Piaggio Aerospace Marks 40 Years of Avanti and Surpasses 40 Evo Sales
Why It MattersThe case shows how ownership stability after restructuring can translate into renewed launch orders and stated production ramp-up plans for a niche turboprop program.
What happened
Piaggio Aerospace is marking two milestones for its P.180 Avanti pusherprop twin: more than 40 units of the latest Evo variant have been sold since the first customer delivery in 2015, and the aircraft is marking four decades since its maiden flight in September 1986.
Last week, Piaggio announced the sale of two Evo aircraft to a Turkish operator, which will add them to an existing business jet and helicopter fleet. Piaggio described the sale as reinforcing its commitment to the Turkish market.
Turkey has become a key focus for the Italian manufacturer following Baykar, a Turkish aerospace firm, formally completing its acquisition of Piaggio Aerospace in June 2025. Piaggio had been under administrative restructuring since December 2018, with the Italian government extending the deadline twice before determining that Baykar would adequately protect the company's long-term production outlook.
Following the restructuring, Piaggio acknowledged the need to strengthen its Avanti support infrastructure and secured a launch order for the in-development Avanti NX. The company said it plans to gradually increase annual production of the Avanti to up to 30 units per year in the coming years, noting that the aircraft's fundamental design has remained consistent since the original concept.
Industry impact & what to watch
This is a case of new ownership stabilizing a legacy program that had spent years under formal administration, with a change-of-control event followed by fresh sales and a stated production target. Niche twin-turboprop lines like the Avanti depend on a narrow set of factors to stay viable: continuity of parts and support infrastructure, a credible owner willing to fund derivative development such as the Avanti NX, and a small pool of operators willing to commit to a design with limited market alternatives.
The Turkish sale matters less for its size than for what it signals about where Piaggio expects near-term demand to come from now that its parent is based in that market. Whether the company reaches its stated goal of up to 30 units a year will depend on how quickly the Avanti NX moves from launch order to certified product, and on whether additional operators follow the Turkish buyer's lead in adding the type alongside jets and helicopters already in their fleets.
