Italian airframer Tecnam is building the parts for the first customer-owned P2012 Travellers, and says it will begin assembling the all-metal piston-twins in mid-May, ahead of initial deliveries in early 2019.
"We are preparing the production line in Capua [near Naples] now, and plan deliver the first Travellers shortly after US and European certification, which is on track for the end of the year," says Tecnam global sales and marketing director Walter Da Costa.
US regional airline Cape Air is the launch customer and co-developer of the 11-seat, 375hp (280kW) Lycoming TEO-540-C1A-powered Traveller. The Hyannis, Massachusetts-based carrier has ordered 100 aircraft to replace its fleet of ageing Cessna 402C piston-twins, and will take delivery of the first 10 units in 2019, says Da Costa.
"We plan to produce 20 Travellers in total next year, reaching production of between 25 and 30 aircraft in 2020," he adds.
Tecnam
Tecnam has an orderbook for over 130 Travellers, with charter operators accounting for the remainder. In early April, the company announced the sale of a single aircraft to Seychelles-based Zil Air, which will be delivered in July 2019. The operator is in discussions to acquire a second example, and Da Costa hopes to close the deal in the third quarter.
The Traveller was launched by Tecnam in 2011 and made its maiden sortie in 2016, with the second flight-test aircraft joining the certification campaign in December 2017. So far, the pair have flown over 300h, says Da Costa.
The Garmin G1000 NXi-equipped Traveller has a range of 950nm (1,750km), a cruise speed of 190kt (351km/h) and a maximum take-off weight of 3,600kg (7,930lb).
Source: Flight International
