Italy – Piaggio Aerospace has completed a flight test data collection campaign with a P.180 aircraft at Cuneo Levaldigi Airport, gathering high-fidelity flight data to support the development of an FSTD Level D Full Flight Simulator being built in partnership with CAE for the Italian Air Force's Air Transport Training School (SATA).

The flight test campaign collected high-fidelity data across aircraft behaviour in different flight regimes, single-engine performance, handling characteristics during stop-and-go operations, rejected take-offs, and low-speed flight — all required for accurate Level D simulator reproduction.
The data synchronisation will enable these flight conditions to be reproduced with high-level realism in the FFS, which is being developed under a EUR 31 million contract awarded in 2022 for the simulator purchase and training center.
The campaign brought together Piaggio Aerospace's Flight Experimental Department, Flight Operations, and Chief Project Engineering teams alongside Canadian partner CAE, which is supporting the simulator development.
Piaggio Aerospace is both the aircraft OEM and an EASA Approved Training Organisation (ATO) and Part 147 maintenance training organisation, and is strengthening its cooperation with the Italian Air Force's SATA through the simulator program.
The P.180 is positioned as an ideal platform for multi-engine pilot training, combining excellent handling qualities and operational efficiency with significantly lower operating costs than many nations' current multi-engine training fleets.
Cuneo Levaldigi Airport was selected for the test campaign due to its operational flexibility, limited traffic, and runway characteristics suited to executing repeated test points within a tight schedule.

Source: Piaggio Aerospace

European Aircraft Manufacturer Completes 2026 Flight Test Data Campaign for Full Flight Simulator Program with TDM

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