8/13/2019 Gates Piaggio GP 180
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Resource:AviationConventionNews,Vol.15,No.12;MidlandPark,NJ;November15,19831
G A T E S , P I A G G I O S E E G R O W T H M A R K E TItalian
3-lif t t-prop promises 400-kt in '87
Right next to the Beech pavillion in the
Dallas Convention Center was the Gates Learjetexhibit which was
graced by a full -scale mockup of
the joint venture Gates/Piaggio GP-180 turboprop,
an airplane with a distinctively Italian flair. At his
company's breakfast press conference during the
convention, Gates Learjet President Bermar "Bib"
Stillwell said the Tucson, Ariz. manufacturer, which
has hitherto produced only jet powered aircraft, is
moving into turboprops "because we see this as the
growth segment of the market."
Following the decision to pursue an
involvement in turboprop powered airplanes, Gates
Learjet commenced a search for a venture partner to
share development and production costs.Approximately 18 months
ago, discussions began
with the Italian firm of Piaggio, which had been
conducting design studies on an advanced t'prop
airplane for several years. According to Stillwell, a
co-production agreement for the GP-180 was signed
between the two firms at the Paris Air Show four
months before.
A notably unusual conception and not a true
canard, the airplane marries a forward lifting surface
with pronounced negative dihedral with a
conventional T-configured empennage, whose
horizontal tail, likewise, has pronounced negativedihedral.
Gates and Piaggio refer to this layout as the
"three-lifting surface concept" and claim the
arrangement produces superior lift and stability,
enabling the pilot to trim the airplane more easily
over a wide range of flight conditions.
The canard surface is set at a fixed angle of
incidence and is not directly controlled by the pilot.
A movable flap-like surface at its trailing edge,
however, is interconnected with the main wing flaps
and is deflected downward to counter undesirable
pitch moments when the main flaps are deployed.
Reportedly, Gates and Piaggio will seek a patent for
the three-lifting surface arrangement.
Projected performance for the Italian/
American turboprop is 400-kt high-speed cruise; a3,650 fpm rate
of climb on two engines and 1,250
fpm on one; a ceiling of 41 ,000 ft, a range (at 320
kt with four passengers) of 2,100 nmi with NBAA
IFR reserves; and a projected specific range of 1
nmi/lb of fuel.
The six-passenger 9,800-lb mgw airplane is
to be powered by two PWC PT6A-61 turbines flat
rated at 700 shp each. Its asking price, "equipped
with Learjet 35 avionics," is $2,695,000.
The GP- 180 will feature a large stand-up
cabin , which Stillwell compared to that of the
Learjet 55. With 371 cu ft of capacity, the GP-180'scabin
measures six feet in width and five feet , nine
inches in height. "Performance is important,"
Stillwell said, "but cabin size is why people buy
these airplanes in the first place."
The GP-180 will wed conventional metal
construction with composite media. Most of the
airplane's fuselage and about two thirds of its main
wing will be fabricated of aluminum. The nose cone,
canard surface, nacelles, wing trailing edge,
empennage, and controlled surfaces will be formed
from composites- graphite epoxy in high-stress
areas, Kevlar for fairings and accessories. Both
manufacturers will build subcomponents for the GP-
1 80. At this juncture, it is believed Gates will
perform final assembly of airframes sold in North
America, and Piaggio will assemble airplanes
marketed elsewhere. "Essentially, we'll be shipping
parts in both directions," Stillwell said.
First prototype example of the GP-180 is
under construction in Genoa, Italy, and the airplane
is expected to fly within 28 months. FAA type
certification under FAR 23 is slated for "late 1986
with first customer deliveries in early '87," Stillwell
said. "We feel our certification schedule is more
realistic than [Beech's]. In the past, I've seen toomany
optimistic certification schedules [by some
manufacturers] which were impossible to meet."
