Fixed wings on display at HeliTech
 

Browsing along all the static displays at HeliTech and we come to.... a strange composite twin turbo-prop executive fixed wing being marketed by Sloanes? Inside the hall a large stand is dedicated to it also. Will this start a trend at the next event? Or is it secretly a new Italian tilt-wing...

It may be of some interest to know that this craft [a Piaggio P180 Avanti] was one of two ordered by the Greek EMS service a year or so back as an accompanyment to the Greek HEMS fleet of A109E Power's.

Story goes that they could [or would] not pay for them so Piaggio placed the already EMS role-equipped pair elsewhere. Apparently when acquired this one still had EMS fittings.

Why at Helitech?

Well Sloane - the promoters - have not had interests in fixed wing before so other than going to say Farnborough next year it made sense to turn a 180 at a show they were already going too.

Were there any of those hybrid looking gyroplanes at the display? Can't remember the name/s.