After launching the P2008 at the Friedrichshafen’s European Airshow in April 2009, Tecnam filled its first P2008 order when it delivered the first aircraft to Heart of Virginia Aviation Inc in Richmond, Virginia in December 2009.
While Tecnam has a long history of building all-metal Light Sport Aircraft (LSA), the
P2008 is the first model to utilise both carbon fibre and metal, which provides optimised aerodynamics and reliability.
Carbon fibre provides smooth surfaces, elegance, style, comfort and aerodynamic qualities for the fuselage, while metal is used for the wing and stabilator for maximum strength and reliability.
The P2008’s wing is based on the well known NACA63A airfoil, and through partial tapering is brought close to the optimal lift distribution (elliptical).
The single-slot flaps extend along much of the wing span, with the Frise type aileron and the taper design providing a high rate of roll.
The P2008 has two 55-litre fuel tanks located in the wing box behind the main spar to preserve their integrity in the event of a crash landing and to minimise the potential for a fire.
Up in the cockpit, the modular design of the P2008’s large instrument panel can accommodate almost any combination of digital glass, analog instrumentation and avionics.
Bruce Stark of Tecnam Australia told Australian Flying he hopes to have a Tecnam P2008 demonstrator in the country by mid-2010, and that some customers have already approached him with queries about the aircraft.
“It’ll be targeted at flying schools and individual owners,” Stark explains.
“There’s interest from flying schools because [Tecnam] are talking about having a Lycoming engine version of it as well as a Rotax version.”
Categorised as a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA), the P2008 will also be VH-registerable.
“It’ll be capable of night VFR, and I think with the appropriate equipment it’ll be capable of being IFR as well,” Stark said.
Tecnam P2008.
