Piaggio P. 166

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Piaggio P. 166
Piaggio P.166 of the Italian Coast Guard
Piaggio P.166 of the Italian Coast Guard
Type: Multipurpose aircraft
Design country:

ItalyItaly Italy

Manufacturer:

Piaggio

First flight:

November 26, 1957

Number of pieces:

150+

The Piaggio P.166 is a light twin-engine multi-purpose aircraft with propeller drive . The manufacturer was the Piaggio company based in Genoa , Italy .

development

P.166 of the Italian financial police
P.166 of the Guardia di Finanza with a radome on the bow
Cockpit of the Piaggio P-166DL3-SEM

After Piaggio had achieved some success in Italy and North America with the Piaggio P.136 amphibious aircraft, which was built from 1948 , a lighter transport variant with a three-legged landing gear was planned. The cantilevered shoulder- wing gull wing wings were taken over from the P.136 , to which wing tip tanks can still be attached to the P.166. The pusher propeller configuration typical of Piaggio with the Avco Lycoming GSO-480 engines was also adopted. The prototype of the Piaggio P.166 first flew on November 26, 1957. FAA approval was granted on July 31, 1958. By 1963, 85 had already been sold, 21 of them to the Italian Air Force, which they used for liaison tasks.

commitment

First series production aircraft were sold to Australia and New Guinea and distributed in the United States by the Tracker Corporation. The P.166S Albatros was specially built for the South African Air Force , which received 20 machines.

In Italy, the Air Force deployed 27 machines for communication, reconnaissance and training purposes. The Italian coast guard and the financial police procured 14 and 10 copies respectively for maritime surveillance.

The airline Alitalia used two machines for pilot training in their training center in Alghero , Sardinia . These two P.166 were finally taken over by the financial police, which increased their number to 12.

execution

The Piaggio P.166 is a twin-engine, all-metal aircraft with a cantilever single-spar wing and retractable nose wheel landing gear. The wings, tail unit and fuselage are made of aluminum and joined using flat rivet technology. The ailerons are slotted and have a trim surface on the starboard side . Slotted flaps are used as landing flaps. In the outer wing there are the fuel tanks on the right and left, each with an initial capacity of 212 liters. The wing tip tanks have a capacity of 208 l each, later versions such as the P.166-DL3 have wing tip tanks with 323 l. Optionally, these late versions can also carry tanks with 284 l each under the wings. The hull is designed to be semi-self-supporting. The tail unit is also cantilevered, and both elevator and rudder have trim surfaces. The chassis can be retracted and extended hydraulically. The hydraulic system works with 127 bar and supplies the landing gear as well as the landing flaps and brakes. The electrical system is 28 volts DC.

Versions

  • Piaggio P.166 : first series model, 32 units produced.
  • Piaggio P.166B : the prototype of this version first flew on March 27, 1962 under the name Portfino ; compared to the original version, the Lycoming IGSO-540-A1C engines with 380 hp (283 kW) direct injection were used, the bow was also lengthened and the airframe was improved; five machines were made, although a series of 25 machines was planned.
  • Piaggio P.166C : modified fuselage center section (twelve passengers) and streamlined container for retractable main landing gear; two machines made.
  • Piaggio P.166M : Military version for the Italian Air Force with reinforced cabin floor and enlarged loading hatch (could transport the engine of a Fiat G.91 ). Of this variant, 51 units were built.
  • Piaggio P.166S : further improved version for the South African Air Force; 20 machines for coastal patrols and rescue missions.
  • Piaggio P.166BL2 : version with extended fuel capacity, four machines were built.
  • Piaggio P.166DL3 : multi-purpose version with two AVCO-Lycoming LTP 101-700A1-A , each with 559 hp and improved equipment. The first flight took place on July 3, 1976, the FAA approval in 1978. The execution was delivered to Alitalia and Somalia , among others . The avionics are VOR, ADF, glide path receivers, artificial horizon and an autopilot.
  • Piaggio P.166DL3 APH : reconnaissance variant of the Italian Air Force.
  • Piaggio P.166DLR-MAR : sea surveillance version suitable for all weather conditions.
  • Piaggio P.166 DP1 : version developed between 1998 and 2004 with two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-A121s (615 hp each), increased take-off weight, improved avionics and modern reconnaissance sensors. A number of machines used in Italy are to be brought up to this standard.

Military use

Technical specifications

Parameter Data Piaggio P.166-DL3
crew 2
Passengers Max. 10
length 11.90 m
span 14.69 m (without tanks: 13.51 m)
height 5.00 m
Wing area 25.56 m²
Max. Takeoff mass 4300 kg
Empty mass 2126 kg
Engine type two Avco Lycoming LTP 101-600
Engine power 2 × 587 PS (438 kW)
Top speed 417 km / h at an altitude of 3050 m
Minimum speed 117 km / h
Service ceiling 8840 m
normal range 2035 km

See also

literature

  • Ricardo Niccoli: Piaggione! The Varied Career of Piaggio's P.166 Pusher. Air International, Vol. 82 No. April 4, 2012, ISSN  0306-5634 . Pp. 86-91.
  • RW Simpson: Airlife's General Aviation. Airlife Publishing, Shrewsbury 1991, ISBN 1-85310-194-X .
  • John Stroud: Post War Propliners: Piaggio P.134 & P.166. Airplane Monthly, Vol 22 No 4, April 1994, London, pp. 64-67.
  • John WR Taylor: Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1961-62. Sampson Low, Marston and Company, London 1961.
  • John WR Taylor: Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965-66. Sampson Low, Marston and Company, London 1965.
  • John WR Taylor: Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976-77. Jane's Yearbooks, London 1976, ISBN 0-354-00538-3 .

Web links

Commons : Piaggio P.166  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files