A Tecnam P-Mentor flew from Argentina to debut in the United States at Oshkosh, Wisconsin where the top of the trainer market will change with imminent FAA certification.
The two-seat low-wing piston aircraft was approved by EASA on April 7, 2022, finding its own market niche, says Tecnam US Sales Director David Copeland, and competitors don’t come close.
“Show me one that’s taking certification IFR single-engine trainer to that level. There hasn’t been one since the (Cessna) 152 in 1970-something,” he asserts, calling the new aircraft the pinnacle of engineering excellence. “To deliver that in a package under $400,000 is unheard of and that’s what we’re doing,” he adds, and efficiency proves itself: “That’s under $70 per hour operating costs on less than five gallons per hour.”
Ed Stefan, CEO of Iowa’s EpicSky Aviation,signed an order for 15 new Tecnam P Mentor aircraft to start delivery next year.
Emissions of CO2 should be 60 percent less than many competitors, burning either 100LL or mogas in a Rotax 912iSc. It carries a 640 lbs. useful load at 117-knot cruise speeds to a range of 730 nm under an optional ballistic recovery chute. Copeland says the wingtips are swept like no other, and behind the leading edge the wing is hollow, “So if future pilots run into a tug or a hanger or another aircraft, that’s easily replaced.”
Reflecting the fine leather interior is the Garmin G3X glass cockpit, with a GI 275 as backup and configurations allowing VFR and IFR flight. An order of 30 was announced on July 4 by Kansas City’s Kilo Charlie Aviation. Their leaders were at the debut Wednesday at EAA’s Airventure in Oshkosh, next to those from Vermont Flight Academy, Melbourne Flight Training of Florida and Stephen F Austin State University in Texas.
Just a day earlier Tecnam’s chief sales officer met Ed Stefan, CEO of Iowa’s EpicSky Aviation, who gladly signed for the cameras an order for 15 new P-Mentors, receiving two to three per month as early as June 2024.
His 155 students will love their new trainers, predicts Stefan, and he can’t guess where they’ll soar. “This is the golden age of aviation. The opportunities are limitless!” On the way, though, he says the new Tecnam brings a message: “Students, we want you to give us less money!”
He wonders, “Why are you letting your students fly, not just on dad’s airplane but on dad’s dad’s airplane?” The future is style, he adds, “The Tecnam experience is second to none. Italian leather! How could you go wrong?”
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