Piaggio P166 twin engine executive transport aircraft, 1959.

This Piaggio P166 is a twin engine executive transport aircraft, and by the time of its last flight in 1981 was one of the last of its kind in service in Europe outside of Italy.

Notably for having GSO-480 pusher-type propeller engines, which could produce 340 horsepower with a range of 1200 miles. Pusher engines refer to a configuration of propeller or fan where the propeller faces backwards and literally ‘pushes’ the craft forward in the air, much like how an outboard motor does for a boat in the water. The benefits of these engines is that they were far quieter than alternatives, and their high-slung position alongside the wings gave the aircraft very small ground clearance for the fuselage, meaning the plane did not need steps to enter.

This specific example of P166 was first purchased by the McAlpine company in 1959 for use as a private air taxi, based at Luton Airport. The plane crashed near Mayfeild Beacon, Sussex on route from Shoreham to an unknown destination in around 1960-62, and had to be returned to Italy for repair, including a new fuselage and wings.

In the late 1960s the plane was purchased by Marconi Avionics Limited for use as a flying laboratory to test their wide array of avionic instruments under various flight conditions. The P166 was ideal for this job due to its relatively large and customisable interior, which allowed the plane to be transformed into an aerial engineering test field. For different conditions, the P166 could have between six and ten passenger seats, a toilet and even a small galley. Marconi retained the services of a McAlpine pilot to fly the plane during test runs.

Marconi Avionics used this plane to test new flight equipment such as their AD370 automatic direction finder, and the AD660 doppler velocity sensor (which would become standard equipment in the Boeing 737s of British Airways and Lufthansa).

Eventually the P166 was phased out across Europe due to the high cost of maintenance and the increasing difficulty with finding spare parts outside of Italy.

This Piaggio P166 is a twin engine executive transport aircraft, and by the time of its last flight in 1981 was one of the last of its kind in service in Europe outside of Italy.

Notably for having GSO-480 pusher-type propeller engines, which could produce 340 horsepower with a range of 1200 miles. Pusher engines refer to a configuration of propeller or fan where the propeller faces backwards and literally ‘pushes’ the craft forward in the air, much like how an outboard motor does for a boat in the water. The benefits of these engines is that they were far quieter than alternatives, and their high-slung position alongside the wings gave the aircraft very small ground clearance for the fuselage, meaning the plane did not need steps to enter.

This specific example of P166 was first purchased by the McAlpine company in 1959 for use as a private air taxi, based at Luton Airport. The plane crashed near Mayfeild Beacon, Sussex on route from Shoreham to an unknown destination in around 1960-62, and had to be returned to Italy for repair, including a new fuselage and wings.

In the late 1960s the plane was purchased by Marconi Avionics Limited for use as a flying laboratory to test their wide array of avionic instruments under various flight conditions. The P166 was ideal for this job due to its relatively large and customisable interior, which allowed the plane to be transformed into an aerial engineering test field. For different conditions, the P166 could have between six and ten passenger seats, a toilet and even a small galley. Marconi retained the services of a McAlpine pilot to fly the plane during test runs.

Marconi Avionics used this plane to test new flight equipment such as their AD370 automatic direction finder, and the AD660 doppler velocity sensor (which would become standard equipment in the Boeing 737s of British Airways and Lufthansa).

Eventually the P166 was phased out across Europe due to the high cost of maintenance and the increasing difficulty with finding spare parts outside of Italy.

This Piaggio P166 is a twin engine executive transport aircraft, and by the time of its last flight in 1981 was one of the last of its kind in service in Europe outside of Italy.

Notably for having GSO-480 pusher-type propeller engines, which could produce 340 horsepower with a range of 1200 miles. Pusher engines refer to a configuration of propeller or fan where the propeller faces backwards and literally ‘pushes’ the craft forward in the air, much like how an outboard motor does for a boat in the water. The benefits of these engines is that they were far quieter than alternatives, and their high-slung position alongside the wings gave the aircraft very small ground clearance for the fuselage, meaning the plane did not need steps to enter.

This specific example of P166 was first purchased by the McAlpine company in 1959 for use as a private air taxi, based at Luton Airport. The plane crashed near Mayfeild Beacon, Sussex on route from Shoreham to an unknown destination in around 1960-62, and had to be returned to Italy for repair, including a new fuselage and wings.

In the late 1960s the plane was purchased by Marconi Avionics Limited for use as a flying laboratory to test their wide array of avionic instruments under various flight conditions. The P166 was ideal for this job due to its relatively large and customisable interior, which allowed the plane to be transformed into an aerial engineering test field. For different conditions, the P166 could have between six and ten passenger seats, a toilet and even a small galley. Marconi retained the services of a McAlpine pilot to fly the plane during test runs.

Marconi Avionics used this plane to test new flight equipment such as their AD370 automatic direction finder, and the AD660 doppler velocity sensor (which would become standard equipment in the Boeing 737s of British Airways and Lufthansa).

Eventually the P166 was phased out across Europe due to the high cost of maintenance and the increasing difficulty with finding spare parts outside of Italy.

This Piaggio P166 is a twin engine executive transport aircraft, and by the time of its last flight in 1981 was one of the last of its kind in service in Europe outside of Italy.

Notably for having GSO-480 pusher-type propeller engines, which could produce 340 horsepower with a range of 1200 miles. Pusher engines refer to a configuration of propeller or fan where the propeller faces backwards and literally ‘pushes’ the craft forward in the air, much like how an outboard motor does for a boat in the water. The benefits of these engines is that they were far quieter than alternatives, and their high-slung position alongside the wings gave the aircraft very small ground clearance for the fuselage, meaning the plane did not need steps to enter.

This specific example of P166 was first purchased by the McAlpine company in 1959 for use as a private air taxi, based at Luton Airport. The plane crashed near Mayfeild Beacon, Sussex on route from Shoreham to an unknown destination in around 1960-62, and had to be returned to Italy for repair, including a new fuselage and wings.

In the late 1960s the plane was purchased by Marconi Avionics Limited for use as a flying laboratory to test their wide array of avionic instruments under various flight conditions. The P166 was ideal for this job due to its relatively large and customisable interior, which allowed the plane to be transformed into an aerial engineering test field. For different conditions, the P166 could have between six and ten passenger seats, a toilet and even a small galley. Marconi retained the services of a McAlpine pilot to fly the plane during test runs.

Marconi Avionics used this plane to test new flight equipment such as their AD370 automatic direction finder, and the AD660 doppler velocity sensor (which would become standard equipment in the Boeing 737s of British Airways and Lufthansa).

Eventually the P166 was phased out across Europe due to the high cost of maintenance and the increasing difficulty with finding spare parts outside of Italy.

This Piaggio P166 is a twin engine executive transport aircraft, and by the time of its last flight in 1981 was one of the last of its kind in service in Europe outside of Italy.

Notably for having GSO-480 pusher-type propeller engines, which could produce 340 horsepower with a range of 1200 miles. Pusher engines refer to a configuration of propeller or fan where the propeller faces backwards and literally ‘pushes’ the craft forward in the air, much like how an outboard motor does for a boat in the water. The benefits of these engines is that they were far quieter than alternatives, and their high-slung position alongside the wings gave the aircraft very small ground clearance for the fuselage, meaning the plane did not need steps to enter.

This specific example of P166 was first purchased by the McAlpine company in 1959 for use as a private air taxi, based at Luton Airport. The plane crashed near Mayfeild Beacon, Sussex on route from Shoreham to an unknown destination in around 1960-62, and had to be returned to Italy for repair, including a new fuselage and wings.

In the late 1960s the plane was purchased by Marconi Avionics Limited for use as a flying laboratory to test their wide array of avionic instruments under various flight conditions. The P166 was ideal for this job due to its relatively large and customisable interior, which allowed the plane to be transformed into an aerial engineering test field. For different conditions, the P166 could have between six and ten passenger seats, a toilet and even a small galley. Marconi retained the services of a McAlpine pilot to fly the plane during test runs.

Marconi Avionics used this plane to test new flight equipment such as their AD370 automatic direction finder, and the AD660 doppler velocity sensor (which would become standard equipment in the Boeing 737s of British Airways and Lufthansa).

Eventually the P166 was phased out across Europe due to the high cost of maintenance and the increasing difficulty with finding spare parts outside of Italy.

This Piaggio P166 is a twin engine executive transport aircraft, and by the time of its last flight in 1981 was one of the last of its kind in service in Europe outside of Italy.

Notably for having GSO-480 pusher-type propeller engines, which could produce 340 horsepower with a range of 1200 miles. Pusher engines refer to a configuration of propeller or fan where the propeller faces backwards and literally ‘pushes’ the craft forward in the air, much like how an outboard motor does for a boat in the water. The benefits of these engines is that they were far quieter than alternatives, and their high-slung position alongside the wings gave the aircraft very small ground clearance for the fuselage, meaning the plane did not need steps to enter.

This specific example of P166 was first purchased by the McAlpine company in 1959 for use as a private air taxi, based at Luton Airport. The plane crashed near Mayfeild Beacon, Sussex on route from Shoreham to an unknown destination in around 1960-62, and had to be returned to Italy for repair, including a new fuselage and wings.

In the late 1960s the plane was purchased by Marconi Avionics Limited for use as a flying laboratory to test their wide array of avionic instruments under various flight conditions. The P166 was ideal for this job due to its relatively large and customisable interior, which allowed the plane to be transformed into an aerial engineering test field. For different conditions, the P166 could have between six and ten passenger seats, a toilet and even a small galley. Marconi retained the services of a McAlpine pilot to fly the plane during test runs.

Marconi Avionics used this plane to test new flight equipment such as their AD370 automatic direction finder, and the AD660 doppler velocity sensor (which would become standard equipment in the Boeing 737s of British Airways and Lufthansa).

Eventually the P166 was phased out across Europe due to the high cost of maintenance and the increasing difficulty with finding spare parts outside of Italy.

This Piaggio P166 is a twin engine executive transport aircraft, and by the time of its last flight in 1981 was one of the last of its kind in service in Europe outside of Italy.

Notably for having GSO-480 pusher-type propeller engines, which could produce 340 horsepower with a range of 1200 miles. Pusher engines refer to a configuration of propeller or fan where the propeller faces backwards and literally ‘pushes’ the craft forward in the air, much like how an outboard motor does for a boat in the water. The benefits of these engines is that they were far quieter than alternatives, and their high-slung position alongside the wings gave the aircraft very small ground clearance for the fuselage, meaning the plane did not need steps to enter.

This specific example of P166 was first purchased by the McAlpine company in 1959 for use as a private air taxi, based at Luton Airport. The plane crashed near Mayfeild Beacon, Sussex on route from Shoreham to an unknown destination in around 1960-62, and had to be returned to Italy for repair, including a new fuselage and wings.

In the late 1960s the plane was purchased by Marconi Avionics Limited for use as a flying laboratory to test their wide array of avionic instruments under various flight conditions. The P166 was ideal for this job due to its relatively large and customisable interior, which allowed the plane to be transformed into an aerial engineering test field. For different conditions, the P166 could have between six and ten passenger seats, a toilet and even a small galley. Marconi retained the services of a McAlpine pilot to fly the plane during test runs.

Marconi Avionics used this plane to test new flight equipment such as their AD370 automatic direction finder, and the AD660 doppler velocity sensor (which would become standard equipment in the Boeing 737s of British Airways and Lufthansa).

Eventually the P166 was phased out across Europe due to the high cost of maintenance and the increasing difficulty with finding spare parts outside of Italy.

This Piaggio P166 is a twin engine executive transport aircraft, and by the time of its last flight in 1981 was one of the last of its kind in service in Europe outside of Italy.

Notably for having GSO-480 pusher-type propeller engines, which could produce 340 horsepower with a range of 1200 miles. Pusher engines refer to a configuration of propeller or fan where the propeller faces backwards and literally ‘pushes’ the craft forward in the air, much like how an outboard motor does for a boat in the water. The benefits of these engines is that they were far quieter than alternatives, and their high-slung position alongside the wings gave the aircraft very small ground clearance for the fuselage, meaning the plane did not need steps to enter.

This specific example of P166 was first purchased by the McAlpine company in 1959 for use as a private air taxi, based at Luton Airport. The plane crashed near Mayfeild Beacon, Sussex on route from Shoreham to an unknown destination in around 1960-62, and had to be returned to Italy for repair, including a new fuselage and wings.

In the late 1960s the plane was purchased by Marconi Avionics Limited for use as a flying laboratory to test their wide array of avionic instruments under various flight conditions. The P166 was ideal for this job due to its relatively large and customisable interior, which allowed the plane to be transformed into an aerial engineering test field. For different conditions, the P166 could have between six and ten passenger seats, a toilet and even a small galley. Marconi retained the services of a McAlpine pilot to fly the plane during test runs.

Marconi Avionics used this plane to test new flight equipment such as their AD370 automatic direction finder, and the AD660 doppler velocity sensor (which would become standard equipment in the Boeing 737s of British Airways and Lufthansa).

Eventually the P166 was phased out across Europe due to the high cost of maintenance and the increasing difficulty with finding spare parts outside of Italy.

This Piaggio P166 is a twin engine executive transport aircraft, and by the time of its last flight in 1981 was one of the last of its kind in service in Europe outside of Italy.

Notably for having GSO-480 pusher-type propeller engines, which could produce 340 horsepower with a range of 1200 miles. Pusher engines refer to a configuration of propeller or fan where the propeller faces backwards and literally ‘pushes’ the craft forward in the air, much like how an outboard motor does for a boat in the water. The benefits of these engines is that they were far quieter than alternatives, and their high-slung position alongside the wings gave the aircraft very small ground clearance for the fuselage, meaning the plane did not need steps to enter.

This specific example of P166 was first purchased by the McAlpine company in 1959 for use as a private air taxi, based at Luton Airport. The plane crashed near Mayfeild Beacon, Sussex on route from Shoreham to an unknown destination in around 1960-62, and had to be returned to Italy for repair, including a new fuselage and wings.

In the late 1960s the plane was purchased by Marconi Avionics Limited for use as a flying laboratory to test their wide array of avionic instruments under various flight conditions. The P166 was ideal for this job due to its relatively large and customisable interior, which allowed the plane to be transformed into an aerial engineering test field. For different conditions, the P166 could have between six and ten passenger seats, a toilet and even a small galley. Marconi retained the services of a McAlpine pilot to fly the plane during test runs.

Marconi Avionics used this plane to test new flight equipment such as their AD370 automatic direction finder, and the AD660 doppler velocity sensor (which would become standard equipment in the Boeing 737s of British Airways and Lufthansa).

Eventually the P166 was phased out across Europe due to the high cost of maintenance and the increasing difficulty with finding spare parts outside of Italy.

This Piaggio P166 is a twin engine executive transport aircraft, and by the time of its last flight in 1981 was one of the last of its kind in service in Europe outside of Italy.

Notably for having GSO-480 pusher-type propeller engines, which could produce 340 horsepower with a range of 1200 miles. Pusher engines refer to a configuration of propeller or fan where the propeller faces backwards and literally ‘pushes’ the craft forward in the air, much like how an outboard motor does for a boat in the water. The benefits of these engines is that they were far quieter than alternatives, and their high-slung position alongside the wings gave the aircraft very small ground clearance for the fuselage, meaning the plane did not need steps to enter.

This specific example of P166 was first purchased by the McAlpine company in 1959 for use as a private air taxi, based at Luton Airport. The plane crashed near Mayfeild Beacon, Sussex on route from Shoreham to an unknown destination in around 1960-62, and had to be returned to Italy for repair, including a new fuselage and wings.

In the late 1960s the plane was purchased by Marconi Avionics Limited for use as a flying laboratory to test their wide array of avionic instruments under various flight conditions. The P166 was ideal for this job due to its relatively large and customisable interior, which allowed the plane to be transformed into an aerial engineering test field. For different conditions, the P166 could have between six and ten passenger seats, a toilet and even a small galley. Marconi retained the services of a McAlpine pilot to fly the plane during test runs.

Marconi Avionics used this plane to test new flight equipment such as their AD370 automatic direction finder, and the AD660 doppler velocity sensor (which would become standard equipment in the Boeing 737s of British Airways and Lufthansa).

Eventually the P166 was phased out across Europe due to the high cost of maintenance and the increasing difficulty with finding spare parts outside of Italy.

This Piaggio P166 is a twin engine executive transport aircraft, and by the time of its last flight in 1981 was one of the last of its kind in service in Europe outside of Italy.

Notably for having GSO-480 pusher-type propeller engines, which could produce 340 horsepower with a range of 1200 miles. Pusher engines refer to a configuration of propeller or fan where the propeller faces backwards and literally ‘pushes’ the craft forward in the air, much like how an outboard motor does for a boat in the water. The benefits of these engines is that they were far quieter than alternatives, and their high-slung position alongside the wings gave the aircraft very small ground clearance for the fuselage, meaning the plane did not need steps to enter.

This specific example of P166 was first purchased by the McAlpine company in 1959 for use as a private air taxi, based at Luton Airport. The plane crashed near Mayfeild Beacon, Sussex on route from Shoreham to an unknown destination in around 1960-62, and had to be returned to Italy for repair, including a new fuselage and wings.

In the late 1960s the plane was purchased by Marconi Avionics Limited for use as a flying laboratory to test their wide array of avionic instruments under various flight conditions. The P166 was ideal for this job due to its relatively large and customisable interior, which allowed the plane to be transformed into an aerial engineering test field. For different conditions, the P166 could have between six and ten passenger seats, a toilet and even a small galley. Marconi retained the services of a McAlpine pilot to fly the plane during test runs.

Marconi Avionics used this plane to test new flight equipment such as their AD370 automatic direction finder, and the AD660 doppler velocity sensor (which would become standard equipment in the Boeing 737s of British Airways and Lufthansa).

Eventually the P166 was phased out across Europe due to the high cost of maintenance and the increasing difficulty with finding spare parts outside of Italy.