New 4 Seat Piston Twin

[Heliplane]

Read this from the AOPA ePilot Newsletter on 30 December:

TECNAM INTRODUCES FOUR-SEAT TWIN
Tecnam Aircraft of Italy has been building a reputation in the United States
with its entry into the light sport aircraft arena. Now the company is taking
the FAA type certification route by introducing a piston twin-engine
airplane. Called the P2006T, it will be powered by two Rotax 912 engines
mounted on a high wing and carry four people. Tecnam predicts it will cruise
at 147 knots, climb at 1,400 fpm (single-engine rate of climb 350 fpm), and
have a useful load of 1,012 pounds. The predicted price is between 230,000
and 240,000 Euros. Under current exchange rates, that's between $273,905
and $285,814. The maiden flight is planned for September 2006.

Bit more info here on the Tecnam Website http://www.tecnamaircraft.com/Tecnam_P2006T.htm

100 horsepower doesn't sound wonderful but otherwise this looks interesting.

[Confabulous]

Sounds a tad suspicious to me - are any Rotax engines actually certificated? Secondly, even comparing it to that junkheap the DA42 (200kts my a*se!), isn't 100hp a side a tad low?

And Rotax engines bug me - is it true that their fuel consumption INCREASES above a certain altitude?

[High Wing Drifter]

200hp with 1.1 tone all up weight seems reasonable. Certainly 100hp single engine ROC of 350 ft/min doesn't sound unrealistic. I do wonder if 1.1 tones is little ambitious for a twin though when the DA42 is 1.7t. If comparative ratios with the DA42 are anything to go by then it can probably be a little heavier than 1.1t and still have acceptable perfornce.

[julian_storey]

There is a certified version of the Rotax 912 - you will find it in the Diamond Katana.

This looks like a nice little machine and good value provided that it does what it says on the tin.

[B2N2]

Predicted performance figures for the P2006T include a 75% cruise speed of 147 knots, 53 knot stall, a rate-of-climb of 1,400 ft/min (with single-engine ROC of 350 ft/min), an empty weight of only 630 kg, and a useful load of 460 kg for a maximum all-up weight of 1,090 kg.

100 HP Rotax sounds scary, there is a reason why Katana's went for the
Lycoming engines( or was it Continental). Not a fantastic track record for the Rotax.
MTOW is basically the same as a Cessna 172 (2550lbs)
Cruise speed is the same as a Cessna 182.
With 4 adults( 180 lbs each) leaves 46 gallons of fuel.
That's about 2.5 hrs flight time with reserves, 2.5* 140 kts= 350 miles.
And it looks almost identical to the P68 Partenavia, except for the rectract. gear.

[smarthawke]

If I remember correctly, Diamond went with the Continental IO-240 as an option in the Katana to help sales in the USA. Rotax didn't (it may have now) have any proper sales/service set-up in the USA.