Tecnam has welcomed its first P2012 Traveller to NBAA, and the Italian company's executives are talking up future VIP and cargo variants of the new piston-engined twin.
"The ideal mission from a pure-business perspective is the 500nm or less" route, says Tecnam USA director of sales Shannon Yeager. "High-frequency is where this really shines."
Tecnam has brought a P2012 to NBAA
Max Kingsley-Jones/FlightGlobal
Tecnam flew one nine-passenger P2012 to Las Vegas from the Hyannis, Massachusetts base of launch customer Cape Air.
Cape Air recently received two P2012s and expects to deploy them on revenue flights in December. It has orders for 20 examples and options for another 90.
Two Lycoming TEO-540-C1A pistons, each producing 375hp (1.7kN), power the aircraft. It has a range of about 900nm (1,670km) , carries nine passengers plus two pilots, and sells for about €2.35 million ($2.6 million), Yeager says.
The P2012 would excel at transporting executives on short flights or routes involving multiple stops, says Yeager.
Tecnam is pitching cargo and passenger-cargo combination variants. Carrying 2,400lb (1,090kg) of cargo on a 100nm flight, the P2012 would burn about 117 litres (31gal) of fuel, Shannon says.
Tecnam pegs the P2012's hourly operating cost in the USA at $400.
The company plans to develop a medivac version capable of carrying two stretchers, and special mission variants for defence forces.
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