Piaggio Aerospace’s plans: ‘More production and drones in Italia’
Bayraktar: “2026 will be a year of consolidation; followed by growth and development in the engine sector. We will introduce new avionics and build the Avanti Nx aircraft.”
A business plan, running from now until 2030, aimed first at stabilising, then at growing, and finally at steering Piaggio Aerospace towards new objectives. A project that envisages increasing investment and production, further developing the engines business and, in the future, also focusing on drones manufactured in Italia at the Villanova d’Albenga (Savona) plant. This roadmap was outlined yesterday by the chairman of Piaggio Aero, Haluk Bayraktar, who also heads Baykar, the Turkish company that acquired the Italian aerospace group in 2025, with production facilities in the Savona area and in Genoa.
The occasion for discussing these projects was the ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of the maiden flight of the P.180, the aircraft manufactured by the Ligurian company, which is regarded as a little gem amongst business jets but is also used in military applications.
“The plan we had drawn up before the acquisition,” said Bayraktar, “envisaged a certain level of investment. In reality, it required much more.” The amount of resources, he went on to explain, “that I had decided to spend over two years – 60 million – we spent in just one.” However, he added, “we did not reopen negotiations. We did not go back to the Italian government to ask for aid or concessions. We took on the commitment, invested what was necessary and pressed ahead. This is the sort of shareholder we intend to be.”
The current plan for Piaggio Aero, he added, ‘is structured around three objectives: stabilising, growing and leading. 2026 is the year for strengthening the company’s foundations. We are rebuilding the supply chain, strengthening customer support and ensuring that the business can operate on a solid and stable footing. The priority is to create sustainable growth, whilst at the same time guaranteeing support for customers and aircraft already in service’. Once “this foundation has been consolidated, in 2027–2028, we will increase production, develop the engines business and introduce new capabilities within the company”. The ambition for 2029–2030, he continued, “is to make Piaggio a stronger and more competitive aerospace company, with a growing aircraft business, a major engine division and a robust customer support organisation.”
In addition to its strategic objectives, Bayraktar has outlined three business lines. First and foremost, aircraft: “The story of the P.180 Avanti,” he said, “is not over; on the contrary, we believe it is only just beginning: we are introducing new avionics, bringing on-board internet connectivity and developing completely new interiors, which can also be fitted to Avanti aircraft already in service. The first P.180 fitted with these new interiors will take to the skies by the end of the year as a special aircraft to mark the 40th anniversary. This will pave the way for the next step: the Avanti Nx, which will bring all these developments together in a single programme. We are also developing a family of special versions, such as the P.180 Mantide, intended for maritime patrol and other government missions.” Then there are the engines: “Our ambition,” said the entrepreneur, “is to make this site the leading centre for engines in southern Europe.” Thirdly, customer service: “We have strengthened,” Bayraktar pointed out, “the maintenance team at Pratica di Mare, increasing it from eight to 15 people; we are finalising an agreement for a spare parts warehouse in the US and expanding the network of authorised service centres; finally, we are developing a dedicated customer portal.”
