Avanti

Steve

Steve

En-Route
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
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Tralfamadore
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Fly Right
Had one of those Italian jobs show up at the airport late this afternoon.

PA210056.jpg


I share the hangar with the one on the left in the image below and always imagine how it would be to run around in it at will. I'm afraid I've had a transferrance of affection to the one on the right now. 400kt cruise will do that.

PA210058.jpg



The Avanti pilot, a former P-3 driver, told me I could get one for only $6M if I bought it through his company, a savings of $1M over MSRP. I could even do aerobatics in one...


http://www.piaggioaero.com/#/en/gallery/videogallery/video



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Their sound is distinctive and reportedly annoying to some. Word is that they're trying find a way to hush them.
 
wabower said:
Their sound is distinctive and reportedly annoying to some. Word is that they're trying find a way to hush them.
Click to expand...

I discussed that with the pilot. He mentioned one of the potential fixes was to install scimitar style "multi-blade" propellers like on E-2Ds in an attempt to change the sound signature. He said they weren't allowed into Santa Monica now because of the "buzz", but the mod is expected to change that.

http://www.ainonline.com/news/singl...ggio-avanti-shed-its-distinctive-whine-25138/

Personally, it didn't seem that loud or annoying to me, just different. The freight train that runs past the airport is a lot more acoustically invasive.
 
Isn't that the same kind of airplane that Chip flies (right seat)? I think it's interesting looking, but mostly kinda ugly. It looks like a catfish. :D
 
Sweet rig. Avantair flies them out of Caldwell, NJ, where I used to base.

Loud as all get out on departure for those of us admiring them on the ground. Really nice inside, and I bet quiet inside thanks to the noisemakers being tacked on the back of the plane.

I guess it's an acquired taste, but I think they look awesome.
 
Camped next to one at the show one year. Neat thing. It would be in the running if I had that kind of money to throw around.
 
Diana said:
Isn't that the same kind of airplane that Chip flies (right seat)? I think it's interesting looking, but mostly kinda ugly. It looks like a catfish. :D
Click to expand...

yep that is what Chip at least used to fly. He'd come into Ames every now and then. I think it took him about 45 minutes to get back home.
 
Steve said:
The freight train that runs past the airport is a lot more acoustically invasive.
Click to expand...

Same thing here at Central Jersey Airport. The tracks run right by the field and when the trains come through you can't hear yourself think!
Doesn't help that some of those trains have four, five or even six engines pulling 'em.
 
I'd fly it.

We have two that come in pretty regularly. I think they're cool. I asked the pilots how they fly in comparison to other aircraft. "just like any other

I love the aerobatic video! Now we know what avanti pilots
 
There is one based at the FBO I use. It's used for charters or something. I've only been at the airport one time when it was taking off, but I didn't really notice any extra noise. Of course, I wasn't sitting on my back porch, right under the departure area, like the people who complain do.
 
The frac company routinely flies them into Thermal during the winter, during the time I play golf in the Palm Springs area each year. You don't even have to look up to know which airplane is overhead.

Steve said:
I discussed that with the pilot. He mentioned one of the potential fixes was to install scimitar style "multi-blade" propellers like on E-2Ds in an attempt to change the sound signature. He said they weren't allowed into Santa Monica now because of the "buzz", but the mod is expected to change that.

http://www.ainonline.com/news/singl...ggio-avanti-shed-its-distinctive-whine-25138/

Personally, it didn't seem that loud or annoying to me, just different. The freight train that runs past the airport is a lot more acoustically invasive.
Click to expand...
 
Its a Piaggio and is very fast. I have heard that ATC has mistaken it for a Jet.
 
Fast, fast, fast !

Talked to a pilot of one based @ Peoria (KPIA). Said that he saw 400kts groundspeeds on many occasions.
 
Atlanta approach has an unofficial rule to treat the Piaggio as a jet, so we (at ATL center) give them the jet crossing procedure on the DIFFI arrival instead of a turboprop restriction. Plenty of my co workers think they are a jet anyway:rolleyes2:. They do have the ability to fly like a normal turboprop, King Air, Cheyenne, etc. but we don't penalize them for fast speeds at 11,000 feet and above. We let them stay higher for longer and run with the Citations and such.

I like the looks of them. I wish I could have seen that aerobatic display in person!
 
I love these things. They do sound weird, though.

A lot of thought and creativity was put into the design. I like the canard-style. I talked to an Avanti pilot that explained that the shape of the body was help generate lift. It generates something like 20% of the total lift.
 
About all I saw in the "aerobatic display" was a bunch of slow rolls. I would guess that most certified airplanes could do those if the pilot was qualified and willing to ignore the operating limitations.
 
They are pretty neat machines with lots of cabin space and surprisingly very quiet inside. There was a great article in last month's Business and Commercial Aviation which highlighted a lot of operational pros and cons.

Of the operational shortcomings mentioned, those listed were relatively minor. They included interior reliability, A-check inspections which are currently scheduled at 150 hour intervals (operators believe that is too short), and difficulty checking oil quantity levels.

Best,
Jason
 
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