Vulcanair Updates Manufacturing Plans In North Carolina

Italian planemaker Vulcanair says it will begin deliveries from its new manufacturing plant in North Carolina in 2025. Spokesman Mike McMann said the company is also building a parts distribution warehouse at the Elizabethtown complex. At a news conference at Sun 'n Fun last week, McMann also announced the sale of five of the four-place aircraft to Aviation Flight Group LLC, which will be delivered by the end of the year. Deliveries have been made to Central Texas College, too. A nationwide network of parts and service centers is also being set up.

The aircraft is going primarily to flight schools. Although it's similar in size and appearance to a Cessna 172, it's at least $100,000 less expensive and delivery schedules are much shorter. The company says there's an annual shortfall of 500 training aircraft worldwide and that has resulted in three- and four-year backlogs at Textron and Piper. As part of its North American expansion, Vulcanair has put together a maintenance video to familiarize service companies with the aircraft. It's powered by a Lycoming IO-360-M1A and has an IFR panel with a Garmin G500 Txi coupled with a GTN 650.