KATE SARSFIELD / LONDON
Piaggio Aero Industries has secured a deal for three P180 Avantis with charter company Euroskylink through the Italian company's UK distributor Sloane Aviation.
The deal, for one firm order and two options, marks the first sale into the UK of a multirole-configured P180. There are three twin-turboprop Avantis in UK service.
The Euroskylink aircraft, the first of which will be delivered next April, will be used for corporate, charter and air-ambulance roles. Piaggio is aggressively targeting the emergency medical services market and predicts a demand for around 10 aircraft over three years.
Piaggio is also striving to expand its fractional-ownership fleet in a bid to gain a foothold in the US market. Despite the order earlier this month from New York-based fractional operator Skyline Aviation Services for six P180s, Piaggio America admits it must maximise the P180's market exposure by placing it with a large business aircraft operator.
The former Galaxy Aerospace adopted a similar tactic two years ago when its placed its Galaxy business jet with US charter and management company AvBase. That gave Galaxy exposure to NetJets owners and led to a 100-aircraft order from the fractional operator.
Piaggio is believed to be in talks with the world's second-largest fractional company Flight Options. Two of 26 P180s operating in the USA and five of 27 in Europe are owned by fractional or charter companies.
Source: Flight International
