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Aviation History
1986
1986 - 1415.PDF
Avanti data Length Span Wing area Height Baggage capacity Passenger compartment Operating weight, empty Payload with max. fuel Max fuel Max take-off weight Predicted performance Max speed M™ V™ Max altitude Take-off distance over 50ft, sea level standard day Two-engine rate of climb Single-engine rate of climb Range (four pass. NBAA reserves) Landing distance over 50ft 46 -5ft 45-4ft 169-6ft' 12 8ft 42ft3 6ft wide x 5ft 9in high 6,400lb 8101b 2,680lb/400gal 9,8001b 400kt TAS Mach 0-67 260kt TAS 41,000ft 2,413ft 3,650ft/min 1,250ft/min 2,100 n.m. at 320kt TAS 2,400ft. Assembly of the first Avanti, left, is now complete. Piaggio chose a three-surface layout, above, similar to one tested by Nasa, right style pitching moment at the stall, which could be dangerous unless compensated for by canard design or by wing tailoring. The cure is to ensure that the foreplane stalls before the wing, resulting in a nose- drop before the wing can reach its stalling angle of attack. If this is done, the three- surface layout resists wing stall. Piaggio's other aerodynamic thrust is to ensure that the aircraft supports as much laminar flow as possible. It says that lami nar flow could be worth 20kt on top speed. Skin friction drag can be reduced if the layers of air close to the aircraft's surface slide smoothly over each other. Any roughness on the aircraft skin causes turbulence, which triggers turbulent flow and increased skin friction drag. Laminar flow demands careful aerodynamic design and a high standard of craftmanship in manufacture. Laminar flow The wing aerofoil, a laminar section, was developed by Professor Jerry Grego- rek of Ohio State University. Windtunnel tests showed that half the wing chord of the model supported laminar flow. Mazzoni does not expect the full-size aircraft to match this, but to achieve around 35 per cent laminar flow—a substantial improvement on the 15 per cent achieved by a typical turboprop flying today, says Mazzoni. To improve aerodynamic efficiency further, Piaggio opted for a slender wing. No other business turboprop matches Avanti's 11 -1 aspect ratio, Mazzoni claims. Efforts were also made during design to ensure that the fuselage would also support a large area of laminar flow. This consideration prompted the unusual, pointed fuselage shape. Model tests revealed laminar flow back to 40 per cent of the fuselage length. Mazzoni predicts that airflow disturbances on the full-size aircraft will reduce this to 15 per cent, but he is content that the effort will be worth while. The fuselage has no flat surfaces. It is roughly circular in section, some 6ft wide and 5ft 9in high at its fattest internal point. This is larger than the cabin section of a Cessna Citation II, Beech King Air, or Piper Cheyenne, according to Piaggio, but it would seem to be bettered by the British Aerospace 125, which offers. 5ft 9in head room and 6ft lin width along its constant- section cabin. The Avanti cabin ceiling drops towards the nose, where the fuselage comes to a point, resulting in a steeply raked wind screen. The slender wings join the fuselage at the mid-point to reduce aerodynamic interference. Here an advantage of the three-surface layout becomes apparent. Since the wing is rear-set, it can be moun ted through the centre of the fuselage Piaggio profile The Piaggio name is to motor scooters as Hoover is to vacuum cleaners. Until the 1960s the aircraft company made a line of stylish, streamlined motor cycles. Piaggio defined style on two wheels. Now the motor scooter busi ness is separately owned and Piaggio itself concentrates on aircraft. Though it no longer makes propellers, Piaggio still makes engines and most other aircraft components. It makes just one aircraft of its own design—the P. 166 DL3 light transport, which uses twin pusher engines, like the Avanti. The majority of its work is subcontracting for airframe and engine manufacturers, including parts for the Aeritalia G.222 military transport, the Tornado multi- role combat aircraft, the F.104S Star- fighter, the McDonnell Douglas DC-10, and the Boeing 767. Piaggio works on J79-GE-19 turbo- jets and Rolls-Royce Spey Mk 807 turbofans. It employs 1,700 people in Rome, Genoa, and a site in Finale that was previously its flying boat factory. The company has been led by four gen erations of the Piaggio family, which still retains 70 per cent of the equity. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 21 June 1986
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