Plane & Pilot 2017 Buyer’s Guide: Piston Twins

Looking for a piston multi? You've come to the right place.

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The multi-engine piston aircraft market, though small, offers diverse options ranging from dedicated flight trainers to high-performance personal and business transportation planes.
  • Entry-level twins, such as the Tecnam P2006T and Piper Seminole, are predominantly used for flight training, often prioritizing fuel efficiency or simplified operation.
  • Mid-range models like the Diamond DA42 blend training utility with personal transportation capabilities, frequently featuring modern diesel engines and advanced composite construction for efficiency.
  • High-end multi-engine pistons, including the Vulcanair Vr, Piper Seneca V, Diamond DA62, and Beechcraft G58 Baron, provide superior speed, payload, advanced avionics, and enhanced comfort for discerning private pilots and business travel.
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Vulcanair Vr
Vulcanair Vr

Vulcanair Vr (P68R)

You might not be familiar with the name Vulcanair, but you should be. The company builds some great performing and great handling airplanes that you might remember from when they were built by Partenavia. The top of Vulcanair’s piston lineup is the Vr, a retractable-gear, all-metal, six-seat twin with fuel-injected 200-hp Lycoming engines. The plane looks a lot like a slightly scaled down version of the Aero Commander and it has many of those same qualities, rugged build quality, competitive performance, great visibility (with its high wing configuration), and a comfortable cabin. The new Vulcanair also has late-model avionics: the all-digital Garmin G950 avionics suite with the STEC 55X autopilot. Performance wise, the P68R ain’t no slouch. It can cruise at 170 knots, land and take off in less than 1,000 feet and, with a useful load of nearly 1,400 pounds and a full-fuel payload of 521 pounds, operators can configure the plane to do shorter trips with the seats full or flights of up to 966 nm with four aboard.

Niche: Transportation

Base Price: $985,000

Competitors: Beechcraft G58 Baron, Piper Seneca V, Diamond DA62

Vulcanair VrSpecifications

Learn more at Vulcanair.

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