Tecnam P2012 goes STOL
Tecnam’s P2012 Traveller was introduced a year ago at the National Business Aviation Association's Business Aviation and Convention (NBAA-BACE) in Las Vegas. Now the company has announced a bigger stablemate—one designed with short-field operations in mind.
Looking at them side by side they appear the same, but there are some critical distinctions between the two. The latest model, the P2012 STOL, has twin 375-horsepower Continental GTSIO-520-S engines; the Traveller has full authority digital engine control and uses 375-hp Lycoming TEO-540-C1A engines, controlled by a single power lever.
The extra wing area helps the STOL version get off the ground in 900 feet at maximum gross weight, and clear a 50-foot obstacle from about 1,400 feet for runway. deliver a takeoff ground run of 760 feet and a 1,394-foot takeoff distance over a 50-foot obstacle. A company spokesman described similarly impressive landing performance, needing less than 1,200 feet of runway after clearing a 50-foot obstacle at maximum landing weight, with just over 500 feet for ground roll.
Tecnam says the STOL airplane's takeoff and landing distances are half those of the Traveller.
Though the Traveller and the STOL models have the same, 8,113-pound max takeoff weight, the Traveller’s max cruise is 194 knots at 10,000 feet, while the STOL version is slightly slower, with a 185-knot max cruise at the same altitude. Maximum ranges are 950 nautical miles and 905 nm, respectively. Both airplanes have Garmin G1000NXi avionics suites.
The price of the P2012 STOL will be announced at this year's NBAA-BACE, in Orlando, Florida, October 18 through 20.
Thomas A. Horne
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