Piaggio P.180 Avanti

Piaggio P180 airplane model. Piaggio's first P.180 prototype took to the skies on September 23, 1986, followed by the second in May 1987. Italian certification was achieved in March 1990, the inaugural production Avanti flew in May, and the first unit was delivered to a customer in September 1990.

The Avanti stands out in the corporate aircraft market with its three-surface design - a canard foreplane, a wing, and a tail. This configuration not only harnesses the advantages of a canard but also allows for the wing to be placed at the fuselage's rear, preserving interior cabin space. The Ohio State University designed the compact natural laminar flow wing. Additionally, the pusher engine layout was selected to minimize cabin noise.

Mahogany Wood. Scale: 1/32. Wingspan 17 1/4 inches, Length 17 3/4 inches.