Tecnam launches in the USA

[c162pilot]

From the AOPA front page and from Flying Magazine. I think this is a move in the right direction for S-LSA.

http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All- ... ecnam.aspx

http://www.flyingmag.com/aircraft/lsasp ... tification

Hopefully I will be having my test / demo flight in the Astore this Saturday. Pirep to follow on my return from Sun 'n Fun.

[Flocker]

Pirep to follow on my return from Sun 'n Fun.

Looking forward to it! Post pics if you can get some.

[Jack Tyler]

Pics would be nice but I'll bet we will be flooded with Astore pics via Technam and other sources. I would appreciate you crunching the numbers in a practical fashion and evaluating useful load and cost. And please: Drop by the RAF Fire Hub one morning for coffee and the best donut you've every tasted - our treat. That way I could hear your impressions first hand. I arrive Thursday mid-morning.

Enjoy the event. Looks like the weather is going to remain superb.

[c162pilot]

Jack, I never got to fly the plane as the air boss shut down LSA flight operations just before my flight. However I did get to sit in the cockpit and talk with Shannon for about 20 minutes. The net is Tecnam views the P2008 high wing and the Astore low wing as equal and they will price them the same given the same selection of options leaving the customer to choose wing position based on preference. The plane is comfortable and not that much more difficult to enter than my Diamond DA-40. I assume the sliding canopy will be more functional on a hot day than the bubble canopy for ventilation. However in the USA the Astore is not yet certified for flight with the canopy open as it is in Europe. Since the seats move it is possible to have the illusion of more space with the passenger sitting further back so there is no should to shoulder rubbing. The new 10 inch G3X panel is laid out very nicely and was fitted with a Garmin NAV/COM and two steam gauges for back-up. If I understood correctly due to the installation of the 912iS the plane has two batteries and two alternators. Again similar to my discussion at Sport Expo earlier this year Tecnam USA is pushing either the base 912 normally aspirated or 914 turbocharged engine and is dissuading people from the fuel injected 912iS, not really sure I agree with their reasoning especially after the announcement of the improved Sport version of the engine. Unlike the P92's the Astore has a castoring nose wheel so steering is with differential braking. I found both the exterior and interior fit and finish to be of a higher standard compared to other LSA's I have been in or seen up close, however due to the LSA weight limitations the interior materials where extremely light and held in place what looked like as few fasteners that would be required, not sure how the interior will hold up over time especially in a flight school environment.

If anybody got to fly the plane hopefully they will post their opinion of the flight handling characteristics.

Clearly the Astore has the look and feel of a factory built aircraft while the RV12 still has that 'kit' feel to it especially the interior.

I did drop by the mock-up of the Glasair Merlin cockpit and given their proximity to Dynon their panel was all Dynon Skyview. Interesting to note the yoke in the Merlin looks very reminiscent of the 'stoke' in the Cessna 162. Will be interesting to see if the plane makes it to market and how it will do in the market compared to the European high wing imports. Clearly Vans has proved there is a market for factory built kit planes.

[MrMorden]

STOKES!

[FastEddieB]

As I mentioned to Andy Saturday at lunch, when I had a chance to fly Jim's stoke-equipped rented C-162, it felt as natural as natural could be. Side stick, center stick, stoke...blindfolded* they all feel pretty much identical, in spite of the fact that some of the "monkey-motion" is slightly different.

As an aside, I do prefer any of the above to a yoke. Just personal preference.


*If you try that, be sure to have a safety pilot!

[garbageman]

I was at S-N-F and had extensive discussions with both old and new Tecnam crew. BTW I have a P92 Eaglet with 2650 hours (2nd engine).
Points in no particular order:
Astore is one good looking A/C. Has same laminar flow wing as Sierra, so should fly about the same. Did not check on useful load as I am not in the market for another airplane. Lots of carbon fiber. Metal wing.
P-92 Eaglet has many new features: doors; interior; turtle back; but nothing that changes anything major. Great paint job.
Almost all the SLSA's were shown with Garmin's new touch screen G3x or something. Lot of glass for an LSA IMHO.
Tecnam is not going to build a new building at Sebring. They will be located in an existing big hanger next to the terminal.
Many parts are on the way from Italy, so getting replacements will be easier in the future.
Tecnam North America's web site is no more. New Tecnam.com for the US is http://www.tecnam.net
Paul Federico (parts) has moved over to Tecnam from HOVa. [email protected]
Shannon Yeager, [email protected], is in charge of sales in the US. He want's to start a Tecnam users group like CT has, but is having trouble finding the e mails of the US Tecnam owners. You may wish to send him yours.
I believe this reorganization will benefit the Tecnam owners, and looking forward to it.

David

[Nomore767]

From my discussions with Tecnam folks the new building at Sebring will allow them to service Tecnam aircraft, stock a large variety of spare parts, reducing the delivery time from Italy, and will be doing final assembly work on aircraft shipped from the factory.
This will also be their customer service headquarters.

The sales/demo places will be HOVA, at Ashland Va (the old Tecnam North America, it's now going to be called Tecnam US, inc), Mankato MN with Mark Gregor, and a new place on the West Coast.

The new location, near to Lockwood, the main US Rotax service center (I believe), will go a long way to providing greatly improved service and technical support, and is very encouraging.

I didn't get the impression at Sebring 2014 that Tecnam were pushing either the 912ULS or the 914 Turbo, other than the 2 demo planes there were thus equipped. One P2008 was round gauges and 912ULS and the other (featured in AOPA Plot magazine this month) was equipped with the 914 Turbo and many upgrades. Tecnam seem to like to provide demo planes showing many of the options. The 2014 price lists include all three engines packages for the Astore and P2008.
I didn't go to S&F this year but I saw a picture of N902TA at the show and was told it had the dual Dynon touch screens and the 912iS engine, although it may well have been the turbo as that seems to have the landing light on the nose instead of the left wing, unless this is also something new.

[Nomore767]

Astore at Tecnam booth Sun and Fun 2014

[MovingOn]

.......

[c162pilot]

BTW only the turtle back on the Astore fuselage is composite the rest is metal except for the cowl I think.

[c162pilot]

Nice review of the Astore from the UK's Pilot Magazine.

http://www.pilotweb.aero/features/fligh ... _1_3453613

[Merlinspop]

I prefer the stoke to anything else I've flown in 50 years of flying. It's a stick that doesn't get in your way getting in and out of the airplane.

There's a school only 40 minutes from home that has a 162 in their fleet. Going to have to give it a try. If I like it, it would sure be a better option than ~2 hours to get to the place that has Sport Cruisers/PiperSports (and a Carbon Cub, but it's not available for solo rental).

[Mark Gregor]

It is good to see a some Tecnam Information here!

I can tell you we have big plans for the future of Tecnam in the USA. Tecnam is a large worldwide company and logs more single engine aircraft sales yearly than any other manufacturer.

We will have the new P2010 at Oshkosh this summer, hopefully in full part 23 certified form along with our twin engine P2006. The P2010 is a plush four seat aircraft with large cabin, pilot and copilot doors, good sized rear passenger door and very good usable load.
It can be equipped either with or without a constant speed prop so if/when the third class medical changes are approved we will be ready.
We believe if the the third class medical changes happen our light sport aircraft sales will not decline as many predict. Because Tecnam light sport aircraft are built very close to part 23 standards the durability, quality and value of the product will stand out no matter what class the aircraft is registered in. Most Tecnam light sport models can be granted higher speeds and substantial gross weight increases if new regulations dictate.

We are not recommending one engine over another but try give customers the advantages of each so they can make the best decision. We were a bit reluctant to promote the injected engine before the upgrades because it was clearly a lower performing engine than the standard carb engine but that is now changed. I believe we are the only manufacturer that gives the choice of all three engines. If you have never flown behind the 914 I can tell you it is a sweetheart and my clear favorite. Turbine smooth, quiet and lots of power! Shut down is more conventional also without the abrupt prop stop.

Thanks for your interest in Tecnam. I am a regular reader on the forums and am happy to answer any Tecnam or industry question I can.

Mark Gregor
Tecnam US Marketing Manager
[email protected]

[c162pilot]

Mark, thank you for your post. I am sure many on this forum would welcome regular updates on what Tecnam is doing here in the USA. As I travel a lot for business for me it would be nice to know which cities and towns in the USA have flight schools and rental facilities that offer Tecnam aircraft as I usually like to fly when I am in a new location. Vans does a very nice job of putting out a regular update on the RV12 perhaps Tecnam may consider doing the same thing for your line of aircraft.