FSX – New Pilot Review – Piaggio P-180 Avanti (P180)

What I’ve learned to do for landings with the P-180 is come in slightly high of glide path.  With flaps in the “take-off” configuration, 100 knots is a cliff.  As soon as you get below it, this plane drops like a stone.  Above 100 knots, as I commented before, it floats indefinitely.

So, I usually come in a bit high of glide path — “3 whites, 1 red” if you have VAI in view — and about 10 seconds before I cross the threshold, I lower the landing gear.  This dramatically increases the drag on the aircraft.

Once I’m over the threshold, I then throttle back to 15% power, perhaps 20%.  Do not drop the throttle to zero or you will start flying like a brick.

With the C208, a zero-throttle landing works fine.  With the P-180, you crater.

Dip the nose, bring in the flaps, and then start your flare.  As the flaps come up, your lift decreases, and the P-180 settles down nicely.  Do not relax, however, because the next issue with the P-180 is about to show its head.

On short runways, this dart-like airframe does not like to stop rolling even with full breaks applied.  Thrust-reversing is non-optional, which just adds one more thing to juggle during the landing.

5 thoughts on “FSX – New Pilot Review – Piaggio P-180 Avanti (P180)

  1. How and welcome aboard. I can’t wait to see your other post and follow you through your journey

    -ALAIN
    CXA724
    Vatsim ATO Instructor.

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