P2010 TDI Achieves EASA Type Certificate

After the live-streaming world premiere held in May 2020, which introduced the P2010 TDI to the market, Costruzioni Aeronautiche TECNAM has announced today the achievement of the Type Certificate for the P2010 TDI. The P2010 TDI certification is just the latest achievement of Tecnam’s continuous development and innovation programs, adding the Diesel/JetA1 engine to the already-wide range of choice of Avgas and Mogas-powered TECNAM aircraft.

The P2010 airframe, with its wide, composite, sleek fuselage design and the all-metal wing and stabilator, has proven to be the perfect platform to match the Diesel engine performances and capabilities. The consolidated comfort, accessibility, safety and reliability of the “P Twenty-Ten” are now accompanied by the flexibility granted by the use of Diesel/JetA1 fuel and the extremely low operating costs provided by the dual FADEC-controlled Continental engine.

Along with the 180 hp Avgas/Mogas and 215 hp Avgas engines, certification of the 170 hp TDI widens the range of choice for P2010 customers. This latest engine development brings the aviation market unbeatable fuel efficiency and performance: the turbo Diesel/JetA1 powerplant offers an outstanding cruise-fuel burn that ranges from 4.5 USG/hr (17 litres/hr) at 55% power, to 7 USG/hr (27 litres/hr) at 75% power. This provides consistent performance up to 8,000ft and allows operations up to 18,000ft, raising the P2010 to “new heights” (for which an optional oxygen system is provided). Moreover, the standard P2010 fuel tanks ensure an unrivalled range in excess of 1,000nm and endurance of up to 15 hours, all monitored through the state-of-the-art standard G1000NXI avionics package.

The TECNAM design team has paid particular attention to maintaining the P2010 series characteristics of great comfort, low noise and minimal vibration. Some of the many options available include Premium leather interiors with electric seats; the GFC-700 autopilot, which ensures smooth and precise autopilot operations; and the additional safety that can be provided by the Garmin GTS-800 TAS system.

The P2010 TDI is a culmination of all the very latest technologies, where Tecnam’s ability to manage both metal and composite components has shaped a unique solution in terms of efficiency, load-carrying structure and unique Italian style. The fuselage and vertical fin, entirely made of pre-peg carbon fibres, provide the best use of space, while wings, horizontal tail and rudder, as well as all the load-carrying structures, are built with 70 years’ experience of light alloy structures.

Flight safety is self-evident in the latest certification requirements, followed by the electrically operated, adjustable-height seats with 26G-capable crashworthiness. Flying experience is the ultimate with the Garmin® G1000® NXi glass cockpit and GFCTM 700 autopilot, entirely integrated and tuned around the ContinentalTM CD-170 engine.

Continental’s JetA1/Diesel-powered 170 HP engine offers ease of flying with its single-lever control, full FADEC, electronic engine monitoring and redundant safety features. The CD-170 is the newest design and also the highest-horsepower engine in the CD-100 series, well-proven with more than 6,000 engines delivered and over 7.1 million service flight hours. 

“The certification of a new aircraft is always a great achievement for us and for the aviation community, especially when it involves the best professionals of the Authority and from our company, setting the latest standard for safety and innovation,” says Paolo Pascale, TECNAM CEO. “The P Twenty-Ten remains a modern aircraft for flight schools and private owners. And now, with the Continental JetA1/Diesel engine, the P2010 TDI is simply the ‘ideal aircraft’, combining a modern, sleek, ‘green’ design with consistent, robust power.”

“The type certification for the Tecnam P2010 TDI is a significant milestone for the commercial use of JetA1/Diesel engines for flight schools and private owners,” said Jurgen Schwarz, Executive Vice President of Commercial Business for Continental Aerospace Technologies™.  “We are proud to partner with Tecnam to offer aviators the opportunity to fly a ‘green’ aircraft design with robust power. The CD-170 JetA1 engine technology and availability of Diesel fuel will allow P2010 TDI operators to focus on flight operations instead of dwelling on fuel mixture and limited flight range.”