Tecnam recently announced that New Zealand Airline Academy Ltd. (NZAAL) has ordered 10 training aircraft. The order includes eight single-engine Tecnam P2008 JC Night VFR models, one single-engine P-Mentor IFR trainer and one twin-engine piston P2006T Premium Edition advanced multi-engine trainer.
The twin is currently en route from the Tecnam factory in Capua, Italy, to NZAAL’s home-base airport in Oamaru, New Zealand. Deliveries of the rest are scheduled to start in the second quarter of next year. Once deliveries are completed, the NZAAL fleet will consist of 26 aircraft, 24 of which are built by Tecnam.
NZAAL is the exclusive cadet training provider for Air India’s AIX Connect group (formerly known as Air Asia India). The flight academy is located close by three airports with control towers and instrument approaches, but also has multiple coastal and mountain airfields available for more challenging training opportunities. NZAAL maintains its location’s varied and challenging weather conditions “create real-world flying conditions for cadets.”
Discussing why NZAAL chose the Tecnam P2008 as its initial training aircraft in 2018 and why it chose to place this follow-on order, Jonathan Manual, director and CEO, said, “Our selection criteria included unparalleled safety features, the ability to endure the rigorous demands of flight training, seamless transition from training aircraft to modern-day jets through state-of-the-art technology, a commitment to environmental sustainability, local dealer support, and cost-effectiveness. Tecnam emerged as the unequivocal winner, embodying each of these criteria effortlessly, making it the clear and optimal choice for our flight school.”
“The flight academy is located close by three airports with control towers and instrument approaches”
Instrument approaches, yes. Towered airports, not so close – not at Tecnam speeds.