Australia's Horizon Airways orders second Tecnam P2012 STOL, delivery due end of 2026
Why It MattersFor regional Australian charter operators, aircraft type decisions increasingly hinge on short-runway capability, with repeat orders signalling confidence in a platform for thin, community-linked routes.
What happened
Horizon Airways has ordered a second Tecnam P2012 STOL aircraft from Costruzioni Aeronautiche TECNAM, with delivery scheduled for the end of 2026. The Queensland-based charter operator began flying the type in May 2026.
Ed Morrison, CEO of Horizon Airways, said: "The anticipation surrounding our initial P2012 STOL order has been incredible, and adding a second aircraft to our future fleet was a natural step. This aircraft represents the exact future we envision for regional air travel across the Torres Strait and Cape communities."
Horizon Airways provides charter services and pilot training across Central, Western, and Northern Queensland, operating from bases including Mackay, Cloncurry, Innisfail, Cairns, and Horn Island. In July 2022, the airline commenced operations in the Torres Strait, serving Mabuiag Island, Darnley Island, and Murray Island to support the fishing industry and local communities, which led to the order for Australia's first Tecnam P2012 STOL.
Industry impact & what to watch
Repeat orders for the same aircraft type by a single regional operator point to a broader pattern of charter carriers standardising fleets around short-takeoff-and-landing platforms suited to remote, poorly served airstrips. Where population centres are small and runways constrained, operators tend to favour aircraft that can serve multiple island or outback communities without requiring runway upgrades, rather than scaling up cabin size.
In thin markets like the Torres Strait and Cape communities, fleet growth is usually incremental and tied directly to demonstrated route demand rather than broad network expansion. A second aircraft of the same type lowers training, spares and maintenance complexity for a small operator, which matters more in these markets than raw capacity growth.
What happens between now and the end-of-2026 delivery will show whether Horizon Airways adds further routes or bases ahead of the aircraft's arrival, and whether the order encourages other Queensland regional operators to commit to the same type.
