Tecnam announced on Wednesday at EAA AirVenture that it will sell its P-Mentor training aircraft to North American customers. Flight school launch customers include Kansas-based Kilo Charlie Aviation, the Vermont Flight Academy, Melbourne Flight Training in Florida, and the Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas.
P-Mentor FAA certification is pending. A spokesman told AIN that the company expected to receive approval "within a few weeks."
The two-seat P-Mentor is powered by a Rotax 912 engine. It is fully IFR-capable with PBN/RNAV/AFCS compatible avionics and compliant with the applicable CS-23 EASA and FAA amendments. It is equipped with a variable pitch propeller and simulated retractable landing gear. A ballistic parachute is available as an option.
Tecnam's P-Mentor has a fuel burn of 3.7 gallons per hour and a direct operating cost of $65 per hour. The company claims that training for a typical student advancing to instrument and commercial ratings in Tecnam singles and twins will produce 10 tonnes fewer CO2 emissions, or a 60 percent reduction, over 155 hours versus training in legacy 100LL-fueled aircraft.
“We are very excited to launch the P-Mentor in the United States during Oshkosh 2023,” said Walter Da Costa, Tecnam’s chief sales officer. “Our fleet solution is unique in the market, ensuring reliability, cost control, intelligent training, and low emissions.”