Of the 18 aircraft on static display at India Aviation 2014 in Hyderabad, Piaggio’s P.180 Avanti II cannot be missed as the aircraft is uniquely shaped and as distinct as Italian designs can get. The executive aircraft belonging to Taj Air is not just known for its innovative design, but for performance in Indian conditions. At present there are five aircraft operating in India and Piaggio expects to notch up two more orders by the end of year. Globally, 186 aircraft are flying. Explaining the features to SP’s Aviation, P.180 Avanti II’s International Sales Director Alfredo Nocera mentions how the business aircraft means value for money in the Indian context. “It is the only business aircraft with the speed of a jet and the economics of a turboprop. It is a combination of design and technology that gives the aircraft an edge.”

The P.180 Avanti II combines an elegant design, the quietness and comfort of a spacious cabin, and remarkable performance that is similar to (and in some cases exceeds) that of the most widely sold turbojet aircraft on the market. And all this comes with operating costs that are up to 40 per cent lower than jet aircraft of equivalent size.

He points out to the spacious cabin size which is larger than that of King Air; Citation CJ; Citation XLS; Phenom 100/300; Hawker400XP; and Learjet 40/45. It can seat up to 9 passengers and in different configurations. The aircraft can fly up to an altitude of 41,000 feet. India, he adds, is an important market for the company and corporate have started seeing the value of the aircraft. The aircraft can fly up to UAE from Hyderabad or up to Bangkok, taking the passenger in utmost comfort. It is priced at $7.5 million. In India, Taj Air besides flying P.180 Avanti II is also the company’s representative here.

The aircraft is the fastest and most advanced executive/multi-utility turboprop in the world with a superior ‘short runway performance’. Equipped with Rockwell Collins Pro-Line 21 avionics, the P.180 Avanti II has an endurance of over 1,500 nautical miles at a speed of 402 knots and a maximum cruising altitude of 41,000 feet. With its state-of-the-art avionics (fully digital, automatic flight control and the latest generation Rockwell Collins “Pro Line 21” avionics system), it provides the pilot with better situational awareness. The P.180 Avanti II is set apart from its competitors by its ability to achieve a high level of performance, with unrivalled fuel efficiency—that means low emissions and reduced operative costs.