Tecnam P2006T: The small ‘cheap’ plane helping the RAF

[@SHGPMEDIAMILITARYANDMILSIM]

It's a very quiet aircraft as well, I can see it being a good istar asset replacing the Shadow

[@Dubjaxfilms]

How "cheap" is it ? I get paid next week, I might want to get one

[@thespiritphoenix3798]

Cheap compared to the budget of the RAF

[@paulgee1952]

@@thespiritphoenix3798 2 bob and bag of pickles ? Cut,cut,cut,far too expensive.

[@MyersJ2Original]

600K, give or take for the civilian one. Designed as an affordable twin trainer. So cheap (relatively) to operate its built for training schools to get hours, affordably.

[@johnnydoe3603]

Come on Timmy It’s Not Work, when you do it from your Mom’s Basement. 😅

[@Dubjaxfilms]

@@johnnydoe3603 What ? 1. what work are you talking about ? 2. My mother is dead 3. She never had a basement 4. who is Timmy ? 5. Are you on drugs ?

[@thisisabsolutelystup]

Didn't we used to have a Britten Norman Islander which was used for this?

[@davidkavanagh189]

The Islander is significantly bigger, heavier and more expensive to run. More than twice as much on most metrics so the Tecnam makes a lot of sense from a cost point of view if it can do most or all of the same mission.

[@davedave1027]

But far more capable than this plastic pig

[@edwhittle8580]

We should’ve invested in an upgraded BN and create UK jobs! Preventing the US style litigation scams, stealing large amounts of public sector cash would’ve enabled the MOD to do this instead of buying cheaper foreign products

[@markfox1545]

'Didn't we used to have'? 😅😅😅

[@Craft-oh7uv]

Nice looking air craft 👍

[@parallel-knight]

It is a nice looking airframe

[@seanwoodyatt7342]

Beautiful looking craft.

[@danielwhyatt3278]

I think it’s a really nice sweet design right now. Hope whatever next iteration comes along it won’t be too different from this one. Small planes like these are just as important as the big boys. Hybrid or full electric engines are the next ones that will have to come after this.

[@exsubmariner]

When it comes to penny pinching on fuel bills for a military plane it's not a good show of strength

[@Orbital_Inclination]

​@@exsubmarineror in this case, being economical allows us to use our finite budget more effectively in other areas

[@peterfeeney721]

Great, experienced assessment of this aircraft. Your assessment is backed by a very experienced assessment of your operating it in challenging real world environment. Interesting assessment of operating/supporting BN products, in toto; as a long-suffering ILS Engineer, priceless. Thanks very much.

[@simonsmith5315]

I am impressed FLT LT Carys Eyton-Jones...

[@corvanphoenix]

Pretty looking little thing!

[@martingodske3301]

It was an amazing aircraft to fly. I did my IRME (Instrument rated Multi Engine) rating on it. It's a fun little twin aircraft 🫶

[@JamieEHunter]

'Non complex' is a rather complicated way of saying 'simple'.

[@davedave1027]

Its variable pitch props, retractable gear. Its classed as a complex aircraft

[@JamieEHunter]

@@davedave1027 I don’t think she’s talking about the classification of general aviation aircraft but rather the relative simplicity of the Tecnam when compared to most military types.

[@fredfred2363]

I'm pretty certain that these have been deployed to monitor "cross channel movements"... Nice little plane. Don't ever step out when the engines are running!

[@thedave7760]

So great that we can monitor all these cross channel movements and make sure that everyone arrives safely on British soil.

[@i_like-planes]

The doors are automatically locked when the engines are running. The doors can only be opened by the emergency tab while the engines are running.

[@projectcerebus]

​@@thedave7760Wow! Bravo for Brits Government. They make sure local Brits will have a nice neighborhood soon.

[@jmorello123]

Looks awesome! 👍

[@ArshadAli-zf8if]

Excellent and amazing ☺🌷

[@silentblackhole]

Looks amazing tbh. Nice once guys!

[@IanJames-w2p]

I have no idea what all that talk meant, what exactly is this aircraft used for?

[@TDIjetta]

If a lab or research facility create a new prototype system designed for an aircraft. Like a new digital radio or navigation system, instead of testing that new system in a very expensive air force plane, like a F-35 fighter they can try out the new prototype system on this very light prop plane to work out any bugs or refine the system cheaply.

[@kimjonglongdong3158]

to add to the other comment, stuff built in a highly controlled environment (e.g, a laboratory), it will often have issues in a messy environment, like in a fast moving aircraft. Being able to shove stuff into the back of this, instead of an A400, C17 or Eurofighter Typhoon Etc for testing outside of the Lab, saves a LOT of money. Tl;Dr, cheap testing basically.

[@hjvdb6829]

Gut feel says it would make a good jamming aircraft

[@georgeb424]

Looks awesome and a great way to test gear in a more realistic manner. I love the Flt. Lt.'s name tag showing a hot cup of brew on it!!! That's great!!

[@robertbible5005]

Anything like the other Tecnam it will be full of corrosion at the end of the year.,parts are very cheap too..with the 912 engine..suffers from sprag clutch issues..So make sure that battery is good..Best of luck!

[@peterjones-b5b]

Pretty soon this will be all the RAF will be able to afford !

[@Iveneverhadcovidorthevaccines]

Ah well atleast we'll still have lots of 4 star hotels full of unknown illegal immigrants being lavishly paid for with the money that should be going on defence while are ex soldiers sleep on the streets. Probably the same illegals the armed forces will have to face up to one day when the signal is given to them to activate.

[@Veritas419]

The flight LT did a excellent job not explaining what exactly this aircraft is being used for. Something, something, prototype. Something, something, it’s cheap.

[@goodshipkaraboudjan]

Cheap is the operative word here. Too under powered for meaningful asymmetric thrust training.

[@reluctantheist5224]

Testing new systems, communications, navigation equipment being two of them,

[@goodshipkaraboudjan]

@@reluctantheist5224 Have fun with an EFATO while testing then. Couldn't pay me enough to fly it.

[@bushmasterflash]

Every airframe has an Engineering Development and Investigation Team (EDIT) they can be used for quick local engineered modifications to an aircraft or for very rapid modifications to an aircraft that can be done quicker than the aircraft manufacturer but which the aircraft manufacturer will eventually include in RAF airframes. For example putting the first satnav systems onto RAF aircraft it was necessary to ensure they would work at speed and at different pitch and bank angles (or with rotor blade strobing). Would you fit that to every different airframe first and try it or would you try it on a test bed first? That is the sort of thing they will be trying on this airframe.

[@reluctantheist5224]

@@goodshipkaraboudjan Well, I don't know what that is and I won't be flying it either. The ones who are paid to fly it seem to think it is OK.

[@goodshipkaraboudjan]

Only 100hp a side? So asymmetric ops the working engine is just going to take you to the scene of the crash. Instructing on these must be a nightmare.

[@ethan.A3]

They are counter rotating props. So pretty good.

[@goodshipkaraboudjan]

@@ethan.A3 Means F-all for single engine ops. There is a reason it didn't succeed on the civvy market as a twin trainer. Hot day and an EFATO it doesn't matter which way that little 100hp Rotax is spinning the prop. It will only go in.

[@ethan.A3]

⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠@@goodshipkaraboudjan it does pretty well where we are which today was in the mid 30s and 80% humidity… like any aircraft good training is needed. Yes a bit underpowered but nowhere near as bad as you make out. The cons are far out weighed by the positives with it. The sales of the aircraft are going up as more people hear about the p2006T.

[@goodshipkaraboudjan]

@@ethan.A3 quality training yes is a factor, but doesn't matter when it's a 100hp a side twin. Even if you smash opposite rudder and feather the dead engine in a couple of seconds your life still depends on 100hp during asymmetric flight. No thank you.

[@marshmellow377]

if one engine fails, they can't maintain height at high weights 😂😂 was good fun during my CPL ME IR trying to fly one of these on one engine.

[@doctorshawzy6477]

kit?

[@wildphil64]

Makes sense

[@0guiteo]

Impressive airplane.

[@Iveneverhadcovidorthevaccines]

Is it? I havent got a clue but id love to have a go.

[@peterfeeney721]

No company in UK producing something like this? Britten-Norman for instance? Spend at home first?

[@silusiano]

Actually I was quite surprised also, as italian I wouldn't expect this kind of interest from the RAF for such an aircraft. I assume after the consolidation of the military and aerospace industry in the UK there is no room for small players or small projects like this, unless there is a specific requirement from the government.

[@peterfeeney721]

​@@silusiano Somewhy KZbin lobbed me off. We (I) are a micro so fully understand your constraints. I've sent you a message through your company's contact page. Hope it gest through. Pete

[@yourflight3648]

We operated five BN 2 in harsh offshore north sea habit com ops. Try to get spare Parts from BN. Most of the time you wait forever or the company is bancrupt for a while ..again ..aso. Its a Nightmare 3 out of five couldnt be repaired due to corrosion, or a simple crack in the engine mount which is unique for each BN so no stock items just as an example. But the P06T is no equal substitute in that regard. Try to fly that one with Gust up to 49 knots and land and depart on a 380 m Runway on an offshore field in all seasons..good luck.. in that environment the BN was priceless. Happy to retire soon..

[@KieranKelly-o9s]

Great to see

[@BaronFlyingClub]

Looks good.

[@DT-ww4gv]

If it has the capability of surveillance and even maybe dropping some ordinance you have a winner

[@apotremarcmwamba2733]

Look like partenariat

[@desydukuk291]

So being an office plane, is it a secretary for the wingcommander and does it type?

[@bobdylan7120]

When I was in the RAF, and later in industry, we had Engineers that could determine exactly how an equipment was going to operate on a particular aircraft type, without going to all this cost and time wasting. Oh, and just because a piece of kit works on this simple little plane it doesn't mean it'll operate as well on the operational platform that has a multitude of other kit, cabling, antenna, etc, etc.

[@HaffyD.B.]

And what aircraft did you work on ?

[@bobdylan7120]

@@HaffyD.B. Tornado, Sentinel, Shadow + research projects.

[@Orbital_Inclination]

Any kit that gets fitted to an RAF aircraft goes through extensive testing, both computer simulation and real world. This is a cost-effective way of achieving the latter before type-specific flight trials

[@bobdylan7120]

@@Orbital_Inclination Obviously you've never been involved in introducing new kit onto an RAF aircraft. Personally, I've recently retired after 50 years experience of doing exactly that and I can tell you, categorically, you're wrong.

[@allybally0021]

Its a good idea to get more bang form the defence budget buck.

[@mirola73]

Let's ditch a few high tech jets and replace them by twice the amount of Super Tocano's, Wolverines and the likes if they're cheaper.

[@Blackmafia943]

What’s it’s actually meant to do?

[@VanderlyndenJengold]

She told you. Listen to it again.

[@Blackmafia943]

@@VanderlyndenJengold I don’t appear to be the only person asking😁🙈

[@VanderlyndenJengold]

@@Blackmafia943 it's used to test equipment before it's tested in a more advanced craft. It also ferries that equipment around.

[@Blackmafia943]

@@VanderlyndenJengold 🤣🤣🤔🥱

[@simonbird1973]

@@VanderlyndenJengoldChicken before the egg?

[@openbabel]

What wrong with the new updated islander made in the UK and Europe which this plan coped ?

[@goodshipkaraboudjan]

$

[@AtheistOrphan]

Plan coped? Could you translate that into English please?

[@garysmith5025]

Tecnam is Italian, which was in Europe last time I checked. The P2006T is nothing like the Islander, it's much smaller, lighter and cheaper to both buy and operate; overall costs should be 60% lower than an Islander.

[@openbabel]

@@garysmith5025 The new updated designs, even the hint of hybrid propulsion is good reason enough to onshore this requirement in the face of a national security requirement and overseas threats. Jobs in the UK wins under the present conditions we operate in.

[@avocadolimbu5641]

did she compare that thing with a Typhoon?

[@paulladdie1026]

Reminds me of the OV-10 Bronco

[@RegBarlow]

No… it’s nothing like it. The Bronco was a twin boon job for a start off.

[@MARTINA-gc3tq]

You would only leave the plane with the props still rotating once!

[@WestWing99]

@@MARTINA-gc3tq Perhaps it needs a sun roof for easy access.

[@yyyfffff33333]

I'm sure the MOD will find a way to increase the costs . We can't have equipment that's value for money !

[@Skeletomania]

It's kind of unfair calling it "cheap" since they did pay extra for the premium edition

[@misterbig9025]

Is it safe?

[@nicolasrojas5567]

Latin american countries likes this type plane ,easy and cheap to fly

[@tomgoff7887]

The armed forces seem to have an aversion to buying British kit.

[@peterjones-b5b]

its easier to hide a back hander from a foreign firm than it is a British one !

[@whylie74]

There's no one to buy it from thanks to succesive governments following every edict from the eu to the letter then failing to reverse those edicts.

[@DrzBa]

@@whylie74 No, the abandonment of the British weapons and kit producers started in the late 1940s, well before the EU. I get you have to repeatedly attack the EU, but at least get it right, otherwise you look a plonker, and no one will take your constant hatred of the EU seriously when you get something like this so laughably wrong. Now, haven't you a vape shop in Southport to loot?

[@VanderlyndenJengold]

@@whylie74 Nonsense. UK governments have allowed the sale of UK private defence companies to US private equity firms, which then broke them up and sold them on. Cobham and Ultra Electronics were two such around four years ago. Nothing to do with the EU. The UK had left the EU when both firms sold off. Where you get your info from god only knows, but it's false.

[@lohikarhu734]

The USA effectively killed 95% of the Canadian aerospace industry by simply ignoring better equipment, in favor of USA mfrs, politically-driven decisions,; so much for being "valued partners"!

[@nathanielwhite8769]

This Aircraft Concept looks promising. Providing it has credible range and endurance, it could make a really capable Battlefield ISTAR platform for the Army Air Corps. Being a very basic and simple aircraft by design I hope it will be able to achieve good short and rough Field take off and landing performance.👍

[@DenardOtsulaMajimbo]

Better design

[@kitmarshall4084]

good looking plane, but i rather get a Diamond DA42

[@MrJohnyysmith]

Bit concerning that the doors open straight onto the propellors

[@B-A-L]

Kind of a sad state of affairs when BAe, a so called aerospace company, can't even make cheap planes like this!

[@Sugarmountaincondo]

This is the MMR variant. Not available to the general public.

[@DEFarnes]

Few planes are available to the general public, they wouldn't let me put an offer in on a few I saw went I went to the Airbus factory.

[@aruji-sama]

it looks easy to draw

[@Orcawhale1]

BFBS sounds like a Battlefield game.

[@RichardMontgomeryYT]

Battlefield: boobie suckers

[@henryvagincourt4502]

You sort of get happy the RAF has anything that can fly these days, just look at the Armée de l'air et de l'espace, our numbers are pitiful.

[@marshmellow377]

Did my CPL ME/IR in one of these. Great fun to fly, a little slow for a twin, but burns half the fuel of a regular twin. Only issue is, if you lose an engine, you will be descending not flying straight and level 😂😂

[@petesmith9472]

Looks like somebody stole a Partenavia 68

[@pipolebnene]

Lebanese airforce needs this

[@BobHill-s2c]

Good to know RAF can't afford fuel anymore... hope for Palestinians (and other nations with bitter memories of the UK). ❤

[@Orbital_Inclination]

They can afford fuel, but why waste more than we need to?

[@MachdaleLemish]

Doesnt really matter when the enemy is already in the UK in the 100000s.

[@minuteman4199]

Aided and abetted by the state that's supposed to protect you and wants you to help defend.

[@VanderlyndenJengold]

Wierdos

[@MachdaleLemish]

@VanderlyndenJengold wow your comment was so insightful 👏 and not offensive at all. Because that would be the height of ignorance. I can only imagine you so far left you dont know what right is?

[@VanderlyndenJengold]

@@MachdaleLemish where's the button to ignore comments?

[@MachdaleLemish]

@VanderlyndenJengold you are the ignorant button. Press the nipple on top off ye head.

[@kennethgarland4712]

But what is it going to DO?

[@buggadifino5780]

It is going to gunsmith prototype or experimental kit to check it performs as expected when on a live aircraft. This is not to say if it works on this aircraft it will be out into service just that is an early look at whether new concepts are worth progressing. This is a cheap risk reduction exercise and should be applauded.

[@kennethgarland4712]

@@buggadifino5780 Thanks - it would have been useful for Forces News to have said this from the outset.

[@jackoates6418]

Can anyone explain why she is wearing a flight suit?

[@skylem5373]

what a little sexy airplane

[@Paiadakine]

Looks too small to be of any use. But if it does the job cheaper than before then have at it.

[@garagenigel]

Imagine going through years flight training and ending up with that for the rest if your career! 🙄

[@Orbital_Inclination]

You won't, people can move between fleets, and given this is a test and evaluation platform it will probably only be operated by flight-test qualified personnel anyway

[@mwnciboo]

Drone command aircraft

[@TheZaddy]

I flew these back in flight school and let me say that these things never work. You just invested in some cheap airframe that won’t be airborne too often 😂😂😂

[@davedave1027]

Completed my ir course in this aircraft. Not a very good one tbh. Not very stable, cheaply made and no icing capability. Seems like a cheap option

[@jackoates6418]

ir? What is that?

[@harrybonneval4799]

​@@jackoates6418Instrument Rating. Pilot training course to navigate using instruments and fly instrument approaches.

[@philandrawis6232]

the location of the rotating blades are too close to the front doors and the need to locate the wing span further back to spread the engine a few feet outward really a very bad designed craft but with a few adjustments it can improve

[@WestWing99]

Where's the bloke?

[@paulfeaheny3055]

Love

[@conormcmaster1113]

So it's a cost option for the cash strapped military

[@eduardostapenko6808]

looks like the Osprey.

[@californiadreamin8423]

Doesn’t look as if it has any de icing capability.

[@jerrygerza7565]

Quite agree, doesn't address the need to get to the marzipan layer. Poor show! 🧐

[@MachdaleLemish]

The enemy is already here

[@stevee7467]

Russian sleeper agents?

[@stephensmith4480]

@@stevee7467 Not quite.

[@BlueMoonday19]

​@@stephensmith4480he means non Christian brown or black people

[@MachdaleLemish]

They probably has a few brits on the payroll aswell. Its the easiest method ever. Why wouldnt a foreign enemy state do something like that? Youd have to be dumb if you didnt.

[@MachdaleLemish]

@@stevee7467 is that you chewee? Whaaaaaa whaaaaaa.

[@JP-rv6hg]

Sorry what’s the point?

[@-FALKOR]

🇺🇸‬‬🇺🇦❤🤍💙💛‬‬🌹🇮🇱‬‬🤍💙‬‬

[@seanpearce5809]

It will end up being a private plane for the brass to jaunt about in.

[@Orbital_Inclination]

We already have jet transports and helicopters for that

[@md2320]

Just test the equipment in the aircraft you have. It might work ok in this little plane but put the same piece of equipment in a typhoon and the G force might destroy it........

[@MachdaleLemish]

@md2320 funny you say that because i thought exactly the same thing.

[@md2320]

@@MachdaleLemish great minds think alike pity we're not on the procurement team for the RAF they'd save money 👍

[@Orbital_Inclination]

We still have 41 Sqn for exactly that purpose, but this is a far more economical test bed for the vast majority of systems, before they need their shake-down on their intended airframe

[@whya2ndaccount]

"Front Line service" - I guess where the air space is not contested and there is no anti air capability?

[@Orbital_Inclination]

Given this is a testbed aircraft, that's a good assumption. That being said, Rivet Joint operates on the Russian border with the same number of defensive aids.

[@talkerbill1]

We could have built something here................funded Britten Normans Expansion. Alas no, we send our money overseas and lose skills in the process.

[@riverraven7359]

More dinky toys for an MoD being buried by a political class that doesn't actually want to fight anything.

[@Orbital_Inclination]

This is an economical testbed aircraft, it doesn't need to be able to fight

[@drbendover7467]

Just because its cheap on gas doesn't mean its good enough for the front line:)

[@Oori-74]

I don’t see the need for this when there are drones available.

[@Orbital_Inclination]

You can't perform on-board flight testing with a drone

[@walesruels]

That woman in the flight suit was remarkably ineloquent! 😂

[@musoseven8218]

They're a cracking aircraft, however, if we'd not had treasonous governments since 1945 and allowed the US military industrial complex, the Europeans et al to erode our aviation industry to nothingness, we would be building our own version! If you don't understand what I'm saying get hold of "A Look At Life - Farnborough 1966 Airshow". Great Britain made virtually everything aviation then and even foreign aircraft had Rolls Royce engines in them! Welcome to cuckold, far left, UK (Corporate Britain/PLC) in 2024, run by the WEF, CCP and USA, with a smattering of Germany and France. Great Britain is now a broken husk!

[@hansolo4908]

RAF Standards? Guess anyone can wear a flying suit now! Not just our aircrew. If you haven’t earned your wings, don’t wear the suit.

[@harrybonneval4799]

during flight tests, flight safety officers fly on board to oversee the safety of the equipment tests. Thus, the need for a flight suit

[@rafman016]

Still don’t know what it’s going to do - just right for the RAF then I guess 😉

[@harrybonneval4799]

it's an airborne testbed. Can be used for whatever it needs to test

[@Alan74_ynwa]

Toy planes, toy boats....what next?? We have drones that can do this task

[@gansior4744]

thank you kid for showing you havent watch a video before making a comment. This is a plane for testing new sensors and equipemnt. For initial testing, you dont need expensive and fast jet. Something cheaper per hour, less heavy on maintenance etc

[@gadgetgus]

Really, I'm interested... What drones are those? As I enjoy flying them 😉

[@Greggspies]

Has it got toilet

[@elizabethgrebbell]

You having a laugh

[@seanpearce5809]

Well, I'm no expert but it seems to have not much utility.

[@Orbital_Inclination]

It's used as a flying testbed, nothing else, so doesn't need to be too fancy

[@BPJJohn]

I hope the RAF isn't using AVGAS which contains Lead.

[@vmcauley]

So this is the RAF.......? Not my RAF - that's for sure.... Putin is more RAF than this nonsense .......

[@ArnoSchmidt70]

I wonder what yo must have done wrong as a RAF pilot to fly such a thing. I bet quit a lot.