Italian aircraft manufacturer Tecnam used this year’s EAA AirVenture Oshkosh to provide the first look at its new personal aircraft programme. The new model will be named the Tecnam Rivale, with the company so far revealing its name, the forward section of the design and several key technical elements.

Instead of presenting a conventional mock-up or a computer-generated image of the entire aircraft, Tecnam brought a sculpture made from approximately 1,360 kilograms of stainless steel to Oshkosh. Shaped, welded and polished over several months, the structure presents the basic lines of the future aircraft’s forward section.

The steel sculpture was combined with the aircraft’s actual engine cowling, housing a Continental engine from the CD-300 series, and a specially adapted propeller produced by MT-Propeller. Visitors were therefore shown only approximately the first metre of the aircraft, while the cabin, wings, tail surfaces and the remainder of the design remain concealed.

Tecnam plans to progressively reveal additional details, technical solutions and design elements over the coming months. The complete aircraft is expected to be publicly unveiled in 2027.

According to the information released so far, the Rivale will be powered by a six-cylinder Continental engine from the CD-300 series, designed to use Jet A and sustainable aviation fuel. Tecnam says the powerplant has been specifically selected and adapted to meet the requirements of the new programme.

Another major feature will be the cockpit. Tecnam claims that the Rivale will become the first aircraft equipped with Garmin’s new G2000 Prime avionics suite. Further details regarding the instrument layout, display dimensions and system capabilities have not yet been released, although the manufacturer is promising a cockpit distinguished by unconventional lines and styling.

Continental, Garmin and MT-Propeller are joined in the programme by Beringer, Michelin and CAV. Beringer specialises in aircraft wheel and brake systems, Michelin supplies aviation tyres, while the UK-based CAV is known for the development of aircraft ice protection systems.

According to Tecnam, the name Rivale, meaning “rival”, does not refer to a competing manufacturer. Instead, it reflects the company’s intention to challenge and surpass its own previous aircraft with every new programme. The new model is intended to introduce a different approach to the design of personal aircraft, with an emphasis on styling, the flying experience, performance and comfort.

Tecnam has not yet disclosed key technical specifications such as the number of seats, maximum speed, range, useful load or expected price. However, the choice of the approximately 300-horsepower Continental CD-300 engine points towards a high-performance, premium single-engine aircraft.

The Tecnam Rivale can therefore be expected to compete with the Cirrus SR22T and Diamond DA50 RG, which occupy an important part of the market for fast and technologically advanced single-engine aircraft intended for personal and business travel. Depending on its final cabin configuration, useful load, range and performance, the Rivale could also emerge as a single-engine alternative to the twin-engine Diamond DA42.

Such positioning could be particularly attractive to buyers seeking lower acquisition, maintenance and fuel costs than those associated with a twin-engine aircraft, without making significant compromises in terms of cabin space, comfort, modern avionics and long-distance travelling capability. The Rivale’s precise market position will nevertheless become clearer only after Tecnam releases its full configuration and technical specifications.

The Rivale announcement comes as Tecnam marks 75 years of aircraft manufacturing and engineering. The company says that more than 8,200 Tecnam aircraft are currently operating in more than 65 countries.

At Oshkosh, Tecnam also presented the US premiere of the VIP version of its twin-engine P2012 Traveller, as well as the new 215-horsepower P2010 Gran Lusso, equipped with a factory-certified air-conditioning system.