

                                  	   Piaggio P-180 Avanti

                        		for use with FS 2004 and FS-X            
                     
                     
                                	      VERSION 2.0


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                 Design & Artwork by Mario Noriega 2007
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Animted gears, dampers, propellers, doors, and control surfaces, Dynamic Clickable VC
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Description:
Thanks to Andrew Spring of www.p166.com!!
The Piaggio P-180 Avanti is a Luxury Jetprop. Its design  is the result of a "thinking outside the box" project philosophy. It means that building techniques are standard while aerodynamics are unique for it's kind. It features a three lifting surface design, laminar flow wing  and twin pusher turboprop configuration. Passenger comfort features the possiiblity of standing in feet inside the plane, low noise due to pusher propellers and "Pininfarina" designed arrangement. Performances are unique too, cruising at 395 KTAS (260 KIAS) at 28000 ft, a jet-like speed, being the P-180 a twin turboprop. The result is a 40% reduced operational cost respect to a jet of similar size, and 30% less respect to  a similar size turboprop, all at same price of a small Jet. This model is 804 Kbs with c.a. 19000 polygons in c.a.170 assemblies. Features Clickable Dynamic Photortreal VC with Night Lighting, night lighted internals, Photoreal 2D Cockpit, Engine start Effect, advanced FDE, Customizable Payloads. Designed for both  FS-2004 and FS-X **READ NOTES BEFORE FLYING**(README.TXT, P180_REF.HTM AND P180_CHECK.HTM, also available as reference and checklist in FS kneeboard...)


A.Software Requirements & Installation
B.Known bugs
C.Author Info
D.Credits
E.Disclaimer

A.Software Requirements

To use this plane you NEED :

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 -or- Microsoft Flight simulator X
Winzip

Installation:

For Flight simulaotr 2004:
Decompress ina temporary folder: using Winzip make sure "use folder names" is chcked ON". Inside your temporary folder you will find the "p180" and the "effects" folder. Move "effects" into your main FS2004 folder and "p180" into your "{Fs2004 main folder}\Aircraft" folder. You're done! Then select your favourite re-paint...before flying, read your reference and checklist in the kneeeboard (without doing so, you may experience problems...)

For Flight simulator X:
Decompress ina temporary folder: using Winzip make sure "use folder names" is chcked ON". Inside your temporary folder you will find the "p180" and the "effects" folder. Move "effects" into your main FS-X folder and "p180" into your "{FS-X main folder}\simobjects\airplanes" folder. You're done! Then select your favourite re-paint...before flying, read your reference and checklist in the kneeeboard (without doing so, you may experience problems...)


I used to make simpler install programs, but since FS-X has different folder names this is not possible if not releasing 2 separate packages, thus creating even more confusion
You can find detailed panel instructions in the P180\docs folder. More flying tips and info are available on your kneeboard as checklist and reference..

B.Known bugs

No bugs known by me

C.Author Info


		INTERNET ADDRESS		
			www.mariopilot.6x.to
		Internet E-Mail
			Mario@norcex.com
		Home address
			Mario Noriega
			Via Vittorio Veneto 59/1
			Carasco GE
			16042
			Italy



Basic Maneuvers: 
 

1) Engine Start-up 

Starting up the Engines safely needs you to set the throttle levers, or the plane may start to roll. Turn on the Battery Switch, check GEN 1 and 2 are OFF. Now check Throttles 0% and not in reverse. Swich on one of the starters, and when the engine lights up, swich on its generator, and start the other one. NOTE: To use the autostart switch (or CTRL+E command), after you flick the switch (or press CTRL+E) turn generators off. Once BOTH engines are on you can turn on your generators. Failure to do this may prevent the autostart procedure to complete, and engine 2 will not start. If this occurs, switching off the generators will let the automatic proceadure complete. You may need to wait a few seconds after engine startup to be able tu turn on the generators. Do not press the autostart button if engines are running, may result in some engine bad behaviour. To resolve this, turn off generators and then turn them back on. NOTE2: Please do not use the autostart switch in FS-X (this function seems not to be properly wotking due to a FS-X bug concerning the starter behaviour)  


2) General Flying notes

Flaps have only 3 settings: Retracted, Takeoff\Approach and Landing. Prior to takeoff set flaps in Takeoff posion. After you takeoff do not retract flaps until you reach 180-200 KIAS, as retracting them too early may cause an exessive pitch down effect. Anyway, a good moment for retracting flaps is when the aircraft exibits a slight pitch up tendency. Once you retract them you may need to correct a little pitch down moment that will bleed off as soon as your speed grows. It's very important to know when to operate your flaps as operating them at wrong speeds results in loss of an optimal flight envelope. To descent is enough to power down and wait for speed to bleed off, and opposite as take-off, when the airplane starts to have a consistent pitch down tendency, extending flaps will resolve. The P-180 has very goos stall characteristics so that if you stall it will force the nose down, thus reducing the angle of attack. 


3) Taxiing 

Taxiing requires just a little of power. Steer smoothly and carefully as gear's suspansion system makes the plane swing easily. 


4) Takeoff 
 
Taking Off the Avanti is just obtained by lining up with the runway, setting flaps in "Takeoff" position and giving 100% throttle (if derated takeoff is not possible). When you reach 106 KIAS, start rotating. Ground living speed is around 110 KIAS, varying in accord to your Payload. Elevator trim needs to be set accordignly to Payload configuration. Remember that since the model is by default configured near MTOW , as FS defaults at 100% fuel , your roatating speed may be a few knots faster that the reference value of 106KIAS and you may be safely leaving the ground at 120 KIAS. Rotating too early may result in stall after takeoff, with all the dangers this concerns. 


5) Climb and descent 

Autopilot may not be used during climbs. Climb (or descent) to altitude needs to be performed manually. At high altitudes the pitch attitude becomes somewhat sensitive, so after reaching desired altitude the autopilot can be engaged. Max Climb rate is 2900 FT\MIN @ 185 KIAS. DO NOT EXCEED 41000FT, Engines may shut off shortly. Descents need to be carefully planned, as high pitch maneuvers will quickly turn the plane in overspeed, as there are not any kind of speedbrakes. Throttle back as needed and descent at around 1200-1800 ft\min. The Avanti starts pitching down as soon as you start losing speed, thus trying to hold a certain speed. To loose more speed, you just have to counter-balance this effect. To descent faster, you can extend a notch of flaps to slow down even more thus allowing for more pitch angle. A very (very) fast descent can be obtained by engaging reverse thrust and flaps fully down.


6) Cruise 

The P-180 reeaches it's ideal cruise altitude at 28000ft, giving a MAX cruise speed at around 395 KTAS (260 KIAS). At SL, flying at 100% throttle will overspeed the plane. Full power can be applied at higher altitudes, as high as 41000 ft. Remember the aircraft will stabilize at climbing or descenting attitudes depending on its speed, so if you throttle back the aircraft will slow down and put itself in a descent until you extend flaps or reconfigure the elvator trim. At high throttle settings the aircraft tends to climp expecially with takeoff flap settings. During speed build-ups or slow-downs it may be needed to adjust trim properly. Maintaining a level flight at speeds lower than 210 KIAS (190-210, lower speeds reuire flaps) requires some up elevator trim. At High altitudes the use of autopliot functions is suggested.


7) Landing 

First Keep in mind that your stall speed with full flaps and gear down is about 93 KIAS, and may vary according to your payload. While on approach, hold 115-125 KIAS. This may require some throttle. When you're about to flare, throttle back to IDLE and pull nose up. Once you reach the ground apply full reverse thrust. Remember the aircraft has not an ABS system, so brakes may be applied at speeds lower than 60 KTS. Disengage Reverse Thrust before the plane stops, to avoid problems. In the worst case, you risk a tail strike if you don't. NEVER engage reverse thrust with brakes applied! Anyway, use of reverse thrust to go backwards during taxi is a completely normal procedure. In the P-180 the reverse thrust is engaged via the switches in the throttle quadrant, and not by some mechanism on the throttle levers (In FS you can still use CTRL+F2 command anyway)


8) Panel Manual 
 
A - Main Panel: panel.jpg in p180\docs folder

B - Throttle Quadrant: throttle-quadrant.jpg in p180\docs folder 


9) Piaggio Flying Club
 
Brochure: avanti_pfc.jpg in p180\docs folder

For More info visit: 

www.mariopilot.6x.to


D.Credits
First of all, Andrew Spring of www.p166.com, for the great site...thaks a lot!!!


Marco Beghi for the interst in my Piagggio airplanes. HE took me to a visit at the Piaggio Hangars, lots useful for detailed models!! Thank you...
To my brother Diego Noriega that sees my works with criticism and told me what was
wright or wrong.
AVSim Forum guys for sggestions and comments...
AAron Swindle, for original Sounds...(later massively edited..)
Martin Wright, author of DXTBMP
All the people at www.freeflightdesign.com that helped me a lot to demistify gMAX and the XML gauges... thanks !!
Microsoft for the FS (-:


E.Disclaimer
You cannot make money with this.You cannot include in any software collection or BBS or CS Forum or other payment form without written permission of author. You can put it on floppy or CD-rom and distribute it FREELY to anyone you like. This file is not intended to infrange any copyrights Microsoft. Flight Simulator is indeed copyright of this legal persona. THIS is designed FOR FUN. You can repaint it, but please ask me first, and send your work to me by E-Mail (Just for my fun). You can put it in free web site or distribute it freely to your friends. It is FREELY GIVEN AWAY to enhance the enjoyment experience of Bona Fide Customers of the original program. When I say free, I mean FFRREEEE!. I, Mario Noriega, accept absolutely no responsibility for your use of this software. Should any damage or upset to your system or software occur through it's use, I hereby give notice in advance that I will not be held in any way liable. Anyway, this doesn't modify windows registry or  other programs, so i think it's not dangerous in any way to your system (except if it completly fills your already pratically filled Hard Disk, this will be a very heavy punch...). These are my conditions of use for this software. If you cannot live with them, do not use this software.
M.N.F.



