Country of origin:

Italy

Description:

Six/eight seat light transport

Power Plant:

Two 254 kw (340 hp) Lycoming GSO-480-B1C6 six-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engines

Specifications:

History:

Derived from the Piaggio P-136L-2 amphibian, and employing a similar gull wing and pusher engine installation, the prototype P-166 was flown for the first time on 26 November 1957. Designed specifically for the commercial market, but finding a ready military market as well, the P-166 was one of the roomiest executive aircraft in its class. For short-range operations the type could carry as many as nine passengers, and later models accommodated up to ten passengers.

Some 110 P-166s had been built in all versions by the time production of the piston-engine model ceased. The type was very popular in Australia during the early 1960s and about fifteen were registered and employed for a variety of uses. The type was flown as a commuter airliner. One was operated by the then Department of Civil Aviation. Airlines and charter operators in New Guinea flew the Piaggio as passenger and cargo transports. The type was also used as charter aircraft. Later a P-166 was used to fly thousands of new-born chickens from Sydney, NSW to Perth, WA.  A couple of P-166s were lost in service.  Four were still operating in early 1982 and nine others were parked in the ‘graveyard’ at Bankstown, NSW at that time awaiting the wrecker’s torch.

Thirty-two P-166s were built, powered by the 254 kw (340 hp) Lycoming GSO-480-B1C6 engine.  These were followed by the P-166B Portofino, which entered production in 1962 and was powered by 283 kw (380 hp) Lycoming IGSO-540-A1C engines.  The gross weight by this stage had been increased to 3,800 kg (8,377 lb), and the performance had been improved overall.  Externally the models were similar: the P-166B had flatter, more oval engine intakes and an extended fuselage nosecone which provided more stowage space for radio equipment.  The final piston engine version, the P-166C, was first flown on 2 October 1964. It differed from the P-166B by having new bulged housings for the main undercarriage members, providing more space in the centre fuselage, and enabling up to twelve passengers to be accommodated.

A total of 113 examples of the P-166DL2 variant was built. Most recent production variant was the P.166DL3SEM fitted with two AlliedSignal LTP 101-700 turboprops providing 448 kw (600 shp) and production of this model continued on an as-demand-needs basis.  First flight of the DL3 version was made on 3 July 1976 (I-PIAC).  One variant developed in May 1975 was fitted with 438 kw (587 eshp) Avco Lycoming LTP-101-600 turboprops.  Another, the P-166DP1 was an updated version with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-121 turboprops with a Collins avionics suite.

The first P-166 in this region went into service in New Guinea in late 1959 with Patair, replacing an Avro Anson. It was chosen for its capacity and good high-altitude / short-field performance.  The aircraft, ordered on 8 May 1959, became VH-PAP on 8 August that year, being flown to Darwin, NT from Genoa, Italy in September for a series of demonstration flights before entering service on 8 October, being named Mt Yule. The Company later ordered another two examples.

When Ansett Transport Industries decided to expand into Papua New Guinea, it obtained Mandated Airlines and set up Ansett – MAL. On 6 January 1961 it ordered the P-166, the first aircraft becoming VH-GOA, being registered on 14 April 1961, being joined by VH-GOB in June and later VH-GOC. Later Ansett took over Patair. The Department of Civil Aviation ordered one example to operate in New Guinea, this aircraft entering service at Port Moresby on 14 April 1961 and remaining in service until 1970.  Operators of the type in Australasia, other than the companies mentioned above, include Airlines of South Australia, Papuan Air Transport (Patair), Consolidated Zinc Corp, Snowy Mountains Authority and Commercial Aviation of Perth.

P-166s registered in this region include: c/n 354 which was to be registered VH-SMF¹ [ex G-APSJ] but was not taken up and became VH-ACV in November 1963, being withdrawn from service in June 1967; c/n 355 VH-SMF² which was registered to the Snowy Mountains Authority of Cooma North in August 1963 and retired in November 1971 after service with Aerial Agriculture of Bankstown and two other owners; c/n 357 VH-PNC being registered in July 1961 and retired in December 1975; c/n 360 VH-FSA being registered in May 1965 and retired in October 1977; and c/n 366 VH-MMP being registered in February 1964 and retired in the 1990s, going later to the Museum of Flight at Nowra, NSW.

Aircraft c/n 370 VH-BHK was registered in December 1960 and retired in December 1977.  It is now with the Queensland Air Museum at Caloundra. C/n 373 VH-GOE was registered in May 1964 and retired in May 1976.  C/n 374 VH-PGA was registered in July 1964 and retired in September 1986. C/n 375 VH-CAC was registered in April 1961 but destroyed by fire at Bankstown on 15 September 1982. C/n 378 VH-GOA was registered in May 1961 and retired in November 1974.

P-166Bs registered include: c/n 400 VH-GOB registered in May 1961, which crashed near Marulan, NSW on 22 February 1977; c/n 401 VH-PND registered in July 1961 and retired in December 1976; c/n 403 VH-BBG registered in August 1961, becoming VH-GOC in April 1964 and retiring in July 1981; c/n 409 VH-ASA retired in April 1979; and c/n 410 VH-PQA registered in December 1963 and exported to New Zealand as ZK-DAI in March 1970.  It returned to Australia in August 1973 and was retired in February 1976. C/n 414 VH-FSC was registered in September 1965, was retired and was broken up in the 1970s.

The last in service was VH-MMP (c/n 366) based at Bankstown, NSW which, after retirement, was placed in a museum at Nowra. After a period it was obtained by HARS at Albion Park, NSW and has been restored to static display standard, being placed beside the Princes Highway near the aerodrome to draw visitors to the Museum.

One is on display outside a military museum at Uralla, NSW. Another for a period was being restored in Sydney by members of the Australian Aviation Museum at Bankstown, using components from a number of others. A number were withdrawn from service at Bankstown and were left for some years in the ”wrecker’s yard” until most were cut up for scrap.