Tecnam 2012 Traveller Certified

Tecnam has achieved EASA type certification for its 11-seat commuter airliner, the P2012 Traveller. The aircraft was developed essentially with the sponsorship of Cape Air, which needed a replacement for its long-serving fleet of Cessna 402s. It ordered 100 planes and will take delivery of its first early in the New Year, assuming routine issuance of a type certificate by the FAA. The 2012 is designed for the short-hop New England and Caribbean routes flown by Cape Air but there are plenty of other operators with similar route structures and orders have come in from all over the world. "The EASA certification of P2012 Traveller marks a significant milestone for my Tecnam team, our very first commuter airline aircraft," said Tecnam CEO Paolo Pascale. "We have embraced new challenges and developed new skills."

The aircraft development has also been a shot in the arm for Lycoming, which is supplying the type-specific TEO540C1A engines. The engines are electronically controlled and coupled to the Garmin autopilot, which the company says will reduce pilot workload and extend engine life. The plane is certified for flight into known icing with a Cav Ice TKS system and can be flown single pilot. As it starts working through the initial orders for the commuter configuration, Tecnam says it's looking at a variety of variants including medevac, VIP, cargo and float operations. Tecnam hopes to deliver 20 aircraft in 2019, including Cape Air's first eight.