Fuel Miser
(continued) The Avanti does, however, have a number of features typically found only in jets, including single-point pressure refueling and heated wing leading edges for ice protection. Fuel is carried in the wings and in tanks in the fuselage. Fuel management for the crew requires nothing more than to have enough onboard, or to occasionally transfer fuel from side to side if an imbalance occurs. All of the feeding from various tanks is automatic, as is the fuel distribution to the tanks when the line crew hooks up to the single point refueling port under the right wing root.
The heated leading edges of the main wing are different in that they do not get so hot that paint is blistered. In most jets the leading edges are heated to hundreds of degrees to vaporize moisture on contact, but paint can't endure those temperatures so they have bare polished leading edges. The Avanti's wings are hot enough to prevent ice, but not so hot as to blister the paint. The forward wing has a very thin, almost imperceptible electric heating blanket that keeps it ice free. The engine inlets have pneumatic boots that inflate automatically to remove ice when the ice detection system activates. The vertical and horizontal tails require no ice protection, and the windshields are electrically heated.
The five-blade Hartzell propellers need no ice protection because the hot exhaust is blasted over them continuously. The propellers have delivered excellent performance and reliable service, but their far aft location does make them susceptible to damage from debris kicked up from the runway or taxiway. Piaggio does offer a fender that is mounted just to the rear of the nosewheels that helps prevent stones and debris from being kicked up, but the airplane is still not intended for unimproved runways.
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A padded flap can be extended on the baggage compartment sill to protect the paint.
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The baggage compartment is located above the wing and aft of the rear fuselage pressure bulkhead and can hold 44 cubic feet of cargo. Soft-sided luggage works best because the compartment curves to conform to the shape of the fuselage. The cabin door is another unusual feature, with a lower half that swings down to form an airstair, while the upper portion of the door has a forward hinge. The door is a combination of the traditional Learjet clamshell and the swinging door of a Citation.
Part of the upgrade to the Avanti II, in addition to the change to Pro Line 21 avionics and the more efficient engines, is a new interior. Large sections of the side panels and overhead are created in single pieces, giving the cabin a very solid and luxurious finish that rivals any midsize jet. There are several cabin options with the core being a club four arrangement in the rear where the cabin cross section is largest. Many select a two-place divan forward along with another single seat. All cabin arrangements have a private and sizable lavatory aft that can also be used as a passenger seat for takeoff and landing. The seats are also new and have the same comfort and adjustment range you would expect in a midsize jet.
The Collins Pro Line 21 system transforms the cockpit of the Avanti II, compared to the original that had early generation EFIS equipment. The three big flat-panel displays of the Pro Line 21 system have all of the capability you expect in a turbine airplane with the MFD in the center showing all engine instruments as well as maps, navigation and satellite weather. A single Collins FMS mounted in the pedestal handles the navigation chores, and a radio management unit in the panel is used to dial in frequencies.
Learjet contributed much to the cockpit design during the original partnership when the airplane was developed in the 1980s and the lineage is evident. There are no overhead switches or gauges, and systems are controlled by toggle switches instead of the now more common push buttons. The pointy nose and swept shape of the fuselage means the cockpit is not as roomy as the maximum size of the cabin would indicate, but it is reasonably comfortable. The windshields that are faired so smoothly into the fuselage provide good visibility, except in the climb where, as in many airplanes, the view forward is blocked at higher deck angles.
The Collins Pro Line 21 avionics system that is standard in the Avanti II features three large flat glass displays and a single flight management system (FMS). Radio frequencies, transponder codes and such can be dialed up with a radio tuning unit on the copilot side of the panel, or by typing them into the FMS keyboard. Satellite weather and Jeppesen charts can also be displayed on the center MFD.
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