A New Light Twin In The Works In Italy
Tecnam, an aviation company based in Italy, has announced that it will build a new — high wing — light twin called the P2006T, which will be fully FAR 33 certificated and sell for under $300,000. First flight is scheduled for September 2006, with first customer deliveries expected in 2007. The new P2006T will feature retractable gear and hydraulic constant-speed props with feathering. Predicted performance figures for the P2006T include a cruise of 147 knots, 53-knot stall, a rate of climb of 1,400 ft/min (350 ft/min on one engine), an empty weight of about 1,400 pounds, and a useful load of about 1,000 pounds. “We expect it to debut in the U.S. at Sun ‘n Fun in 2007,” Lynne Birmingham, the acting U.S. agent for Tecnam Italy, told AVweb on Saturday. “We’re actively pursuing the training market.” The four-seat twin will have an optional glass panel and two Rotax 912 engines with 100 hp each. It was designed by Luigi Pascale, who also designed the sleek Partenavia twin, Birmingham said. Tecnam said it decided in favor of the Rotax engines for reasons of weight saving and cost — not only purchase price, but also for low-cost maintenance and operation.
