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.
The Ferrari name has been synonymous with performance motoring since 1947. But since 1998, Formula 1 and gorgeous street cars haven’t been Ferrari’s only high-performance interests.
That year Piero Ferrari, son of Ferrari patriarch Enzo, and José Di Mase, now Piaggio Aero’s CEO, acquired the assets of the aerospace business once known as Rinaldo Piaggio S.p.A. and formed Piaggio Aero Industries. The P.180 Avanti, Piaggio’s turboprop thoroughbred, had caught Ferrari’s eye, and like Victor Kiam so famously said years back in his signature Remington commercials, “I liked it so much, I bought the company.”
Of course Ferrari was already intimately familiar with the creation of highly desired, sexy, high-performance machines, so it’s no surprise that he recognized the P.180 Avanti as another machine worthy of the Ferrari and Maserati names.
The old adage “Getting there is half the fun,” often rings true in personal aviation, but it doesn’t come close to describing the wonderful journey I took on this passage to Piaggio Aero in Genoa via Milan and the paradiso of Portofino. When in Italy one would be remiss to neglect the opportunities to be had at the exclusive art and antiquari dealers in and outside of Milan and around the Italian countryside. And you’d find no argument that to witness firsthand the art, science, and alchemy of the construction of your Avanti is reason enough to make your own passagio. Indeed because though I’m getting ahead of myself a bit, screaming across the skies of Genoa and the Italian Riviera in a Piaggio Avanti is the aviation equivalent of roaring down the autostrada of Maranello in a high-revving red Ferrari.
No passagio per Piaggio would be complete without a visit to Portofino and its famed Hotel Splendido. Milan of course is also wonderful, though much more business than holiday. On this whirlwind circuit through northern Italy, I managed a few days at the five-star, ultra-luxe Grand Hotel et de Milan, centrally located on via Manzoni in one of Milan’s most chic districts. I stayed in the Tamara de Lempicka Suite, the preferred room of the famous artist during her numerous stays at the hotel. Prints of her work decorate the room, and the view, overlooking via Manzoni, was terrific, with La Scala down the block to the right and the Duomo cathedral rising in the distance.
Portofino on the other hand is truly a town plucked from a fairy tale. Before lunch on the day I arrived, I took a short walk from the Hotel Splendido to its famed piazzetta, Portofino’s wharf so achingly photogenic, though it is all trompe l’oeil facade, it seems more like a movie set constructed on the Paramount lot than a town dating back to the 10th century, when it belonged to the Benedictine monks of the San Fruttuoso monastery. The Hotel Splendido, set among stands of tall palm trees on 4 acres of tropical gardens, overlooks the bay of Portofino and its juxtaposition of 100 foot-plus yachts and modest fishing boats.
Of all the holiday destinations in Italy, the one most associated with nobility and the international jet set since before there even were jets is Portofino, and over the years the Splendido has welcomed Bacall and Bogart, Taylor and Burton, Clark Gable and Ava Gardner, Liza Minelli, and more recently Steven Spielberg and Madonna. Back in 1951 Edward, Duke of Windsor, and his wife, Wallis, were the first to sign the Splendido’s guest book.
The one-time hilltop monastery was transformed into a hotel in 1901. In 1985 Orient-Express Hotels acquired it, and the property underwent an extensive renovation. The hotel’s common areas and 65 rooms have since been exquisitely refurbished and redecorated in first-rate Indian carpets, olive wood parquet floors, black and white marble, and Venetian drapes gathered with ornate tassels.
Though Piaggio’s plant is located about 23 miles to the north in Genova Sestri Levante, the Hotel Splendido and Portofino are magical places not to be missed on any trip to either the Italian Riviera or Piaggio Aero.
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.
The Avanti II has numerous enhancements and upgrades of note. It’s always been the fastest turboprop in production, regularly clocking 398 KTAS at ISA at 28,000 feet, and it’s certified to FL 410, where the Mach limit on the II is 0.70, up from 0.68 in the Avanti. Compared to other turboprops, the Avanti is definitely apples to oranges so that would make the Citation 1+, what, a pear in this case since it’s a jet? Nevertheless the Avanti edges the Citation 1+’s max cruise speed by 9 knots. The Citation C2+ edges the Avanti II by almost 20 knots, which is only minutes on flights of typical lengths, so with the Avanti II you get jet speed, turboprop efficiency. Indeed, the Avanti II will burn about 30 percent less fuel than competing turboprops and 50 percent less than competing turbojets. At 29,000 feet under ISA conditions the Avanti scorches the airways at 380 KTAS with torque set at 2000 and the props turning at 2000. The numbers for fuel are 375 pounds per side per hour for a total fuel flow of 750 pounds per hour. To top of climb, expect to burn 180 pounds of Jet A.
The cabin, which I found rather quiet since the prop discs are spinning way out back, is also top of class, offering mid-size jet volume and stand-up headroom. Avantis coming to the United States are flown here green and completed at Jet Aviation in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Stevens Aviation in Greenville, South Carolina.
During airwork, I did find the Avanti somewhat pitch sensitive, but I acclimated quickly and found the control forces to have a pleasing feel and harmony. Overall the Avanti was easy to fly, but things do happen quickly in this winged Ferrari. As we streaked back to the airport, we passed right over the bay of Portofino. We were cleared for the ILS, and per Maurizio’s direction, I held 160 to the outer marker. I then slid down the ILS following cues from the flight director until we broke out and continued visual, which was easier since this was my first landing in the Avanti. With those big prop discs out back, slowing was no real problem, nor was accelerating, for that matter, but were cooking along at about 140 on downwind, circling to land on runway 11. Maurizio gave me speed cues as I arced around to final while slowing to 125. I squeezed off a bit more power for our “ref” speed of 121 over the numbers, which did seem a bit fast. Our landing weight was about 10,700, so that may give you an idea of the small wing area and high wing loading of this aircraft. Indeed, Avantair’s Santo compares it to the wing loading of a Boeing 777. On final, the Avanti appears quite nose low to the pilot—deceptively so actually, but its pitch doesn’t exactly match its path through the air. Regardless, I pulled power in the flare but, I admit it, lifted the nose, according to Maurizio, about a half-second too late, resulting in a somewhat firm arrival. “My fault.” Props to beta had us turning off barely 2,700 feet down yonder.
The Piaggio Avanti II is a compelling machine—so compelling and sexy, in fact, that they’re known as Ferraris of the air. But to a business operator, they also make good economic sense, and once Piaggio Aero certifies the new -66B engines, the fastest production turboprop will be an even better performer.
Now if there were only a Ferrari or Maserati waiting to speed me back to Portofino as I hopped from the Avanti.