II’s new NBAA maximum range with IFR reserves is 1,509 nm, and that’s with full fuel, four passengers, at MTOW.

The Avanti II also features a new avionics package—the Collins Pro Line 21 suite. I fired up the three-screen Pro Line 21 in an Avanti II that was almost completed, and it’s a handsome installation. The cockpit layout is logical and makes ergonomic sense. Avantis are certified for single-pilot operations.

The Avanti is currently powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-66A engines, but Piaggio is expecting certification of -66B engines flat rated to 850 SHP from 1630 SHP. They’re expecting to deliver Avantis IIs with the new engines beginning in 2007. Aircraft delivered with the –A engines are eligible for a free retrofit upgrade. Maurizio said that with the new engines, one could expect full power until 24,000 feet—also excellent for hot and high performance. The heavily derated engines will make full power to FL160 or 180 with bleed-air anti-ice on.

Maurizio told me after our flight, as we debriefed over a couple cups of caffé, that the Avanti II, with its three-lifting-surface configuration, has the minimum wing surface-area aerodynamicists could finagle—34 percent less than conventional designs. The tradeoff is the higher “V” speeds I saw, especially during landing. To the uninitiated, it should be noted that the Avanti is not a canard aircraft. Differences between ducks and sharks notwithstanding, the Avanti’s forward wing sports flaps only, and the tail doesn’t push down like on most aircraft—it lifts. The Avanti’s outer skin is so smooth that if I didn’t know better I would have thought the Avanti fuselage was a composite structure, but it’s not. Piaggio uses a unique assembly process where the preformed aluminum skin is held fast in a vacuum fixture and everything is riveted from the inside. It’s quite a sight to see.

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