Piaggio Aero Industries has appointed Sloane Aviation as its agent to promote the performing P180 Avanti business aircraft in the UK and Ireland. Sloane Aviation is associated with the Robinson and Agusta helicopter distributor, Sloane Helicopters.

Adrian Munday, head of marketing at Sloane, said: “We see a considerable synergy with the Avanti and the Agusta A109 product.

With customers looking for speed, comfort and efficiency, the Avanti defines its own class in the business aircraft marketplace, with the speed of a jet and the efficiency of a turbo-prop.

The aircraft is unrivalled for its spacious stand-up cabin and short field performance.

“We have carried out a recent demonstration tour with the aircraft here in the UK and the response has been extremely strong with the first aircraft ordered being delivered early in 2002.”

The demonstration tour follows the successful marketing drive in the US, the largest market for the Avanti.

Piaggio has formed a wholly owned marketing subsidiary in the US, Piaggio America, to establish distribution, customer support and service centre network for existing and new Avanti operators.

European product support for the P180 Avanti will be factory direct via Genoa. Piaggio is in the process

of appointing a European network of service centres including Sloane Aviation.