Tecnam P2012 Traveller

P2012 Traveller
Role Twin-engined utility aircraft
National origin Italy
Manufacturer Tecnam
First flight 21 July 2016
Introduction planned for January 2019[1]
Primary user Cape Air
Produced 2016-present
Unit cost
€2.2 million ($2.3 million)[2]

The Tecnam P2012 Traveller is a utility aircraft being developed by Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam, based in Capua, Italy, near Naples.[3]

Development

It was unveiled at AERO Friedrichshafen in April 2011.[4] In November 2015, three prototypes were under construction at Capua while Cape Air, a Massachusetts-based commuter airline, signed a letter of intent to order 100 aircraft to replace their existing Cessna 402s.[5] Rollout of the first completed unit occurred on 1 April 2016.[6] It first flew on 21 July 2016.[7]

In April 2017, the first prototype has flown more than 100 hours and the second test aircraft should join the certification campaign in September, with a certification target for December 2018. The company has said that between 25 and 35 P2012s should be delivered in 2019 and more in following years.[2] Six customers from Argentina, the South Pacific region and Russia were added at the April 2017 AERO Friedrichshafen, the second prototype was completed in late 2017. The first 20 delivery schedule to Cape Air was firmed on 21 September 2017: first deliveries are due in January 2019 after EASA and FAA certification.[1] Seating nine passengers, the production-conforming second prototype flew on 22 December 2017, as the first has flown more than 250h since its 21 July 2016 maiden flight. Tecnam takes a €100,000 ($118,200) deposit to secure a 2019 delivery position, 20 per year will be delivered between 2019 and 2023. [8]

By August 2018, three were in production and it was on track for certification in late 2018 with 400h flown, while its backlog attained 130. Service entry in early 2019 should see 20 deliveries including 8 to Cape Air, two for Seychelles-based Zil Air from July, and the others for charter and utility operators.[9] Cape Air should receive those first eight in January or February, to serve New England from its Hyannis, Massachusetts, headquarters: Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, Vermont and Maine, as a FAR part 135 operator while training first officers.[10]

Design

The Traveller is a high-wing, fixed landing-gear, twin piston engined aircraft.[5] It is designed to be compliant with both FAR part 23 and EASA CS-23 regulations and Cape Air is partnering with Tecnam on the design.[4] A new factory at Capua was purpose-built to produce the replacement for Piper PA-31s and Cessna 402 series twins.[1]

Specifications

Data from Tecnam[11]

General characteristics

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 190 kn (352 km/h)
  • Stall speed: 60 kn (111 km/h)
  • Range: 907 nmi (1,680 km)
  • Rate of climb: 1500 ft/min (7.6 m/s) Single engine: 300 ft/min (1.5 m/s)
  • Wing loading: 142 kg/m² (29 lb/(sq ft))
  • Fuel consumption: 30 US gal/h (114 L/h) at 150 kn (278 km/h) [5 nmi/gal; 2.4 km/L] to 47.6 US gal/h (180 L/h) at 180 kn (333 km/h) [3.78 nmi/gal; 1.9 km/L][12]
  • Power/mass: 4.8 kg/hp ()
  • Takeoff: 600 m (1,969 ft)
  • Landing: 500 m (1,640 ft)

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References

  1. 1 2 3 Paul Jackson (Oct 8, 2017). "Emerging Aircraft: Props And Turboprops". Aviation Week Network.
  2. 1 2 "Tecnam P2012 Traveller makes its international debut". flightglobal. 6 April 2017.
  3. ↑ "Tecnam announces the launch of the P2012 Traveller" (Press release). Tecnam. 13 April 2011. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012.
  4. 1 2 "AERO11: Tecnam unveils three new aircraft". Flightglobal. 13 April 2011.
  5. 1 2 "Traveller takes shape as Tecnam sticks to timeline". Flightglobal. 4 November 2015.
  6. ↑ "Tecnam Rolls Out Twin Piston Short-Haul Aircraft". Aviation Week & Space Technology. 1 April 2016.
  7. ↑ "Tecnam P2012 Traveller takes flight". Flight Global. 25 July 2016.
  8. ↑ Kate Sarsfield (8 Jan 2018). "Tecnam flies second P2012 Traveller". Flight Global.
  9. ↑ Kate Sarsfield (14 Aug 2018). "Tecnam assembles Traveller trio as certification nears". Flight Global.
  10. ↑ Garrett Reim (26 Sep 2018). "Cape Air gears up for Tecnam Traveller in 2019". Flightglobal.
  11. ↑ "Specifications". Tecnam. , "Competitor Table". Tecnam. 13 Apr 2017.
  12. ↑ "range". Tecnam.
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