He sighted the runway at 50 ft above the missed approach point. @piaggiodriver, it's ok to be proud of working at a company but avantair treats its employees horribly. Piaggio will also increase the Evo's maximum zero fuel weight (MZFW) to 10,200 pounds, up from 9,800 pounds. chrisallegro January 15, 2010, 6:21pm #1. I followed Lorenzos example, if anything being a bit more aggressive with the speed decay. He was up for a 10k raise after gaining seniority and they cut his pay the DAY before he was supposed to get the raise. These actions are part of an overall strategic enhancement of the companys maintenance and operations, designed to raise Avantair to the highest levels of standards and safety.. A traffic target can be out of view in certain positions, at around 2 oclock for the left-seater or 11 oclock for the right-seater. Max range / 1,470 nm. On the ground, however, the Avantis overflight noise footprint is on the high scale, which is typical of pusher designs. As a result, the engine management chores on the P.180 are more complicated than those in todays fadec-equipped light jets. While the rate of climb is great, one thing the Avanti II doesnt do is climb or descend at very high indicated airspeeds, the former a condition of available thrust. An FAA spokeswoman told me that the grounding was not initiated by the agency, so Im not sure where you got this information. Turboprops behave in certain ways, and jets in other ways, but the Avanti II is a true hybrid, a product that blends the best traits from two very different airplane categories to arrive at some third niche, which at present it occupies by itself. Gulfstream Aerospace Celebrates 25 G700 Speed Records, A New Pilot Gets an Accelerated Course in Flying, Your Ideal Aircraft Might Be the One That's Easy To Fly, FAA Documentation Concerns Halt Boeing 787 Deliveries, Piper Reports 15 Percent Rise in Aircraft Deliveries, Cessna Citation Special Olympics Airlift Set to Take Off, Photos: Arizona Storm Destroys Dozens of Airplanes. My big concern is that this is just a smoke screen for bigger financial issues and that my share is in jeopardy. A fully independent backup navigator can be installed as an option. Access to the cabin is straightforward, the upper two-thirds of the door on the port side, just behind the flight deck, opens toward the nose of the aircraft, and a gust lock keeps it flush to the side of the fuselage. You can get a good 2003 model with the increased weights that make it an Avanti II for $5.3. Hah, you think the owners don't care about safety? The twin turboprop Avanti EVO is the third-generation version of the Piaggios Avanti P.180, a model introduced in the 1990s that led to the creation of Piaggio Aero Industries. With over 25 years of trading, AvBuyer is the primary marketplace for new and pre-owned turboprops, plus you can read AvBuyer magazine and our online actionable intelligence resources which offer insight, market data and analysis from What we didnt fully realize is that over the next 20 years no light jet would emerge that could challenge the P.180s remarkable combination of speed, fuel efficiency and cabin size, a trifecta of strengths that has made it a popular transportation airplane with operators for whom efficiency, comfort and high style are the hallmarks of having arrived. But that there are some management issues. The wings are held level easily with aileron and a squeeze of rudder. There is a lot owners don't know and it is shocking. Despite the fact that it took me a while to get a feel for the trim button theres a little activate button in the center of the trim hat the hand-flying was nothing short of delightful. They have made a challenging job fun and did their best to service our Owners and fellow employees. At one point, Avantair had 57 P180s in its fleet. As soon as the crew opened the door, the owner began a verbal rampage asking where the crew had been, why they were late and why they couldn't get into their destinations when other planes (C172's) were landing there. Of course we do. But as soon as Lorenzo released the back pressure and added power, the aircraft recovered and we were flying at 140 knots. Max takeoff weight / 12,100 lbs The Starships forward canard controls pitch whereas the Avanti has a conventional stabilizer/elevator surface. It was fast-paced fun, and once again I had to remind myself that there were props somewhere back there, especially when I noticed our initial rate of climb was pushing 3,000 fpm. Villi took control from me to give me a rest. Yes, the Captain was terminated and we lost a good pilot. The folks behind Piaggio have long claimed that the Avanti is exceptionally quiet inside, throwing out a 68 dBA number that never seemed credible. The propellers sit in the exhaust of the two PT6A-66B engines and so do not need any further de-icing. Please contact me at the e-mail address below if you are interested. The fuselage, wings, tail and forward wing of the airplane are metal, though admittedly metal that has been shaped and smoothed in a way that makes a compound curve look like childs play. Yes, the Captain, a mere mortal and an infallible being, DID miss the elevator on his post flight inspection. The EVO is the latest variant, which hosts a variety of new Once level, we were rewarded with what was nearly the top speed of the P.180, which was consistently 395 knots bumping up to that magical 400-knot figure on a couple of occasions, those figures at around 800 pounds per hour total. That all changed in 2003 when Avantair put the design thoroughly on the map in the United States as a successful fractional-ownership provider of Avantis. I would especially reach out to Mr. Norris and others and hope that we will be able to serve you again in the future. During the takeoff roll, the left elevator departed the airplane and was found off the side of the runway 3 days later. This, along with the airplanes great cabin and operating economies, has made the Avanti II the airplane that has helped create the remarkable success of charter and fractional operator Avantair, which operates 57 Avantis. The cabin provides a comfortable and quiet ride for passengers. So happy I left this rag tag joint when I did! The hours they slave him out for is shameful But this further action is necessary to ensure every aspect of our operation will allow us to reach the next level of safety and performance and exceed the highest industry standard, said Steven Santo, Avantair CEO. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Flying may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. Stylish use of mirrors, six good-size windows on either side, and use of light colors ensure the cabin has a roomy feel. In the Flint incident, LISTEN TO THE ATC tapes! With all of these maitenence issues and issues regarding fudging pilot hours so they would be legal is scary. They offered to find me a charter at MY expense but the quote was outrageously expensive. Avantair has retained safety expert Nick Sabatini to oversee the project. I know both crews involved in the Flint, MI and the elevator incident. Frequent heading changes are required to stay in the area and this allowed me to quickly get a feel for the Avanti. I stayed on the flight director as we climbed, quickly getting into IMC and getting rapid-fire climb-and-maintain clearances along the way. The airplane has been constantly improved over the past decade, with new interiors, higher max takeoff weight, higher Vmo and avionics upgrades galore. Perhaps its greatest asset is being the worlds most eco-friendly, twin-turbine business aircraft. ^ Goyer, Robert (19 April 2012). "Piaggio P.180 Avanti II". Flying. Archived from the original on 9 June 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2017. Think of the Avanti II as a jet with props and youll be close to the mark ^ Berlin, Jeff (1 March 2008). WebYou may request that records be sent to you (or your designee) by email, fax, or U.S. mail. Takeoff over 50-ft obstacle (sea level) / 3,262 ft During this exercise, Villi described the ice detection and anti-ice system, controlled on a switch panel directly beneath the central MFD. A most serious maintenance error especially since the elevator installation work would have required a RII type (double) inspection. I'm not saying that maintenance or pilots did not make mistakes, but it helps to know the entire story before a rush to judgement. At FL 250 it was still better than 2,000 fpm at 170 knots indicated. We are confident we are laying the groundwork necessary to offer outstanding service and reliability going forward.. The windshield is deep and sharply raked back, which along with the ventral delta fins, perhaps alludes to the shared Learjet origin from the 1980s. WebThe pilot said he was flying the RNAV GPS runway 36 approach in 3 miles visibility and that the wind was from 070 at 9 knots. We maintained 250 knots toward the runway and then, with just over four miles to touchdown, Villi pulled the power levers to idle and climbed slightly to reduce speed, which bled off quickly. The anhedral of the forward wing ensures there is no aerodynamic interference with the engine intakes and assists in stall handling. They are a public company and having your fleet grounded is a material issue yet they are not disclosing this issue as far as I can tell. This airframe, T7-ASG, SN3007 was the first Avanti to be produced at the new manufacturing facility in Villanova DAlbenga, one year after production was moved from Genoa. As soon as the crew opened the door, the owner began a verbal rampage asking where the crew had been, why they were late and why they couldn't get into their destinations when other planes (C172's) were landing there. Safety is Avantairs top priority. The Avanti II's efficiencies can reduce operating costs by as much as 40 percent, according to Bingham. Chad, I followed the start procedure with one eye as I did this and observed Villi checking the power lever at idle, switching on the fuel pump, and setting the start switch to start. At 13 percent Ng, he moved the condition lever to ground idle with the starter switch shut off at 40 percent Ng and the power lever to flight idle. The cabin, interestingly, isnt symmetrical; its a little cozier up front than in back. As the flaps travel, there is a nose up pitch that is easily counteracted with slight forward pressure on the column and trim. Both flights continued to their destinations without further incident. I got an email at about 10:30 last night saying cancelled for the reasons stated in this email, with the same offer to find me a charter ay my expense. Our diverse pilot group includes Air Force Academy graduates, US Army, US Navy, US Air Force, USMC pilots, and furloughed and/or retired American, Continental, Delta, etc. The Avanti feels very stable and is easy to maintain altitude in while hand-flying compared with other airplanes in and around its class. The Avanti II gets its best range figures, up around 1,500 nm, at higher altitudes and lower fuel burns, and Grant told me that the range is real, commenting that he has never had to make more than one fuel stop going from any one point in the continental United States to another. In simpler terms, that means the engines maintain their 850 shaft horsepower to a higher altitude thereby increasing true airspeed of the airplane through the thinner air. View our Piaggio P.180 Avanti II photo gallery. Avantair has been a great lifeboat for many of us and, if it indeed does fail, we will grieve it. The power levers were manually adjusted as we climbed to maintain 100 percent torque, shown on the engine indicating system on the top of the central multifunction display (MFD) in green. I found a new job about 4 weeks later! Piaggios P180 Avanti created quite a splash with its 1990 certification in the United States. Did the Captain make a huge mistake doing a fast post flight after a butt-chewing from an owner? A flight credit has very little value unless and until we fly again. Seats / up to 11 While it seems as though it might make sense to always fly at between 370 and 410, its just not possible many times. I was told my aircraft was on extended maintenance (whatever that meant, now I know). I for one an very hopeful this whole episode will be behind us soon and that the company becomes gets stronger. Had this been a 121 flight, the Captain could have had the passengers detained for interfering with a flight crew and stomping out on the supposedly "secured" ramp, but this isn't 121. Yes, it does have three lifting surfaces, a T-tail and two pusher propellers but its how they are put together that is the important thing. The Avanti is has been around since 1990, providing the luxury of a jet with the versatility of a turbo prop. To demonstrate the low-speed aileron control, Lorenzo then pulled back to the buffet and effortlessly rolled on 80 degrees of bank and then recovered to level flight. To demonstrate the first stall, Villi leveled at 15,000 feet, and with the power levers remaining closed, we decelerated at 1.5 knots per second as shown by the purple trend vector on the PFD airspeed strip. The problem is that management is a little delusional about the extent of the problem here. It is by far the worst disorganized fractional and needs a miracle of improvement. 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