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By News Centre

Haluk Bayraktar, Chairman of Piaggio Aerospace and CEO of Baykar, has shared details about the company’s acquisition by Baykar and its strategic plans for the future.

Highlighting Piaggio Aerospace’s 140-year legacy in the Italian aviation industry, Bayraktar noted,

"This is an extremely important heritage for Baykar. Combining our technologies with Piaggio provides a unique advantage and potential by bringing together the strengths of Turkiye and Italy."

He explained that Piaggio’s operations currently include production of the P180 aircraft as well as engine component manufacturing and maintenance services.

"With all of these capabilities and expertise, you have a truly unique aircraft — the fastest turboprop in the world with an unparalleled design. When Piaggio’s facilities, capabilities, heritage, and brand are combined with Baykar’s UAV innovation, we see a bright future ahead. The P180 is very special. While production capacity has been maintained at low levels for several years, our vision and broader strategy at Baykar is to revitalize these operations and increase production capacity," he said.

Currently, Baykar produces about 4–5 aircraft per year, but Bayraktar confirmed plans to increase production to 25–30 P180 Avanti aircraft annually next year. He added,

"The existing facilities and supply chain support allow us to reach that capacity. We are committed to new investments, updates, and making the aircraft attractive in the market."

Bayraktar emphasized the reliability of the P180 fleet, noting that over 250 units have been produced, with 220 still in active service since 1986, collectively logging over 1.1 million flight hours.

Bayraktar stressed the company’s focus on innovation and modernization:

"We are investing heavily in system updates and modernizing avionics. The entire industry is moving to Garmin avionics. We have started work and will upgrade all systems accordingly. Interiors will also be redesigned, modernizing Italian design and aesthetics. New cabin designs will emerge. Our aircraft already have digital pressurization and new environmental control systems, along with new satellite communication technologies. We are also working to extend maintenance intervals and inspection cycles."

He said these upgrades would culminate in the “Avanti Next” model.

Bayraktar also highlighted Piaggio’s service network and maintenance investments:

"Over 220 aircraft are actively flying worldwide — about 100 in the U.S., 100 in Europe, and the rest across the globe. Maintenance, repair, and overhaul are critical. With the new management at Baykar, we are truly committed to our customers’ needs and expectations. We are making major investments not only in Europe but also in the U.S., which is the largest market. The U.S. civil aviation sector is highly advanced and makes extensive use of these aircraft, so we are investing in our U.S. operations."

He added that Baykar recently signed an authorized service center agreement with Interjet Continental Aerospace and plans to establish more repair centers and a logistics hub in the U.S. within a year to ensure faster service and greater spare parts availability.

Bayraktar outlined plans to leverage Piaggio’s civil aviation expertise and Baykar’s agile engineering to launch new initiatives, including UAV production at Piaggio facilities. In partnership with Leonardo, Baykar plans to localize UAV manufacturing in Italy to meet European needs.

He also noted intentions to expand engine maintenance capabilities:

"We aim to bring new engine alternatives and expand maintenance and overhaul capabilities. We plan to invest in machinery and equipment this year to increase production and maintenance capacity."

Concluding, Bayraktar emphasized the company’s commitment to the U.S. market:

"The U.S. is the leading market in civil aviation, and this applies to the P180 as well. Our customers in the U.S. are genuinely impressed with the aircraft’s design, performance, speed, and cabin comfort. Listening to them motivates us to make our U.S. operations far better than they are today."