Tecnam & Rolls-Royce Showcase the Future of General Aviation at the Oshkosh Airshow
Tecnam and Rolls-Royce held a highly anticipated press conference at Oshkosh’s EAA Media Center to showcase P-Volt, their joint contribution to Green Aviation. Cape Air and Widerøe select the P-Volt aircraft for its green transition path.
OSHKOSH, Wis., Aug. 6, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — In this modern world, full of challenges and changes, Tecnam and Rolls-Royce remain more focused on innovative solutions for the future of Green Aviation.
The press briefing was an opportunity to share the Partner Project updates with the public.
Tecnam and Rolls-Royce jointly presented the P-Volt update with an engaging dedicated video.
P-VOLT is an all-electric, twin-motor, short-range passenger aircraft whose design is based on the Tecnam P2012 Traveller.
The P-Volt will leverage Tecnam’s advanced achievements in the 11-seat category aircraft segment. Following decades of study, the P2012 Traveller has established a new global reference point within the twin engine piston marketplace. The P-Volt will be the first cargo, medical evacuation, special mission and commercial passenger aircraft to offer electric propulsion by a manufacturer, raising Tecnam’s ‘DREAM concept – which stands for “Durability, Reliability, Employability, Affordability & Manageability” – to a new, unrivalled level of efficiency.
During the Press Conference, Giovanni Pascale Langer, TECNAM Managing Director, announced that Cape Air is committed to the P-VOLT program. Cape Air who is a Part 135 operator will expand its fleet of Tecnam P2012 Travellers with P-Volt aircraft to provide Green Routes within the US. Cape Air and Wideroe, the major Norwegian Regional Airline and first European P-Volt launch customer, will share in this symbolic role towards a worldwide Green Aviation transition.
Dan Wolf, Cape Air Founder and CEO, said: “As the launch customer for the TECNAM P2012 Traveller, we are excited by the prospects of an all-electric version. In 2009, Cape Air was the first airline to adopt a strategic commitment to the environment. We look forward to taking the next step in mitigating our carbon footprint.”
The Tecnam P-Volt aircraft, with its electric propulsion system completely designed by Rolls-Royce, are all engineered to deliver a sustainable solution for the commuter market. Innovative battery management and the dedicated swappable battery concept will ensure full power availability for quick turnaround times, while preserving battery life and significantly reducing the direct operational cost.
Giovanni Pascale Langer, Tecnam Managing Director: “Tecnam is proud to be part of the future of General and Commercial Aviation with partners like Rolls-Royce. Our plan is to provide solutions for a sustainable future that is possible, and that is just a step ahead. Ensuring a green future for aviation is not an ambition anymore; it has become our main goal. Tecnam is committed to the P-Volt project. Starting from the baseline of our P2012 Traveller will also constitute an easier and smoother transition for all current and future P2012 Traveller operators. All-electric aircraft development is one thing; running it efficiently into commercial operation is something really different and this is what Tecnam wants to ensure.”
Rob Watson, Director, Rolls-Royce Electrical, said: “We are delighted Cape Air has joined Widerøe in selecting the P-Volt aircraft to support its sustainable aviation ambitions. Rolls-Royce and Tecnam are focused on delivering this zero-emission aircraft for the commuter market. We are the leading supplier of all-electric and hybrid electric propulsion and power systems across multiple aviation markets and are committed to all our new products being compatible with net zero operations.”
“Although the color of our company is blue, the color of the future is green,” said David Copeland new Sales Director of Tecnam US. “This is why we decided to move towards the direction of pioneering sustainable flights. A zero emission, low noise multi-mission flight that will change the way we fly and we live.”
Andreas Aks, Chief Strategy Officer, Widerøe, added: “We are highly excited to be offered the role as launch operator, but also humble about the challenges of putting the world’s first zero emissions aircraft into service. Our mission is to have all new capabilities, processes and procedures required for a zero emissions operator, designed and approved in parallel with the aircraft being developed and certified.”
About Rolls-Royce Holdings plc:
1. Rolls-Royce pioneers the power that matters to connect, power and protect society. We have pledged to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions in our operations by 2030. We joined the UN Race to Zero campaign in 2020, and have committed to ensuring our new products will be compatible with net zero operation by 2030, and all products will be compatible with net zero by 2050.
2. Rolls-Royce has customers in more than 150 countries, comprising more than 400 airlines and leasing customers, 160 armed forces and navies, and more than 5,000 power and nuclear customers.
3. Annual underlying revenue was £11.76 billion in 2020 and we invested £1.25 billion on research and development. We also support a global network of 28 University Technology Centres, which position Rolls-Royce engineers at the forefront of scientific research.
4. Rolls-Royce Holdings plc is a publicly traded company (LSE:RR., ADR: RYCEY, LEI: 213800EC7997ZBLZJH69).
About Wideroe:
Widerøe is the largest regional airline in Scandinavia, with a staff of 2,500 and a turnover of NOK 3.5 billion. The company carries around 2.8 million passengers annually and flies to over 40 domestic and international destinations.
In 2018 Widerøe launched of the brand new Embraer 190-E2 aircraft. Widerøe is the first airline in the world to put the Embraer E190-E2 into commercial operations.
About TECNAM; “Quality Aircraft since 1948”
Tecnam’s roots go all the way back to the Italian brothers Luigi and Giovanni Pascale who began to develop and produce innovative aircraft soon after the end of WWII. Since those early beginnings, the family has continued to create original models, first gaining worldwide recognition under the name Partenavia, which translates as ” Naples Aviation”.
Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam was established in March 1986 and now operates in two production facilities. The Casoria facility is located adjacent to Naples’ Capodichino International Airport, while the main factory is next to the “Oreste Salomone” Airport in Capua. Recently new facilities were established in Sebring, Florida, USA and in Australia to serve and support the needs of Tecnam’s local owners and operators.
