PIAGGIO STRATEGY

Piaggio is stepping up its sales effort for its P180 Avanti II special missions aircraft as economic conditions continue to squeeze demand for corporate/VIP versions of the twin-engined turboprop. The Italian airframer is also aggressively pursuing the UK market, where it has failed to secure a sale. "There is so much pent-up demand in the UK for an aircraft like the Avanti II and we are now aggressively looking to grow this market and build a firmer foundation," says Piaggio

JET AVIATION CONTRACTS

Jet Aviation Basel has signed agreements with undisclosed clients for the completion of two Airbus A319CJs and a Boeing Business Jet BBJ3. It has outfitted and delivered two ACJs and a Boeing 737-800 from the Switzerland-based facility.

SLOANE RANGE

Sloane Mallorca, the Balearic charter division of UK-headquartered Sloane Helicopters, has added an AgustaWestland A109E helicopter to its fleet of single-engined Robinson R44s. The twin-engined aircraft will be used for overwater charter flights - not permitted with the R44 - within Spain and North Africa.

PANAMA HELICOPTERS

AgustaWestland has won an order from the government of Panama for six AW139 helicopters, boosting the sales tally for the medium twin-engined aircraft to more than 470. Panama will use four of the types for national and public security roles, one for utility missions and the one for government VIP transport.

THALES SIMULATOR

Eurocopter has selected Thales to produce a second AS365N3 Dauphin flight simulator. The device will be operational from 2012 at Eurocopter's South-East Asia facility in Singapore - a market with promising growth potential for this aircraft type, says Eurocopter.

GERMAN SIGNATURE

Signature Flight Support has expanded its flight support service to 12 airports in Germany, including Berlin Tegel and Schönefeld, Hamburg, Hanover and Munich.

Source: Flight International