Costruzioni Aeronautiche TECNAM S.p.A., commonly known as simply Tecnam, is an Italian aircraft manufacturer. The company has two primary activities: producing aircraft components for various other manufacturers, and manufacturing its own range of light aircraft. The company was founded in 1986 by Italian brothers Luigi Pascale and Giovanni Pascale, veteran aircraft designers and manufacturers. Prior to creating Tecnam, they had been responsible for several other aviation-related projects, including the design and construction of the twin-engine Partenavia P.68. Their original intent in founding Tecnam was to build aerospace parts on behalf of other manufacturers, which initially included American aerospace company Boeing and commuter airliner specialist ATR. When the light-sport aircraft market began to emerge, the brothers entered the field, first with the Tecnam P92, which was well received.
Tecnam P92, the company's first aircraft
Tecnam P2002 Sierra at Cotswold Airport, Gloucestershire, England, 2016
Tecnam P2006T
Tecnam P2012 Traveller, the company's first commercial aircraft
A light-sport aircraft (LSA), or light sport aircraft, is a fairly new category of small, lightweight aircraft that are simple to fly. LSAs tend to be heavier and more sophisticated than ultralight aircraft, but LSA restrictions on weight and performance separates the category from established GA aircraft. There is no standard worldwide description of an LSA.
Three types of light sport aircraft. In the foreground, an E-LSA Antares USA Ranger weight-shift control trike. In the background, an S-LSA Evektor SportStar and an L-LSA Zlin Aviation Savage Cub.