Partenavia P.68

The Partenavia P.68, now Vulcanair P68, is a light aircraft designed by Luigi Pascale and initially built by Italian Partenavia. It made its first flight on 25 May 1970, its type certification was granted on 17 November 1971 and was transferred to Vulcanair in 1998. The original six-seat high-wing monoplane is powered by twin piston engines and is used for light transport and training. The P.68 Observer is an observation aircraft variant, and it was developed in a stretched, 10/11-seat twin turboprop derivative.

P.68
P.68B
Role Light transport
Manufacturer Partenavia
Vulcanair
Designer Luigi Pascale
First flight 25 May 1970[1]
Produced 1970-present
Number built 431+
Unit cost

P.68B: US$82,000 (1974)[2] (US$425000 today)

P.68C: US$1.0016M
P.68R: US$1.179M
P.68C-TC: US$1.063M
AP.68TP-600: US$2.965M (2019)[3]

Development
A P.68 Observer presented by Vulcanair at the AERO Friedrichshafen 2016

The type certification for the P.68 "Victor", a twin piston engine, high wing monoplane with fixed tricycle landing gear was applied for on 22 January 1969.[4] The Partenavia P.68 was designed as a six-seat light transport and trainer powered by two 200 hp (149 kW) Lycoming IO-360 engines, it made its first flight on 25 May 1970 at Naples.[1] The type certification for the 9.20 m (30.18 ft) long P.68 was granted by the Italian Civil Aviation Authority on 17 November 1971 for an 1860kg (4100 lb) MTOW.[4] It was approved by the FAA on 7 December 1971.[5] After a 300 h of flight tests, production was to start in May 1972 in a new plant at Naples Capodichino Airport at a rate of three aircraft per month.[6] The prototype was built at Arzano, Italy, production began with 14 pre-production aircraft at new facilities in Casoria, Italy.

The longer, 9.35 m (30.68 ft) P.68B "Victor" certification was applied for on 18 October 1973 and granted on 24 May 1974 for a 1960 kg (4321 lb) MTOW.[4] Its fuselage was lengthened to create more space in the cockpit.

Both derived from the P.68B and 9.55 m (31.33 ft) long, the P.68R "Victor" has a retractable landing gear and was certified on 31 July 1978 while the P.68C has a nose allowing a weather radar, larger fuel tanks and increased weights, and was certified on 23 July 1979 with a 1990 kg (4387 lb) MTOW. The P.68C-TC, certified on 29 April 1980, has turbocharged, 210 hp (157 kW) Lycoming TIO-360-C1A6D engines. The 9.43 m (30.94 ft) long P. 68 "Observer", derived from the P.68B with a transparent fuselage nose, adapted systems and larger fuel tanks, was certified on 12 June 1980.[4] The observation aircraft for law enforcement were initially conversions of existing aircraft by German Sportavia-Putzer.

The 9.90 m (32.48 ft) long, fixed gear AP68TP-300 "Spartacus" was certified on 10 December 1983 with two 328 hp (245 kW) Allison 250-B17C turboprops and a 2600 kg (5732 lb) MTOW.[4] the nine-seater development was helped by Aeritalia, the prototype first flew in 1978 with a retractable undercarriage.

The 9.15 m (30.02 ft) long P.68TC "Observer", a P.68 "Observer" with turbocharged engines, was certified on 18 June 1985. The 10.89-11.27 m (35.73-36.97 ft) long, retractable gearAP68TP-600 "Viator", with two 328 hp (245 kW) Allison 250-B17C turboprops, has a 2850-3000 kg (6283-6614 lb) MTOW and was certified on 16 October 1986. The 9.54 m (31.30 ft) long P.68 "Observer 2" is a P.68 "Observer", with increased weights, upturned wing tips and modified systems, and was certified on 30 November 1989 for a 2084 kg (4594 lb) MTOW.[4]

Based in Casoria, Naples, and already manufacturing Partenavia spares, Vulcanair (then Air Samanta) acquired the type certificate, aircraft spares and the former production plant in Milan for L1.4 billion ($780,000) in April 1998.[7] The type certificate was transferred on 25 November.[4] Vulcanair offers the P.68R, P68C, P.68C-TC, P.68TC Observer, P.68 Observer 2 and AP68TP-600 Viator.[8]

Variants
P.68 Observer with transparent nose
P.68R with retractable undercarriage
Turboprop-powered AP.68TP-600 Viator with stretched fuselage and retractable gear
Type certificate data sheet[4]
VariantCertifiedMTOWEnginesLengthBuilt
P.68 Victor 17 Nov 19711860 (4100 lb) 200 hp (149 kW)
IO-360-A1B6		9.20 m (30.18 ft)14
P.68B Victor 24 May 1974 1960 kg (4321 lb)9.35 m (30.68 ft)>190
P. 68 Observer 12 Jun 1980 9.43 m (30.94 ft)>21
P.68R Victor 31 Jul 1978 9.55 m (31.33 ft)1
P.68 Observer 2 30 Nov 1989 2084 kg (4594 lb)
P.68C 23 Jul 1979 1990 kg (4387 lb)>114
P.68C-TC 29 Apr 1980 210 hp (157 kW)
TIO-360-C1A6D
P.68TC Observer 18 Jun 1985 9.15 m (30.02 ft)
AP68TP-300 Spartacus 10 Dec 1983 2600 kg (5732 lb) 328 hp (245 kW)
Allison 250-B17C		 9.90 m (32.48 ft)>13
AP68TP-600 Viator 16 Oct 1986 2850-3000 kg
(6283-6614 lb)		 10.89-11.27 m
(35.73-36.97 ft)		>6

Operators

Military and government operators
Hesse State Police P.68 Observer 2
Italian State Police P.68 Observer
 Bahamas
 Bophuthatswana
  • Bophutatswana Air Force — Operated two P.68C Observers.[9] Former operator.
 Chile
  • Chilean Navy — 7 P.68 Observer 2s in service since September 2016, order completed in March 2017[10]
 Germany
 Italy
  • Italian State Police
 Sierra Leone
  • Military of Sierra Leone
 United Kingdom

.;  United States:

Civil operators
 Australia
 France
  • Alpine Airlines
 New Zealand
  • Great Barrier Airlines
 North Macedonia
  • Air Club "SKOPJE"
 United States
  • Aloha Helicopter Tours, LLC
  • Aspen Helicopters, Inc (operates 7 P-68's)
 Canada
 United Kingdom
  • Bioflight (Operates 8 P-68's)[13]

Incidents and accidents

The P.68 was involved in 86 accidents and incidents reported in the Aviation Safety Network wiki database, including 58 hull losses.[14]

September 11, 1983: A P.68C, N29561, performing an aerobatic display broke up in flight during an airshow in Plainview, Texas as horrified spectators watched. The NTSB report revealed that analysis of the video showed the aircraft performed a fly-by over the runway, exceeding its Vne (Velocity, never-exceed) speed by 27 knots. The pilot then executed a sharp nose-up pitch change of about 8 degrees, which spiked the aircraft's dynamic load factor to 8.3Gs and caused both wings to fail in the main spar just outside both engine nacelles then separate from the aircraft, which then began rotating, causing the rear fuselage to twist along its length between its cabin and empennage. The aircraft then plummeted 250 feet down just beyond the group of spectators.[15]

Specifications
The Observer cockpit with an EFIS Flight deck
The P.68 cabin
Vulcanair Brochure[8]
Variant P.68C AP.68TP-600
Seats 6 10/11
Luggage volume 0,66 cu.m / 23 cu ft 0,48 cu.m / 17 cu ft
Wing 12.00 m / 39.37 ft span; 18.60 m² / 200.23 ft² area
Length 9.55 m / 31.33 ft[lower-alpha 1] 11.27 m / 36.97 ft
Height 3.40 m / 11.15 ft 3.63 m / 11.91 ft
MTOW 2084 kg / 4594 lb 3000 kg / 6613 lb
Empty Weight 1420 kg / 3130 lb 1750 kg / 3858 lb
Max payload[lower-alpha 2] 547 kg / 1206 lb 800 kg / 1763 lb
Max Fuel 670 L / 177 US gal 840 L / 222 US gal
675 kg / 1488 lb
Engines 2 × Lycoming IO-360-A1B6[lower-alpha 3] 2 × Rolls-Royce 250-B17C
Power 2 × 200 hp (149 kW) 2 × 328 hp (245 kW)
Cruise Speed 301 km/h / 160 kn[lower-alpha 4] 396 km/h / 214 kn[lower-alpha 5]
Climb Rate 6 m/s / 1100 fpm[lower-alpha 6] 8,4 m/s / 1650 fpm[lower-alpha 7]
Stall Speed 106 km/h / 57 kn[lower-alpha 8] 128 km/h / 69 kn[lower-alpha 9]
Ceiling 5490 m / 18000 ft[lower-alpha 10] 7620 m / 25000 ft[lower-alpha 11]
Range 2043 km / 1103 nmi[lower-alpha 12] 1740 km / 939 nmi[lower-alpha 13]
Fuel burn 6.1 km/kg (1.5 nmi/lb)[lower-alpha 14] 2.7 km/kg (0.66 nmi/lb)[lower-alpha 15]
Take-Off 400 m / 1312 ft[lower-alpha 16] 640 m / 2100 ft[lower-alpha 17]
Landing 600 m / 1969 ft[lower-alpha 18] 700 m / 2296 ft[lower-alpha 19]
Endurance 7,2 h[lower-alpha 20] 4,6 h[lower-alpha 21]
  1. Observer: 9.15 m / 30.02 ft
  2. Max zero-fuel weight minus empty Weight
  3. P.68C-TC: 2 × 210 hp (160 kW) TIO-360-C1A6D
  4. TAS, 75%, ISA FL 80; Best Economy: 277 km/h / 150 kn @ 60%, FL 90
  5. TAS, 100%, ISA FL 100, MTOW; Long Range 92%: 313 km/h / 169 kn
  6. SL, MTOW; 1 engine: 1 m/s / 200 fpm
  7. 1 engine: 1,4 m/s / 270 fpm
  8. CAS, 35 deg. Flaps, MTOW
  9. CAS, full flaps; no flaps: 139 km/h / 75 kn
  10. 1 engine: 1520 m / 5000 ft
  11. 1 engine: 2438 m / 8000 ft
  12. 4 × 77 kg persons : 55% Long Range Cruise, FL 100, 45’ Res
  13. 6 × 77 kg persons, 95% Cruise, FL 100, 30' res
  14. 18.3 US gal (69 L)/h at 159 kn (294 km/h) TAS, FL90, 65% power, ISA[16]
  15. 185 kn (343 km/h), FL120[17]
  16. over 50ft, MTOW, ISA; 240 m / 787 ft Ground Run
  17. over 50ft, MTOW, ISA; 400 m / 1312 ft Ground Run
  18. over 50ft, MLW; 200 m / 656 ft Ground Run
  19. over 50ft, MLW; 330 m / 1083 ft Ground Run
  20. 4 × 77 kg persons, 55% Cruise, FL 100, 30' Res.
  21. 6 × 77 kg persons, 95% Cruise, FL 100, 30' res

See also

References
  1. "Italian Twin". FLIGHT International. 11 June 1970.
  2. "Guide to business aircraft". Flight international, 19 Sep 1974.
  3. "Purchase Planning Handbook" (PDF). Business & Commercial Aviation. Aviation Week Network. June 2019.
  4. "Type certificate data sheet A.385 Vulcanair P.68" (PDF). EASA. 18 October 2017.
  5. "Type Certificate data sheet A31EU" (PDF). FAA. 13 June 2019.
  6. "Partenavia Victor certificated". FLIGHT International. 30 December 1971.
  7. "Vulcan Air resurrects Partenavia P.68 line". Flightglobal. 15 April 1998.
  8. "Brochure" (PDF). Vulcanair. 17 March 2015.
    • Hatch, Paul F. (July 1985). "Air Forces of the World: Bophuthatswana Air Force". Air Pictorial. Vol. 47 no. 7. p. 249.
  10. Rentería, Antonio Segovia (13 March 2017). "Chilean Navy Aviation receives remainder of its P68 fleet". IHS Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 13 March 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  11. Craig, Peter (20 August 2019). "New police planes to patrol skies over North East Lincolnshire". Grimsby Live. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  12. https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=357PN
  13. "Fleet details for P-68 versions".
  14. "Wiki Database - Type = P.68". Aviation Safety Network. 1 July 2019.
  15. "ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 40417". Aviation Safety Network. 24 January 2020.
  16. "P.68B Victor flight manual" (PDF). Partenavia. 24 May 1974.
  17. "A-Viator (AP68TP–600) presentation" (PDF). Vulcanair. 23 June 2011.

Further reading
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