The Piaggio Avanti EVO is the third generation model of Piaggios flagship model. The crew brought a crippled aircraft safely to the runway, but departed the runway with the crosswind condition. I kept on the controls through a number of heading changes much up into the midteens before switching on the autopilot. I call it a three-surface design, with forward wing, main wing and tail. I turned due south and climbed toward the military training area. Most charter operators fly the Avanti II with a crew of two. I HOPE they make it but I'm already making plans for other options. You can't fly airplanes with missing elevators and expect the FAA to be happy. The effect is a view that changes substantially as you point the nose up or down in various phases of flight. Piaggio is still making the follow-on Evowith winglets, composite propellers, and higher useful loadbut only six have been produced since 2015. We have graduates from Embry-Riddle, Purdue, UND, Parks College, etc., some of the most respected aviation schools in the world. Stylish use of mirrors, six good-size windows on either side, and use of light colors ensure the cabin has a roomy feel. P180 Avanti Pitot and Static System. I know both crews involved in the Flint, MI and the elevator incident. When Flying first flew the Avanti in 1990, we predicted that its great fuel efficiency would be a big selling point, and that has been true. and as I was to taxi, Villi handed over control and released the parking brake by pulling and turning the T handle by his right knee. Passenger oxygen deploys at 13,000 feet. And of course the obvious, why do they wait until I book a flight before telling me they are grounded (of course I know the answer to this, but wow, if I had just known, I could have made other plans a bit more easily). At FL350, the speed remained stable even with back pressure applied to maintain altitude, and the aircraft was easy to control. .intend to return to the 121 world. So to say that all is negative is wildly incorrect. Earlier, she also confirmed that Avantairs grounding was indeed voluntary and not mandated by the FAA. The upper fuselage curves to a peak height just in front of and above the main wing leading edge and then slopes downwards to join the lower fuselage upward curve at a point below the trailing edge of the T-tail that stands with its sharply swept back horizontal tailplane some 13.06 feet above the ramp. There are more problems than I can fit on this post, but one of the first problems is that these airplanes are flying 2-3 times the hours that Piaggio ever envisioned they would or designed them for. Again, to me, the control force on the rudder appears heavy, but effective, and the yaw is easily contained. The other huge advantage of the configuration is that it opens up the fuselage, allowing a cabin that is closer to that of midsize jets than light jets. Copyright 2023 Flying Media. As a result, the engine management chores on the P.180 are more complicated than those in todays fadec-equipped light jets. Piaggio P.180 AFM TC No. I started looking at commercial flights, figuring SWA flies there and it would be inexpensive anyway. But that there are some management issues. They offered to find me a charter at MY EXPENSE, which just isn't right. A friend owns a And while I have spoken mainly about our pilots, I would like to commend my fellow employees, especially maintenance, in the other departments. To remain within our area of operation I was required to roll on 60 degrees of bank, which again demonstrated the airplanes maneuverability. The closeness to the ground gives the airplane a go-cart feel. If materials were a conservative approach, configuration was not. You know get them off the insurance roll. Safety is Avantairs top priority. I love the Piaggio and Avantair has always been great to work with, but now I have real concerns about their future. Avantair has retained safety expert Nick Sabatini to oversee the project. Ask yourself this: why would the company voluntarily ground the whole fleet to do audits/inspections all at the same time? Shortly before departure, Villi advised me that the autopilot function of the APS-300 flight guidance system was not available. Anyone have any or both of these checkists? Frequent heading changes are required to stay in the area and this allowed me to quickly get a feel for the Avanti. Could it happen to anyone else? Of course, with higher operating weights you wont be able to carry as much fuel or, hence, get as much range, though the truth is that most flights in a 400-knot airplane are less than 1,000 nm anyway, and with a thousand-mile range as the target, you can liberally load the P.180. At 400 feet, Lorenzo handed me control for my first landing. Had Chuck Yeager and Sully Sullenburger, himself, flown the aircraft, the result would have been the same. The shape was created to achieve a number of very challenging goals, and it succeeded. Occupants can converse easily, as can the pilots. The forward wing (not to be called a canard, as it has no moving flight controls other than forward flaps) is positioned on the underside of a gracefully sweeping nose and is home to two pitot tubes underneath and, unusually in Western types, has a significant anhedral. A CEO and board that has taekn this company into a downward spiralouot of business in 3 monthsnice stock price!! 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. Then there are the issues with inflight engine shutdowns that happen way early of the engine manufacture time frames. Comments since yesterday, Oct. 25, seem oblivious to the safety of flight issues. With our new processes and procedures, Avantair will satisfy the heightened requirements governing the largest aircraft types in our industry. My attempt to follow Villis lead to my right seat was not so graceful. We rotated at 105 knots, which is pretty darned fast for a turboprop, using about half of the available 7,000 feet at KDTO. Villi started the starboard Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-66B as I settled in and set up my voice recording device and GoPro camera connected via a splitter cable to my headset. Try using low-flow fixtures. Ive removed Kyles email address above since this is not a pilot placement service, and Ive also deleted a charter companys post trolling for business from Avantair customers. Don. Villi and I then headed to Genoa for some instrument approaches. Avantair and the FAA may call it voluntary, but it's all semantics. departed the aircraft. 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. Max cruise speed / 400 KTAS Wingspan / 46 ft 1 in The surface, which like the tail has a considerable amount of anhedral, is ice-protected, as is the windshield, by electric heat. Piaggio will also increase the Evo's maximum zero fuel weight (MZFW) to 10,200 pounds, up from 9,800 pounds. Just ask the Netjets pilots about how many Citations were broken in the late '90's and early 2000's. Findings as to risk: He placed his left foot at the base of the carpet behind the central instrument panel and stepped forward with his right, placing his foot inboard of the control column and gracefully followed with his left. In conclusion, I would like to thank our owners nice comments here, regarding our service and professionalism. WebThe hydraulically retractable tricycle-type landing gear on the Piaggio Avanti II helps the aircraft to operate from smaller airfields as well with a min take off distance of 869 meters Talking to the military controllers and using the callsign Checker 12, we were allowed to climb freely up to FL350 as long as we stayed inside military area D91, which is an approximately 15- by 20-mile box. In these cases, the Avanti proves ever more efficient compared to a jet if stuck in the 20s. Flying the Avanti II I know from my perspective, it was going to be close as to whether I was going to use my minimum hours this year (even after being able to roll some to next year). I found a new job about 4 weeks later! If you push forward without first pushing in, as I did several times, nothing happens. Avantair loves the use of an ops check where the the crew tries to recreate the issue once and the maintenance department ignores it even after repeat issues with that same problem day after day. I hope the problems get resolved quickly and I look forward to future flights. 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. I am disappointed that there has been no communication out to the owners about this grounding and if you go to their website it doesn't mention anything and it looks like business as usual. The engines have pneumatic boots on the intake combining with an engine particle deviator door to avoid ice entering the engine core and a warm bleed air supply to the engine oil cooler intake. Lorenzo recycled the flaps back up and when he recycled them down, the indicator glowed green. The release I posted above came directly from Avantair media relations. While things have been dreary throughout the aviation industry for the past 5 years, Avantair was the only fractional airline that did not furlough or terminate pilots due to staffing reductions. 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. Yes, the Captain, a mere mortal and an infallible being, DID miss the elevator on his post flight inspection. CLEARWATER, Fla. October 25, 2012 Avantair, Inc. (OTCBB: AAIR), today announced the company is continuing to stand down operations and engaging top aviation experts to help complete a thorough examination of its fleet of nearly 60 Piaggio Avanti aircraft, and a comprehensive review of records and supporting maintenance documentation. The approach speeds are very fast by turboprop standards. Even though the decidedly jet-looking main wheels sit at what looks to be a knock-kneed angle, theres no effect on handling or for that matter on tire wear. Piaggio P.180 Avanti: Owner/operator: Avantair Inc: Registration: N146SL: MSN: We owned a King Air 200 several years ago in partnership with another company which was great except the other company ran into trouble and couldn't pay their half. Height / 13 ft 1 in If the fleet was grounded last saturday then why were pilots sent out assignments to fly? On first glimpse, the cabin interior is impressive, with a two-place bench seat opposite the door, a single sideways-facing seat on the same side as the door and four club-arranged seats leading to a full privacy toilet. I didnt alter it in any way I just cut and pasted what they sent me. It is, instead, a forward wing. I'm a fractional owner and the first I heard about this fleet grounding was 11pm last night when I got an email from owner services saying my flights for this morning at 9am and return tomorrow were cancelled. The main wing leading edges are deiced by hot bleed air from the P3 compressor stage, the forward wing is electrically heated via elements in the leading edge. At 10:30 I was contacted and told that my flight had been cancelled, and that they would be looking at both charter and commercial flights at their expense. After two major incidents/accidents in eight months are not all fractional owners, their employees and their families scared to hell for their own safety??? That is a sign of a company that cares about its pilots. No furloughs or termination?? Operationally this company is in big trouble. The pilots had secured an engine and were having orientation issues due to instrumentation failures. Again, the landing flare was very slight, and on touchdown, Lorenzo took control, selected beta on the props and we smoothly decelerated with plenty of runway remaining. #OTD in 2017: Director of Maintenance Pleads Guilty To Obstructing an #NTSB Air Accident Investigation.https://t.co/P84ir4v0L5 #flightsafety #aviationsafety #aviationmaintenance pic.twitter.com/fA2oHltndZ, This information is added by users of ASN. WebAt approximately the same time, the Piaggio P.180 received a traffic advisory. Pete Bedell is a pilot for a major airline and co-owner of a Cessna 172M and Beechcraft Baron D55. The Avanti takes that formula and pushes it to the design edge, achieving that performance with a great deal less power than in comparable jet products and with the best cabin in the class by a long shot. This is another advantage of a turboprop. In a jet this would have resulted in a go-around from 10 miles out. My friend, the Captain, requested the FO remain with the passengers, who continued their verbal tirade as the Captain DID complete a postflight, although abbreviated under duress. By this I mean the Evo turns through the same number of degrees as your feet move on the pedals until you put in a sustained input when the full nosewheel deflection of 50 degrees is felt and the turning circle feels extremely nimble and asymmetric braking is not needed. WebPostaccident examination revealed both nose gear tires were deflated, and the right main tire had low air pressure. Only records that are readily Viewing this report requires Adobe Reader be installed on your device. Slightly heavy control forces in roll assisted me in flying this accurately. The company simply does not have the capacity to handle the demand and corners have been seriously cut to try to cover that demand with inadequate resources. This kind of range makes the P.180 a great bet as a regional airplane or one thats based in the Midwest. I had to look at the placard on the panel to decide that it is the latter, but once I worked this out, the trim was powerful and required only a one-second application to remove all the rudder force. Today's grounding is the 4th time in 2 weeks they have grounded the fleet, but the previous times they had slowly returned airplanes to service. With the hammer down and in the low 30s, Avanti IIs can hit 400 KTAS on 800 pounds per hour. But it was not his fault that it. The Avanti is has been around since 1990, providing the luxury of a jet with the versatility of a turbo prop. Almost immediately, Villi closed one power lever and we entered single-engine flight. While its fleet was grounded, Avantair outsourced trips to third-party charter operators or, in some instances, told customers it was unable to conduct their flights, a spokesman told AIN. The lower section, containing two integral carpeted steps, is released by a handle on the left and lowered into position. The second records shows a Piaggio P-180 36 dated 11 April 2019 to the P.180 Avanti Pilot's Operating Handbook and AFM (Report 6591). If not, we hope that you find safe, efficient, and cost-effective travel options in the future. While I flew, Villi checked the Airplane Flight Manual and the performance graphs corroborated these figures to within a couple of knots at ISA +5. They are completely disconnected from operations and maintenance and some in the operation would argue 'reality' should be added to that list. The P.180 Avanti Evo has a wow factor that is not present with many other twin turboprops of a similar size. Villi selected the Rockwell Collins RTA-800 weather radar on his nav display via the display control panel down the side of the PFD, to monitor a cell just inland. If Avantair does not make it through this we could probably partner of a cheap Piaggio. The plan for my flight was to climb to 30,000 up to the Wichita VOR to do something Id never done before, an RVSM check. In any event, they are going to be fighting an uphill battle, as each day that passes is going to cause people to want to cancel there "membership.". The Avanti II's efficiencies can reduce operating costs by as much as 40 percent, according to Bingham. Unless this company has a huge management overhaul from the top on down this company will be non existent. As the factory-authorized training provider for these aircraft, we have created in-depth, type-specific programs to ensure that pilots and technicians are equipped with the latest in safety training. However, the pilot did not report any pre-accident mechanical malfunction or anomaly with the airplane that may have precluded normal operation. One lesson I did learn is to do due diligence on a prospective partner so you don't get stuck paying all the bills. 79 dated 17 The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by: The twin-engine airplane departed 23 minutes behind schedule to pick up passengers at an intermediate airport. At FL 250 it was still better than 2,000 fpm at 170 knots indicated. Everyone at Owner Services couldn't have been nicer and the vast majority of the pilots were courteous and very professional, and I had zero complaints with them. Some operators use a Garmin 430 mounted on the far left side of the panel. Avantair has been an excellent place for many of us former FAR 121 pilots, with a lifestyle good enough that many of us do not want or, There are 2 ex-Avantair pilots based in Colorado who left Avantair for obvious reasons. 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. Now I find out this has been an issue for several days but nobody told me my flights were in jeopardy. P180 Avanti Ice and Rain Protection. 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. I would especially reach out to Mr. Norris and others and hope that we will be able to serve you again in the future. As far as the crew that experienced the elevator loss, now you will hear the rest of the story.. Due to low ceilings at the destination airport, the crew diverted to the alternate, SAN. Copyright 2023 AIN Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. We were cleared through 8,000 feet very quickly and then up to FL350, set up using the flight guidance panel (FGP) on the glareshield and appearing in cyan in the top right hand side of the PFD. The front office of the Avanti Evo is the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21. Furloughs.too bad. During the descent, we briefed for some stalls, the handling qualities of which Villi was obviously keen to show me. During the stand-down, Avantair will furlough some employees. Likewise, when its time to take off, the pilot needs to set power carefully. No sooner had we done this, when Villi took control, performed an airshow-style liftoff, and turned to clear the runway for the next aircraft. Theoretically, a newly minted multiengine pilot with a high-altitude endorsement could hop right in and go flying. http://www.avantair.com/filings.html. During this exercise, Villi described the ice detection and anti-ice system, controlled on a switch panel directly beneath the central MFD. I followed Lorenzos example, if anything being a bit more aggressive with the speed decay. AOPA Members DO more LEARN more SAVE more - Get MORE out of being a pilot -. http://aerossurance.com/safety-management/guilty-plea-obstructing-ntsb/, Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi, Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency], Updated [Time, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative], Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative], Updated [Other fatalities, Source, Embed code, Narrative]. 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. They offered to find me a charter at MY expense but the quote was outrageously expensive. Whatever the outcome, it was and is an honor and a blast to serve our Owners and work with my fellow VNR employees. Did the Captain make a huge mistake doing a fast post flight after a butt-chewing from an owner? I just read about the one that flipped, but understand, it is only this issue that has me looking at ntsb reports, it is not something most fractional owners do before every flight. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-07-18/pilot-report-piaggio-avanti-evo, Copyright 2023 AIN Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by: 27 occurrences in the ASN safety database, Battle Mountain-Lander County Airport, NV (BAM/KBAM), Piedmont Triad International Airport (KGSO), Greensboro, NC, St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (KPIE), Florida, Flint-Bishop International Airport, KFNT/FNT, MI, Dickinson-Theodore Roosevelt Reg'l Airport (KDIK), Dickson, ND, Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (KSPI), Springfield, IL, Essex County Airport (KCDW), Caldwell, NJ, Mineta-San Jose Int'l Airport (KSJC), San Jose, California, Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport (GOA/LIMJ), Denton Enterprise Airport - KDTO, Denton, TX, Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC/KBJC), Jefferson County, CO, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, MD (BWI/, Aircraft Guaranty Corp Trustee (Operated by Aerovanti, Marathon-Florida Keys Airport, FL (MTH/KMTH), 28 km off Puerto Limn Airport (LIO/MRLM). Anyone interested in the truth can re-read Piaggio drivers 4 part post. This action is voluntary and involves the temporary stand-down of [our] aircraft, Avantair said in a statement. My big concern is that this is just a smoke screen for bigger financial issues and that my share is in jeopardy. Unlike what I think of as a canard, in the Avanti the elevator is back on the tail and the ailerons are on the trailing edge of the wing, along with some very serious flaps, which are designed to deploy slowly so as not to cause a dramatic pitch change they succeed at that, by the way. At that level we were seeing 380 knots or Mach 0.664 on 600 pounds of jet-A per hour, not per side but total. 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. He was a good guide to have for my first flight in the airplane. This press release was issued by Avantair late last night: AVANTAIR UPDATE ON VOLUNTARY STAND-DOWN OF OPERATIONS. Landing the P.180, as Id heard previously, is interesting in that the attitude is very flat. I am a fractional owner and the first I heard about this grounding was at 11pm last night when they sent me an email saying my flight for this morning was cancelled.