Piaggio Aero used Farnborough to hand over the first extended-range variant of its P180 Avanti II twin-turboprop to Chinese operator SR Jet.
The order forms part of a multi-million-dollar deal for up to 10 of the long-range Avantis placed last year by SR Jet's parent company Sparkle Roll Investment.
A new auxiliary fuel tank – certificated last month - raises the twin-pusher’s fuel capacity by 180kg (400lb) to 1,470kg. This, in turn, boosts the nine-seat aircraft’s maximum range with four passengers to 1,720nm (3,190km), an increase of 250nm. This allows the Avanti to connect more city pairs, Piaggio says, such as Milan and Reykjavik and Beijing and Hainan and Los Angeles and Detroit.
The auxiliary fuel tank is also a $275,000 feature on the new third-generation Avanti EVO which was launched in May and is earmarked for service entry in September. It features a revamped and quieter interior, enhanced safety features and increased performance.
SR Jet is part of Sparkle Roll General Aviation which was founded in 2013 to provide high-quality commuter and business aircraft services within China.
Source: Flight Daily News
