None yet. The announcement was expected for Q1/2025, but was (strategically?) anticipated during the company closure for the Christmas holiday.

However, some criticism has been publicly rised by the Unions of workers, claiming lack of involvement in the final decision and underlying the personal connections between Mr. Erdogan and the Baykar founder.

Let see how it will evolve, every solution has more potential than the situation developed in the last six years.

Italy sells Piaggio Aerospace to Turkish drone maker Baykar


https://www.defensenews.com/global/euro ... er-baykar/

Don't bet on it. Why would a drone maker suddenly become interested in selling certificated passenger airplanes? No matter what they say.....

This is a valid question -- one I am curious to learn the answer to -- though it is also true that many/most successful defense aerospace companies have civilian aviation units as well due to the volatility in defense demand and the relative lack of correlation in demand between military and civilian businesses.

I saw this one at KADS this morning. I like the Hunter Green-ish paint scheme.

Beautiful restoration of a first gen P180 in this clip. Love the paint job!

Is this someone on the board's plane?

Looks like this group is based @ SRQ (I think at/near Dolphin). If memory serves correctly, there were some AeroVanti planes there that could use some refreshing. I would have speculated those were also recycled AvantAir planes that would have been high time. The way he described this one...it wouldn't be one of those.

Would be interesting to see how the financials work on a new engine/new interior/new paint "flip" works...if that is the intent. If built for an owner, looks super cool. His comments about Garmin autopilot coming were...interesting.

I'll be at SRQ a fair amount this winter - I'd like to meet up with them.

I mean, I can't see it make much sense on paper financially, knowing what I hear from the guys who just forked over a fortune for new PT6's. But I'm happy people are doing it!

I'd say they're $2mill on the engines with props, the panel is $300K, the paint and refurbishment is what, another $300K? Add a little mechanical work for another $100K and we're talking $2.7mill on top of whatever you bought he plane for. Worth it?

s/n 1089, a 2004 model. New paint looks nice, interior refurb looks nice. New engines (I assume newly overhauled) is pretty big coin these days. Garmin avionics are nice too! My guess is that was probably about a $1.5m+ refurb job. Maybe more if they went whole hog on some of the details. No idea whether the valuation will ultimately support that (I sure hope so though!).

Sadly, Garmin autopilot is unlikely to happen for a while.

Mark Wyant's new P&I is significantly nicer, though. He even managed to get rid of the "cheese grater" ceiling vent thingys which is sort of the bane of Avanti I interiors.

Jon, last engine numbers I heard were much higher than that. I'd budget for $900K/engine and that's without props.

If accurate, the + $200/hour/engine I send to PWC for engine program actually look like a deal...

Yowsa, I knew it was getting ridiculous. Burying my head in the sand...

Actually, they are probably trying to coerce everyone toward the Williams model.

Considering the PT6 is routinely run on offshore oil rigs 90,000 hours between overhauls I think overhauling a first run ( i.e. less than 3600 hrs TT ) PT6 is absolutely silly. Hot sections yes, fuel controllers yes but the rest is nuts unless indicated by severe corrosion.

Thanks Jon… getting closer but man it’s slow.l

One of the cool things I’m trying and hoping works out is the use of LED indirect lighting in the overhead and the lower sidewalls that I can control from cockpit. (Pink in the morning turning to blue during the day and dark blue at evening….or any color combination). We shall see….