Italian airframer Tecnam says three P2012 Travellers are now in production at its Capua headquarters near Naples, and the all-metal piston-twin is on track for certification in late 2018, with service entry early the following year.
The trio – serial numbers three, four and five – are destined for launch customer and co-developer Cape Air, which has orders and options for 100 Travellers, which represents the majority of the airframer's total 130-strong backlog.
The 11-seat aircraft, powered by twin 375hp (280kW) Lycoming TEO-540-C1A engines, will replace the US regional carrier’s fleet of 88 ageing Cessna 402C piston-twins and two Britten-Norman BN-2 Islanders.
Eight units are scheduled for delivery to Cape Air next year, says Tecnam, around 40% of the planned output for 2019. The remaining examples are destined for charter and utility operators, including Seychelles-based Zil Air, which is set to receive the first of two units in July 2019.
Tecnam
The €2.2 million ($2.6 million) high-wing Traveller was launched by Tecnam in 2011 as its first dedicated commercial aviation platform. The Garmin G1000 NXi-equipped flagship sits at the top of the airframer's 21-strong family of two- to four-seat piston-singles and -twins, and has a range of 950nm (1,750km), a cruise speed of 190kt (351km/h) and a maximum take-off weight of 3,600kg (7,930lb).
The Traveller made its maiden sortie in July 2016, with the second flight-test aircraft joining the certification campaign in December 2017. So far, the pair have flown over 400h, says Tecnam.
Source: Flight International
