Partenavia

Partenavia Construzioni Aeronautiche

Company type	Limited company (from 1959)
Industry	Aerospace, General aviation aircraft manufacturing
Founded	1957 in Arzano, Italy
Founder	Professor Luigi Pascale
Defunct	1998
Fate	Bankrupt and dissolved; assets acquired by Vulcanair
Successor	Vulcanair (asset acquisition)
Headquarters	Arzano , Italy
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Luigi Pascale (founder)
Products	General aviation aircraft (notably P.57 Fachiro, P.66C Charlie, P.68)
Owner	Aercosmos (from 1991 until bankruptcy in 1998)
Number of employees	150 (circa 1986) (1986)
Parent	Aeritalia (1981–1991)

Partenavia Construzioni Aeronautiche was an Italian manufacturer focused on general aviation aircraft production.

Active from 1957 until 1998, the company was founded by Professor Luigi Pascale. It transitioned into a limited company in 1959 and was later acquired by the Italian state-owned aerospace corporation Aeritalia in 1981. Throughout the 1980s, Partenavia primarily dedicated its efforts to manufacturing two aircraft: the twin-engine multi-purpose transport P.68 and the trainer model P.66C Charlie. In 1991, ownership shifted to Aercosmos, but after seven years, the company faced bankruptcy and was subsequently dissolved. Competitor Vulcanair purchased many of Partenavia’s assets and continued producing and enhancing several of its former aircraft models.

In 1986, the Pascale brothers launched another Italian aerospace company named Tecnam, which continues to name its aircraft with a capital "P" representing "Pascale," followed by a numeral indicating the original design year.

History

Established in 1957 by Professor Luigi Pascale from Naples University, Partenavia began with the ambition of designing aircraft accessible to a broad audience. That same year, it acquired an existing manufacturing facility in Arzano, within the Metropolitan City of Naples, which also became its headquarters. By 1959, the firm had reorganized as a limited company.

File:Partenavia P.68 (8857506505).jpg

A P.68R in flight

The company's initial significant production was the P.57 Fachiro, a four-seat high-wing airplane mainly aimed at flying clubs. This model was eventually succeeded on the assembly line by an all-metal variant named Oscar. Pascale continued to design and manufacture various aircraft internally, with one of the most notable being the twin-engine P.68, a light multipurpose transport that first flew in 1970.

In 1981, Partenavia was incorporated into the Italian state aerospace group Aeritalia. Despite this acquisition, financial backing from the parent company was limited. Subsequently, Partenavia focused on producing over 100 units of the P.66C Charlie monoplane trainer for Aero Club d'Italia. By 1986, approximately 150 employees were engaged in manufacturing two primary models: the P.66 and P.68. During this decade, the P68 underwent engine upgrades and was marketed in North America under the Spartacus brand as a business aircraft, with nearly half of annual sales occurring there.

Ownership changed again in 1993 when Alenia sold Partenavia to Aercosmos. Two years later, Indian company Taneja Aerospace and Aviation began licensed assembly of the P.68 in India. However, under new management, Partenavia’s performance declined, leading to bankruptcy proceedings in March 1998. Following liquidation, aircraft manufacturer Vulcanair acquired all assets including design rights and trademarks. Vulcanair not only provided ongoing support for existing types but also resumed production of the P.68 under its own name. Since then, Vulcanair has introduced various improvements and modernizations to former Partenavia aircraft models.

Aircraft

• P.48 Astore
• P.52 Tigrotto
• P.53 Aeroscooter
• P.55 Tornado
• P.57 Fachiro
• P.59 Jolly
• P.64 Fachiro III
• P.64B Oscar
• P.66B Oscar
• P.66C Charlie
• P.66D Delta
• P.66T Charlie
• P.68 Victor
• P.70 Alpha
• P.86 Mosquito
• AP.68TP-300 Spartacus
• AP.68TP-600 Viator

See also

• Directory of Italian aircraft manufacturers