P92 Echo (Classic)   click above image for larger version      downloadable pdf will be available soon ...meanwhile, please contact Bruce at TECNAM Australia for details 07-5564 1801 or 0416 083 800 or tecnam@bigpond.com   Back in early 2000 I flew across to New Zealand to attend the NZ Sport Aircraft Association air show at Matamata in the central North Island. It was there that I first saw this striking high wing aircraft taxi out onto the grass runway and after a short take-off run, climb positively through ground effect and away at a rapid rate. In the display area I found the aircraft to be a TECNAM P92 J  which is the GA Certified version of the P92 "Classic" 80 horsepower.   Renewing an old aquaintence with Giovanni Nustrini, by now the South Pacific distributor for Costruzioni Aeronautiche TECNAM s.r.l., led to my accepting Giovanni's invitation to return to NZ before Easter. We were to fly together down to Warbirds over Wanaka where Giovanni had a commercial stand. We departed Ardmore, Auckland with a forecast of absolutely lousy weather. Lousy by Australian standards but I suspect regarded as relatively normal in NZ! With two big lads on board we were at MTOW on every departure, but the performance of the TECNAM P92 J/Classic was outstanding. We loitered along just at 50 kts off the coast at 500 ft below cloud and in rain, we dropped into coastal grass strips to sit out weather, we took off in 250 metres from soggy wet grass runways and easily handled the high mountain passes of the McKenzie Country on our final leg to Wanaka. Impressive for 80 horsepower!   And I was impressed. Enough to negotiate with Giovanni for the first distributorship in Australia and to import that same aircraft as my demonstrator. Brett Soutter of ProSky Gympie was my first customer and this lovely aircraft, now know as "TECNAM 699" spends all her days training ab initio students and giving GA pilot conversions.   The Classic is an ideal aircraft for training schools, property and private owners. Take-off solo is around 75 metres and with a breeze on the nose, landings are impossibly short, with over-the-fence speeds of 45 to 50 kts. Slow flight and turning is possible at 50 kts making this an ideal aircraft for mustering and property inspections. In a training role, fuel consumption is down around 10 litres per hour ensuring low hourly costs. The miserly Rotax 80 hp engine thrives on ordinary unleaded mogas as well as 100LL Avgas.   The TECNAM P92 Classic is a no frills, ideal first aircraft and I cannot recommend it more highly. For a flying school, the Classic has the size and feel of a "real aircraft". The Classic will draw new students to your operation.   Now the technical details....   The P92 (Classic) is a two-seat, single strut braced high wing recreational UL aircraft. The main features of design and construction are directed towards keeping weight and costs low. An extensive program of static and dynamic tests has been performed on all the main structural components. The wing box, the fuselage and the empennages were submitted to ultimate test loads.   After a brilliant debut in the European market, the P92 is presented to the Australian market. It is a real aircraft, that operates within the cost and weight limits of of an ultra-light. Designed and manufactured according to international airworthiness standards, the P92 is a true aeronautical product. Like most well known successful "Very Light Aircraft", it adopts a high wing design, but departs from the construction of "Welded Tubes and Cloth" for a metallic structure made up of Frames, Spars, Ribs, Skins... This has been accomplished by one of the best known European designers in the general aviation field, with the aid of modern computer aided design.   The P92 Classic's  performances and flying qualities are so superior that it compares to those planes certified under FAR 23. The wing structure consists of a single spar metal torsion box, with a one-piece molded reinforced fiberglass leading edge. The latter feature, in providing an aerodynamically clean surface in the relevant portion of the airfoil, increases performances and, being easily detachable, helps to reducing the maintenance and repair costs. The forward fuselage section, which includes the cabin, is formed by welded steel-tubes framework, covered with aluminum panels.   A rugged central member collects the wing strut and landing gear loads. The high deformation energy of the steel-tubes framework offers a good protection of the crew in the event of an emergency landing. The light alloy stressed skin tail cone supports the empennage.The all-moving tailplane provides remarkable longitudinal hands-off stability and control power with the minimum drag and weight penalty. A wide trim-tab accomplishes also the anti-tab, function. The two stabilator halves are quick detachable The fin has a cantilever structure of light alloy, except for glassfiber tip. Fin and rudder have ribbed light alloy skins.   The half-span flaps, electrically activated, allow stall speeds under 32 kts. With flaps deployed, a steep approach is possible and a very short flare and roll out results. The ailerons, nearly interchangeable with the flaps, are very effective, which results in an aggressive roll rate. The differential control allows limited use of the rudder in the turns. The flaps and ailerons are made of light alloy structure, Dracon covered. The steel leaf main gear legs provide excellent shock absorption characteristics, are trouble free and require no maintenance. To facilitate inspection, the leg fittings are on the external fuselage bottom wall.   Wheels and hydraulic disc brakes are of aircraft type. The brake lever control is located forward between the seats. An hydraulic valve provides the parking brake control. The levered suspension nose gear with rubber shock absorber has been designed to resist to high impact loading in basic training use. The nose gear is directly steerable by the dual rudder pedals. The leading edge tapering near the wing root allows visibility, especially in a steep turn.   The engine is set low and the cowling slopes down from the windshields, so forward visibility is excellent. A rear window completes the 360° vision. The cabin, which features extra-large doors, is 1.05 metres wide and this, combined with all surrounding windows, makes the airplane seem very roomy. Behind the seats there is a large luggage area. The conventional dual control sticks come up forward, between pilots' legs and there are two throttles, each on the left of the pilot.    Flight controls are smooth throughout the range of travel. A rocker switch, between the seats, controls the pitch trim with the position indicator on the instrument panel. Two engine options are available: - ROTAX 912UL 80HP, four stroke, liquid cooled - ROTAX 912ULS 100HP, four stroke, liquid cooled. The propeller can be two blades as standard or three blades with an optional Airmaster constant speed propeller.   The engine is connected to airframe through the Cr-Mo steel-tube engine mount and the vibration isolating suspension. The firewall is soundproofed. The fast opening cowling allows complete and easy access to the engine and accessories. Two fuel tanks are built into the wing leading edge outboard of the fuselage. Standard total standard capacity is 70 Lt.  Independent fuel valves are located in the each side of the cockpit. The Gascolator is installed in the engine vane. Fuel can gravity fuel feed in the event of mechanical fuel pump failure. All engines are equipped with a 14 V generator with a 12 V, 18 Ah backup battery. All the circuits are fuse protected.   Specifications P92 (Classic)      DIMENSIONS P92 ECHO 80 Hp     Wing Span 30 ft 6 in    Length Overall 20 ft 8 in    Height Overall 8 ft 2 in    Width Cabin 3 ft 7 in    Wing Area 142 sq ft    Transverse Dihedral 1.5º    Tailplane Span 9 ft 6 in    Wheeltrack 5 ft 10 in    Wheel Tyres 5.00 - 5      ENGINE & PROPELLER P92 ECHO 80    Power max    81 Hp (59.6kW) @ 5800 rpm    Reduction    2.273:1    Propeller    Bipala GT - 166 / 146    Fuel    Unleaded / AvGas    Tanks    70 lt (2x35) - 90 lt Optional    WEIGHT P92 ECHO 80    Designed MTOW 550 kg    Max take-off weight RA Aus UL 544 kg    Basic Empty Weight (standard)  281 kg    Load Ultimate Factor +6 -3    PERFORMANCE P92 ECHO 80    Max speed s/l    118 kts    Crusing Speed 75% 5250rpm    100 kts    VNE    140 kts    Rate of Climb    1080 ft/min    Stalling Speed (with flap)    33 kts    Service Ceiling    13000 ft    Max Range (without reserve) 65%    400 nm    Take-off to 15m (50 ft)    200 m    Take-off Run    110 m    Landing Run    100 m