Italian aircraft manufacturer Tecnam has secured orders for two of its P2012 Traveller commuter aircraft from Hawaii’s Pacific Air Charters.
The Honolulu-based airline also took options to order another 23 of the nine-passenger, twin-piston-engined type, which is among the few new-build commuter aircraft.
Tecnam disclosed the orders on 29 March, saying two aircraft are due for “immediate delivery”. Pacific Air’s website says it expects to receive the aircraft in “late July”.
Its existing fleet includes two aircraft: one Piper PA-31 and one PA-34, according to Cirium fleets data.
“We are excited to bring comfortable, convenient and modern multi-engine travel to the islands of Hawaii and other areas of the Pacific Ocean,” Pacific Air says. “The P2012 Traveller is the perfect aircraft for our routes.”
Pacific Air says P2012s will provide “very competitive operating costs”, citing the type’s twin 750hp (559kW) Lycoming TEO-540 engines, which are equipped with full-authority digital engine controls (FADEC).
The US Federal Aviation Administration certificated the P2012 in 2019.
The global in-service P2012 fleet includes 47 aircraft, 30 of which are operated by Massachusetts-based regional airline Cape Air, Cirium data shows. Another US carrier, Southern Airways Express, operates three of the type.
