Join the Tecnam Celebration
By Ed Downs
“It’s almost time for Oshkosh and I cannot wait!” … to steal the opening line from this month’s AOPA editorial by Mark Baker, President and CEO of AOPA. No truer words were ever spoken, especially for one company that is not only presenting its largest display of aircraft at the 2023 EAA AirVenture Fly-in but also introducing a remarkable new plane to the U.S. market. But celebrating a new airplane is not the main attraction. Tecnam Aircraft is celebrating its 75th year of continuous aircraft manufacturing… and cranking airplanes out the door since 1948 is no small accomplishment. Tecnam Aircraft, an international leader in newly certified personal transportation, training, regional airliner, and special purpose airplanes is whooping it up.
Surprised? Were you expecting to hear names common to the U.S. aviation enthusiast, like Cessna, Beech, Piper, Cirrus, and others we have all known our entire lives? Haven’t iconic names of the past, like Clyde Cessna, Walter and Olive Beech, William Piper, Bill Lear, Alan and Malcom Lockheed, William Boeing, Donald Douglas, and so many others created great companies and aircraft that have been around for more than 75 years? There is a sad truth associated with all of these names. While each of these pioneers once held their enterprise as a privately owned, family business, they have all morphed (or been acquired) into large international conglomerates, often owned by the shareholders of mammoth, multinational corporations, with leadership that often knows nothing about the history of the name they represent. To Wall Street, these famous names are simply “brands.”
It is with the preceding understanding that one must be sure to stop by the Tecnam pavilion at AirVenture this year, or at least visit their website at www.tecnam.com. Tecnam is not celebrating just the fact that they have survived in a tough and demanding business endeavor, but that they have done so with a firm commitment to general aviation, light corporate and regional airline aircraft. Tecnam remains family owned and operated with a history that is nothing short of remarkable. Located in the town of Capua, Italy, Tecnam has been building aircraft since 1948, with a history that reaches back to the mid 1930’s. For those of you who are not international travelers, Capua is located in the beautiful countryside of Southern Italy, just north of Naples. Tecnam, you say… sounds familiar… don’t they build airplanes that comply with U.S. S-LSA standards for Sport Pilots? Yes, that is correct, but they do a lot more than just that. Take a look at the following statement recently put out by Tecnam:
“According to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), Tecnam is one of the top three piston manufacturers in the world. We have subsidiary companies in the U.S., Australia and China and a network of dealers and service centers covering almost worldwide. We produce around 200 aircraft per year, from two-seat sport aircraft to 11-seat regional airliners, in categories encompassing Light Sport, General Aviation, and Special Mission. We love to produce aircraft, with 98 percent of the aircraft components manufactured in our modern plant located in Capua. The only things we don’t make are the engines, avionics, and tires! We make all the rest! We are also one of the few manufacturers that can produce aircraft in metal or composite, but we love to mix the two technologies, taking the best of both.”
A visit to the Tecnam AirVenture show site will allow one to judge for themselves just how advanced this relatively “small” company (compared to Textron and other conglomerates) has captured the attention of the aviation world. An official press activity is planned for Wednesday, July 26 at the Tecnam show site, scheduled for 11 a.m. CDT. Stop by and listen in. David Copeland, North America Sales Director for Tecnam U.S. (d.copeland@tecnam.com) will be on hand to answer questions about Tecnam’s rapidly expanding presence in the U.S.
In a recent conversation, David commented, ”We have a lot to celebrate at this year’s show and have a great line up of aircraft for AirVenture enthusiasts to enjoy. I think many will be surprised at the size and utility of the large twin-engine P2012, and truly excited about our formal introduction of the P-Mentor to the American training and personal transportation market.” A star of the Tecnam show site will be attendance by Giovanni Pascale Langer, Managing Director of Tecnam Aircraft and one of the family-team members leading Tecnam into the future. Make no mistake, Giovani is no “honorary” manager at Tecnam, but involved in day-to-day operations, including flight testing and evaluation. Giovanni is a Commercial pilot and has flown Tecnam aircraft from Italy to the U.S…. yes, like over that big water thing we call the Atlantic Ocean! He can talk about his family, the legacy of Tecnam and performance of Tecnam aircraft from the viewpoint of a pilot with a lot of left seat time.
Yes, Tecnam has earned the right to celebrate 75 years of aircraft manufacturing. It is a true legacy company with a remarkable and continuing family ownership that makes sure the original spirit of the founding Pascale brothers is revered and maintained. But one has to be careful when using the word “legacy.” As a family and company, Tecnam has a history, which is unmatched… a “legacy” to be proud of. But the word “legacy” does not apply to the aircraft being offered by Tecnam. Other major GA manufacturers will be at AirVenture, proudly showing their new offerings. After all, while a visitor to EAA AirVenture may think of this “fly-in” as a week-long party, punctuated by some of the most unpredictable weather on the planet, venders at AirVenture see this as a “trade show” where new products and offerings abound.
The question is, are the other airframe manufactures (Textron, Cirrus, Piper, and others) really showing “new” aircraft, or are their products “legacy” designs, some of which were originally certified in the 1940’s? Sure, new paint schemes, interior feature improvements, new avionics and perhaps a different engine make them seem “new,” but the reality is these are not new designs, certified to the most recent FAA and international standards. This is where Tecnam is proudly different. Every airplane on display was certified in the 21st century. Their engineering is not slaved to a single form of construction or material use. Tecnam does not use a material technology simply to spend a lot of money developing it. Be it aluminum, composite glass, carbon fiber, welded steel tube, molded plastic, bonding or even hand-stitched fabrics, Tecnam uses what works best. This blend ensures a long lasting toughness that optimizes performance while simplifying maintenance. Engine choices are made based upon performance needs and environmental impact. Tecnam is committed to reducing carbon emissions and has produced airframe/engine combinations that represent a 60 percent improvement over other “legacy” designs.
Take a good look at the P-Mentor, a 21st Century airplane dedicated to training, from Private all the way to Commercial/Instrument. This writer’s personal favorite is the remarkable P-2006T. This light twin has it all, great looks, terrific handling, perfect for multi-engine and complex training with a high-performance endorsement included, all in one. As a personal plane, the P-2006T gives you performance and twin-engine redundancy combined with direct operating cost that is less than many moderate- to high-performance “legacy” single-engine planes.
Are you tired of planes with interior appointments that look like something out of a Yugo? The four-place Gran Lusso will truly soothe the soul. The Gran Lusso is both technically advanced and esthetically crafted to please the most discerning of us who stroll the sidewalks of famed Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California (mainly Italian designer stores, by the way). And while admiring the class and technology of the Tecnam aircraft on display, keep in mind that these are all 21st century designs, meeting very tough U. S. and international certification standards. Sure, they look great in a fancy display, all freshly polished and dusted each morning as the show kicks off, but they will hold up in the real world. Tecnam aircraft have proved their toughness in both the demanding environment of student operations and remote geographic areas around the world. These are tough machines!
The Tecnam story began in 1935, when 10-year-old Luigi and 11-year-old Giovanni Pascale decided to have a paper airplane competition. These two kids folded paper into airplanes and launched them from the second story of their home. Sound familiar? How many readers can share in the childhood thrill of model airplanes as an introduction to aviation? It is a pretty sure bet that if you are at AirVenture… you are a certified airplane nut! But, how many dreamers turn that passion into a company that certified its first airplane in 1948, following the horrors of war and national destruction? And how many families retain that passion from one generation to the next? The Tecnam display at AirVenture this year is celebrating not just because they have been building airplanes for a long time. Tecnam is celebrating the achievement of a family that has maintained a commitment to producing world-class aircraft that are now making their way into the American market… in a big way.
While visiting the show site, corner David Copeland and find out where your local Tecnam distributor is located. For those undergoing training, find out if there is a flight school close to you that teaches in Tecnam aircraft. You might be surprised! Great performance, terrific handling and advanced technology can translate into better training with less expenditure of time and cost.
Join the celebration, visit the show site, or at least log on to www.tecnam.com. If at the show, be sure to wear a hat (heat stroke?), use sunscreen and have a poncho handy. And remember, the P-2012 is a BIG high-wing twin that makes for great shelter when it is raining! What better way to spend an otherwise wet afternoon!
