We must never forget the roots of our story. The Professor and Mr. Nino were not just dreamers, they were pioneers, far ahead of their time. In post-war Italy, one ofthe most difficult periods in our nation’s history, they dared to imagine a future few could see. What began as a bold vision in a modest garage in Naples has since evolved into an internationally recognized powerhouse of aviation innovation.

From the very beginning, Tecnam has embodied what it means to be a step ahead. In a region where building something extraordinary takes tenacity and relentless energy, the Professor and Mr. Nino laid the groundwork for a company that would not just keep pace with the times, but set the pace.

Today, Tecnam is a shining example of how tradition and innovation can move forward hand in hand. We haven’t just adapted to chang, we’ve led it.

The drafting table made way for 2D blueprints, then 3D modeling. Lightweight carbon fiber replaced Dacron. Manual tools were upgraded to CNC machines and soon, robotic arms will enhance our processes further.
The analog cockpit was transformed into a digital hub, featuring touchscreens more advanced than those in modern fighter jets. Spartan interiors have evolved into refined, comfortable spaces outfitted with premium materials. We’ve never waited for the future, we’ve created it.

Now, as aviation stands on the cusp of a new technological era led by artificial intelligence, Tecnam continues to embrace innovation without losing sight of the core force that drives us: passion. AI may calculate, predict, and analyze, but it cannot dream. It cannot feel the excitement of flight or the pride of craftsmanship.

It is passion that drives our engineers to turn ideas into breakthroughs. It is passion that pushes us beyond the expected. And it is that same passion that turned a humble dream into a legacy of excellence that continues to lead the way. As we look forward, we do so not with fear, but with ambition. Innovation will continue to be our path. Passion will continue to be our compass.

MICHELE OLIVA

HEAD OF DESIGN ORGANISATION

Secrets,Surprises, and Soaring Facts from Inside the TECNAM world

When the P2012 Traveller  was finally certified  byt the Euoropean authority EASA, the challenge was to grant the FAA validation of the United States, as our lauch customer was the big regional airline Cape Air, based in Boston. The journey was  not easy at all, and a small team of 3 to 4 people had to travel more than once in the USA to support the customer and the FAA as they unexpectedly reviewed and evaluated almost every EASA certification document in preparation of the required “evaluation flight test”.

It finally happened, but eventually the most dangerous event risked to freeze (literally!) the validation of the aircraft capability to fly into known icing conditions: the pitot probe was not approved, or qualified, to the very latest TSO and SAE specifications, being such specifications published only few years before. While EASA accepted that Tecnam could have used probes which are still today approved for many airplanes, including all turboprops, FAA refused to do so and we started an extremely frustrating “search for the product”, to discover that no one ever developed and TSO approved a suitable unit compliant with the very latest standard for needed class and category. One (US) company offered to develop and sell the units, asking for 6 months, Hundreds thousands USD for Non-Recurring Costs and extremely expensive recurring costs for each probe. As the rush for delivering increased the internal pressure, Tecnam Board was ready and willing to invest both NRC and RC, but the 6 months projection was a non-shrinkable threshold. Not even the financial impact, rather the timeline was therefore the hint of one of Tecnam R&D greatest l success: it was July, 2019, and the team started the design from scratch of a pitot probe, defining all possible methods to qualify it  and to have it approved as part of the aircraft equipment. The FAA feedback to the Tecnam head of R&D was discouraging:

 “Fabio, only one aircraft manufacturer attempted to produce pitot probes, and it was when the qualification protocols were not stringent as they are now.  They failed to achieve the milestone… It will be not easy.”

Three months later, several icing wind tunnel sessions (both in New York as well as in the close-by CIRA, expensive but capable of simulating the Supercooled Liquid Droplets), the first pitot probe manufactured by an airframer and approved to fly into known icing conditions, had been accepted by the FAA (with compliments!) and cleared the P2012 aircraft USA validation. At the end of the day, “bills-in-hand”, Tecnam also saved 75% of NRC and we save(d) 89% of recurring costs. Still today, looking at the “sub-assemblies” assembly lines and batches of pitot probe (now used on all Tecnam planes), we feel proud of the initiative taken.

FABIO RUSSO

CHIEF PROJECT R&D AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

St. Barth Executive, the French VIP airline based in the Caribbean, has started scheduled operations with the two delivered P2012 STOLs. A third aircraft is expected in September.

The first passenger flight took place on August 1st, 2024 from Guadeloupe (PTP/TFFR) to St. Barth (SBH/TFFJ), operated under the AIR INTER ILES brand by St. Barth Executive. With a regular schedule of three daily flights, and up to six in high season, this 50-minute route offers a reliable and affordable connection for locals and tourists, linking islands previously accessible only by boat.
The P2012 STOL, ideal for the West Indies, is well-suited to demanding runways like Saint-Barthélemy (646m long runway), thanks to its short takeoff (425m) and landing distances (360m) and certified “10° (17.5%) steep approach”. Its modern design, focuses on passenger comfort and allows St. Barth Executive to deliver a high-end experience across the Caribbean.

Connecting Caribbean islands that are difficult to reach by plane? Keeping operating costs and downtime low? Offering a premium experience to passengers at the same timeFor many, this might have seemed like an ambitious dream, almost utopian. But for Vincent Beauvarlet, President of St. Barth Executive, it was a clear objective.With the arrival of the P2012 STOL, this vision becomes reality. Designed to meet the region’s demanding conditions while ensuring comfort and efficiency, the aircraft is a perfect match for St. Barth Executive’s mission.

“The P2012 lands and takes off perfectly in St. Barth and offers us an attractive payload. Finally, we have an air vector that allows us to connect our islands with controlled operating costs”

Vincent Beauvarlet

Président, St Barth Executive

Discovering the P2012 STOL

Currently operating the P2012 STOL for the first time, Valentine Tahan, a seasoned pilot with SBH Executive, brings both experience and enthusiasm to the cockpit. What struck him immediately was the aircraft’s handling. Smooth and responsive, especially at lower speeds, the Tecnam delivers a level of finesse that sets it apart in its category.

The aircraft’s full glass cockpit is another standout feature. The avionics suite is impressively complete, providing pilots with a modern, intuitive interface. A dedicated engine page displays all engine parameters in real time, contributing to a streamlined flying experience that emphasizes both safety and simplicity.

Valentine points out that transitioning from a Cessna Caravan to the Tecnam comes with noticeable differences, not just in performance, but also in feel. The lighter, more agile Tecnam offers a level of control that’s hard to match, especially when operating in tight, technical environments. Valentine notes:

“It feels like a pilot’s aircraft through and through. Everything is right where you need it! The avionics, the engine monitoring, the responsiveness.”

Indeed, the design is as functional as it is elegant. Built for short-field operations, the P2012 STOL performs exceptionally well on runways like the legendary strip at St. Barts, where space is limited and precision is everything. For Valentine, the appeal lies not only in the performance but also in the joy of light aviation. Flying smaller aircraft allows for a more connected, hands-on experience, something that’s often lost in the world of large commercial liners. Whether it’s tackling a technical airfield or simply enjoying the sensation of flight, the Tecnam STOL delivers.

It was 1960. Italy was going towards a fast and intense industrial development, in full Economic Miracle. The DC (Christian Democrats) were governing the country; in the movie theaters, notwithstanding the censorship, Fellini’s “La dolce vita” was reaping success; soon after, the Leonardo da Vinci airport in Fiumicino opened. There was a great enthusiasm, a will to do, create, progress, take part in the Country’s development.

In that sunny early July afternoon, in a hangar of the Capodichino airport, where the Partenavia flight line was situated, Gino and Nino Pascale were busy, together with their trusted specialist Enzo Sorgente, in inspecting the aircraft with the signs I-VIVA that, on the previous day, had flown for the first time. It was a P57 Fachiro that the newly established Partenavia Costruzioni Aeronautiche, the company wanted so badly by the Pascale brothers, mass produced for the first time in the Arzano plant, not far from the airport. The two brothers, passionate about aviation since their childhood, were in that wonderful age between thirty and forty, when nothing seems impossible and the energy, especially in a couple, is endless. The P57 Fachiro represented exceptional qualities. It was a four-seater that in Italy, in those times, was an absolute novelty in the sector of the light planes. Powered by a 180 hp engine, its performance allowed to carry four people at full load at approximately 200 km/h on routes such as the Naples – Genoa. The I-VIVA had the serial number 2 and was destined for the Bari Aero Club, whose instructor, Commander Carlo Citelli, a test pilot and a former Air Force pilot, did really appreciate the aircraft. He had met the Pascales some years after the war, while on transit in Capodichino with a rickety Fairchild, a war residue.

In those times, when a private plane landed at an airport, the crew was welcomed as a guest and helped in all operations as much as possible. The circle of the aviators and of the aviation operators was restricted, and between them there was a great solidarity, also for that concealed sense of admiration felt for those who “were going in the air”. On a flight on the previous day, the pilot had felt an awkward vibration of the I-VIVA right wing, attributed to a badly locked large inspection hole. After fixing that issue, the Pascales decided for a test flight.

In those days, Capodichino was very different from today: the commercial traffic consisted in a few national collections; then, there was the Aero Club school and some flight of the Air Force or from the U.S. Navy base. The airport was never crowded, the control tower managed the traffic volume without problems, and usually the staff was well-disposed towards the pilots of local flights. After completing the pre-flight tests and inspections, Gino seated at the controls, with Nino next to him to write down the data. The control tower gave the authorization to India – Victor India Victor Alfa “to taxi to the waiting point, raceway 240°”. To fly with their “creatures”, check their conditions and their efficiency, had always been for the Pascale brothers, one of the things they considered among the most important in their activity. So, that day, they had to check if the inconvenience detected the other day had disappeared. Both brothers had obtained the civil pilot license in 1950 with the Macchi MB308, but, while Nino was less interested in continuing the pilot activity, busy as he was with managing the plant, Gino had consolidated his experience on various airplanes such as the Stinson L5, the Fiat G46, and many more, while he was doing many shop flights for the Partenavia planes, with a special authorization granted by Civilavia1, in his quality of designer of the planes. He had also obtained in Rieti the “C license” for gliding, having as an instructor the great Adriano Mantelli, a pilot that he had always deeply admired and followed in his enterprises, since when, articipating in 1942 at the Concorso Nazionale Modelli Volanti2 in Asiago, he saw him doing aerobatics with the glider CAT20.

After the usual engine tests, they asked for the authorization to take off, which the controller gave them on the spot. The weather was almost fine; the temperature was 26°C and the wind was weak. The throttle went all in, the engine revving up to the top, the brakes were released: in a few hundred meters, the I-VIVA was up in the air, the VSI growing, all was fine, and in their eyes, they had the breathtaking view of the gulf, framed by the Vesuvius and the Sorrento peninsula, with Capri in the background.

The area assigned to the test was between Portici and Torre del Greco; there, it was possible to climb up. As previously planned, they reached 3000 ft. (1000 m), with the intention, at that altitude, to reach with a light dive and at full speed, the Vne (Never Exceed Speed), that is, the speed that the pilot must never exceed. So, they began the test… the speed gradually increased… 200, 220, 250, 270 – all fine – the airplane went down smoothly, gaining speed, when all of a sudden, something similar to an earthquake burst. The wings wavered at an incredible width, while the aircraft, with a dull thunder, got out of control. Gino, instinctively, managed to cut off the engine, while, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something ripped off the left half-wing. At that point, the earthquake stopped.

Gino shouted at Nino, “We have lost the left aileron”. And Nino, in reply, “The right one is gone too”. Gino added: “Siamo fottuti!*”

*” We are lost ! ”

In a matter of seconds, the incredibly violent phenomenon had torn off both ailerons. That was luck, because, on the contrary, the wing would have given up. Even better, the rupture was perfectly symmetrical, so that it had left unchanged the balance when rolling. Now, the aircraft was descending at moderate speed. Regaining their senses after the powerful burst of adren aline, the two brothers took stock of the situation, which appeared desperate.

Obviously, the handwheel was controlling only the “nose up and nose down”, and the pedal board, untouched, was controlling the rudder. The aircraft was still keeping the wings leveled, but, at any moment, it could begin to tilt and enter into a deadly spiraling. And that’s exactly what happened soon after: by instinct, Gino acted on the pedal and the aircraft responded, regaining the correct cross attitude.

They felt they still had some hope: all was not lost yet. The aircraft behavior reappeared on both the left and right side, and Gino always straightened it with the pedal. They still were in the Portici area, and the aircraft nose was pointed towards Capodichino. Gino wanted to communicate with the control tower, but the microphone was out of reach. Nino got hold of it and established the contact with Capodichino, “We have a serious emergency, here. We’re trying to reach the field”.

The possibility to control the cross attitude of the aircraft with the rudder is due to what, in flight mechanics, is called “dihedral effect”. This effect is common in high-wing airplanes like the Fachiro and represents an important requisite of the flight qualities requested by the current airworthiness standards. The effective presence of the dihedral effect, in this case, was a life saver.

“Torre Capo, we can see the field, but we cannot align to the strip. We will try to land crosswise!”

The Capodichino runway is 60°- 240° oriented and the heading of the I-VIVA was about 340°, hence almost 90° with the runway, but turning in those conditions was clearly a hazard. They began the long final and, very carefully, they activated the flap control, which, in the Fachiro, is manually controlled via a bar installed between the two pilot seats. Up to the first notch, about 15°, they detected no side dips, but they did not insist.

They completely cut off the engine and, leaving the control tower to their right, they began the short final approach, trying to reduce the speed as much as possible. With the increase of the approach angle, the aircraft began to dip and, when they tried to adjust it by pedal, it yawed. So, they gave up. Finally, they touched the grass at about one hundred meters off the runway, passing over its curb with a jolt. The speed, low by then, finally allowed to perform the alignment and continue along the axis. We realized that the I-VIVA was followed by a queue of vehicles: firefighters, ambulances, jeeps, etc. The Pascales looked at each other and, agreeing silently, decided to quickly continue taxiing to the hangar: It is in the company’s interest trying to play down the event. Once in the hangar, Enzo Sorgente tried to keep the people out and, seeing the dire conditions of the wings, incredulous and stricken, burst into tears. In the meanwhile, the two brothers, dazed and happy to be back on the ground, asked for something to drink and to be left alone for a few minutes.

The report on the event, which the airport authority immediately demanded, described in short the circumstances and the cause of the emergency: loss of the aircraft’s side control. After about an hour from landing, a jeep of the police arrived at Capodichino to deliver to the Aero Club a fragment fallen from a small airplane while flying over Portici. It was an aileron of the I-VIVA; the other was most likely at the bottom of the sea. The tremendous phenomenon that had occurred is among those classified as flutters, like the fluttering of a bird’s wing. It is technically defined as an oscillating movement in which interact aerodynamic forces, elastic forces and inertia forces. Specifically, the flutter that hit the I-VIVA was a binary flutter associated with the bending of the wing flexure and with the rotation of the aileron. Soon after the incident, they made a modification that consisted in balancing the aileron with an appropriate mass, the so-called mass-balancing. With that, one eliminated every chance that the flutter could occur again.

From “The sky is the limit:
an aviation legacy. The story of Tecnam and the Pascale brothers”

Compiled by Stefano Mavilio

Q: As  both a pilot and a leader in aviation manufacturing, can you share your earliest memory of flying and how that shaped your passion for aviation?

G.P: My first memory of flying was actually in the passenger seat of a P92, sitting next to my father. I must have been six or seven years old, and I still remember the feeling of lifting off the ground, that lightness, that freedom. It was more than just a moment; it was a connection. Growing up in a family where the hangar has been almost an extension of home, aviation has never been just a profession, it’s part of our DNA. That first flight made me realize I wanted to do more than just be around aviation, I hoped to be part of its growth.

Q: Growing up in the Pascale family, deeply rooted in aviation, how has that heritage influenced your vision for Tecnam and your personal approach to innovation and leadership?

G.P: Our family’s legacy is both an inspiration and a responsibility. My uncle and grandfather were true pioneers; they built aircraft not just with skill but with heart. My father Paolo carried that same spirit forward, dedicating his life to aviation with passion and precision. That passion and craftsmanship are values we carry forward every day at Tecnam. But heritage alone isn’t enough. Innovation is what ensures we continue to grow and meet the evolving needs of modern aviation. While remaining true to our roots, we constantly seek new ways to improve and expand. For us, leadership means maintaining a balance between honoring tradition and embracing progress.

Q: Tecnam has seen impressive global growth in recent years. What would you say are the key factors that have driven the brand’s success and made it stand out in today’s competitive general aviation market?

G.P: Our success is rooted in three key pillars: reliability, versatility, and the strong sense of community around the Tecnam brand. We design aircraft to meet real-world needs, from professional pilot training in flight schools to commercial aviation. Customer focus and personal instinct have always guided our decisions. To support this growing demand, we’ve recently expanded our production facilities with a new 13,000 square meter hangar. In parallel, our global network of partners, dealers, and support teams plays a crucial role, it’s a passionate, engaged community that continues to drive our momentum worldwide.

Q: Looking at Tecnam’s current position in the industry, from training aircraft to your efforts in developing efficient commuter aircraft for regional airlines, what achievement are you most proud of, and where do you see the brand headed in the next decade?

G.P: I’m incredibly proud of how Tecnam has become a global leader in flight training and commercial operation. Aircraft like the P-Mentor and P2006T represent a new generation of pilot training, modern, cost-effective, and fully compliant with both EASA and FAA and the many others local validation. Their low operating costs and advanced features have made them a top choice for flight schools worldwide.

Regarding regional air mobility, the P2012 Traveller has opened new possibilities for connecting smaller communities with safe, efficient service. Its performance, comfort, and versatility have made it a game changer in regional aviation and special mission operations.

Building on that, the P2012 STOL brings short takeoff and landing capability to remote areas, without compromising payload and comfort, addressing real-world challenges with smart design. What makes the P2012 platform truly unique is that no other aircraft on the market offers the same combination of modern design, operational flexibility, and passenger comfort in this category. It’s not an adaptation of an old airframe but a purpose-built solution, filling a clear gap in regional and utility aviation. The global response confirms it: the P2012 is in a class of its own.