Piaggio Aerospace’s P.180 Avanti turboprop fleet has amassed one million flight hours since first flight in 1986. Of the 246 produced, 213 are currently in service—95 are operating in the Americas, 96 in Europe, 18 in the Asia-Pacific, and four in Africa and the Middle East.

The P.180 with most years of service is S/N 1004, still flying today in the U.S., while the one with the most flight hours is S/N 1007 (operating in Canada), with more than 11,000 flight hours. Piaggio currently reports orders for an additional 13 Avantis—its EVO third-generation P.180—and is currently assembling the first one for the Italian Air Force. 

“Reaching one million flight hours carries a symbolic value," said Vincenzo Nicastro, the extraordinary commissioner for Piaggio Aerospace appointed by the Italian government. “Two years ago, the company seemed to be close to collapsing. We have instead succeeded in bringing Piaggio Aerospace back to being fully operational, saving thousands of jobs and a more than 100-year-old brand. We now look forward to [finding] soon a new owner.” 

The twin pusher P.180 Avanti features a unique design that incorporates three lifting surfaces and was designed in the early 1980s. The goal was to create a twin-turboprop faster than a similarly sized business jet with lower operating costs.