Piaggio Aerospace has marked the 40th anniversary of the P.180’s first flight, on 23 September 1986, with an event at its Villanova d’Albenga campus in Liguria, Italy. As well as celebrating its history, the company also looked to the future: it plans to progressively increase P.180 production to up to 30 aircraft per year over the next decade.
The P.180 has evolved continuously over its four decades, and earlier in this anniversary year (in February), Piaggio Aerospace announced the next generation – the Avanti NX. This evolution will have a new flight deck, cabin interior and connectivity. The Avanti NX launch customer was announced in April 2026; the European operator ordered two aircraft in an executive business configuration, with stretcher modules to enable conversion for air ambulance operations.
Guests at the 40th anniversary event included the Ambassador of Turkey to Italy, Elif Çomoğlu Ülgen, representatives of the Italian government and institutions, senior military representatives, regional and local authorities, and partners, customers and media.
Many guests arrived in P.180s. Several aircraft were on display, including Piaggio’s P.180 experimental aircraft, which was the second P.180 built. The event also recognised the partners, operators and others who have been part of the P.180’s journey.
The company’s broader industrial heritage, including its engine MRO and component manufacturing capabilities, were also showcased at the event. An exhibition of engineering drawings, models and other materials were presented, documenting the P.180’s development. A selection of historical wind tunnel models will be made available on the Piaggio Aerospace website.
Haluk Bayraktar, chairman of Piaggio Aerospace, said, “I want you to know one thing: I believe deeply in the future of this company. Rinaldo Piaggio started in 1884 with a workshop and an idea. And 142 years later, we are still here, and there are still aircraft leaving this field with the name Piaggio on the tail. That is something we should be proud of, and something we have a responsibility to carry forward.”
“After 40 years, it is not simply an aircraft with a history. It is an aircraft with a story – and that story is still being written,” said Cristian Toninelli, CEO of Piaggio Aerospace. “There are still new technologies to explore, new requirements to meet, and new generations of engineers who will shape its future – and we are proud to be doing that here in Liguria. The next 40 years will be different from the first 40. But they will be built on the same foundation of passion and dedication that brought us here today.”
The anniversary year also coincides with a milestone for the Avanti Evo: more than 40 of this P.180 model have been sold since its first customer delivery in 2015. The Avanti Evo is the latest P.180 iteration currently in service, and is flown in business aviation, government and special-mission roles. Sales across all P.180 variants have now passed 270 aircraft.
Piaggio Aerospace added that it is also evolving its support offering for Avanti I, II and Evo operators throughout the aircraft’s lifecycle.
