Tecnam has announced that the Austrian-German engineering and surveying company AirborneHydroMapping GmbH (AHM GmbH) is extending its fleet and survey possibilities with the new Special Mission Platform aircraft for aerial mapping, based on the 11-seat P2012 Traveller.

With the great success of the P2006T in Special Mission Platform (about 100 platforms sold and flying worldwide), Tecnam designed the P2012 structure with Special Mission in mind from the very beginning. As an example, all the control lines have been moved sideways, in order to keep the central fuselage section free and allow room for two 735x567mm (28.9×22.3in) hatches, capable of accommodating the majority of sensors, cameras, lidar and mission equipment available worldwide. Twin-engine configuration guarantees the hatches and cabin to be always free from exhaust, so the risk of carbon monoxide will never be an issue with the P2012 SMP.

As with the P2006T SMP, the P2012 is available in several configurations and options, allowing the customer (or the mission system integration service company) to best tune the investment. The standard configuration features, in fact, two hatches with on-ground removable covers, multiple sockets for 28VDC mission power (up to 3.360W available) and a seat retrofit kit to allow restoration of the passenger configuration. There is a wide range of options available to customize the SMP, such as 115/230VAC plugs, 14VDC connectors, mission screen for pilot, operator console, electrically operated sliding doors for hatches, antennae pre-installation and approval. Tecnam also offers a wide range of services, from dedicated fitting plates to turnkey solutions, ensuring that the customer will always be confident about its aerial platform choice: the P2012 SMP.

The Tecnam P2012 features a sleek, modern design with state-of-the-art equipment, fixed landing gear, robust interiors and easy-to-replace parts. Like all Tecnam aircraft, the Traveller offers high efficiency and low maintenance costs with its simple and easily accessed airframe and systems. The aircraft is powered by two Lycoming 6-cylinder TEO-540-C1A turbo engines. It is the first piston-powered aircraft with electronic management of engine power, which, coupled with the Garmin autopilot, enables a reduced workload for pilots and a great extension of the engine life.

Walter De Costa, Tecnam Global Sales & Marketing Director, said: "Tecnam is very proud to be associated with such an environmentally-friendly company. We feel honoured that our aircraft are contributing to this highly essential and important work."

Frank Steinbacher, AHM Airborne Mapping Director: "We are excited to have the P2012 Traveller soon in our fleet. This will increase our range of operations and raise the level of quality of service to offer to our customers. Since our first P2006T, Tecnam have always had the right answer to our needs."