A MULTI-ENGINE RATING WITHOUT A LEGACY TWIN

Pacific States Aviation, a flight training organisation based in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, has expanded its fleet with a Tecnam P2006T MkII in Premium Edition specification. The delivery marks the first twin-engine aircraft to join PSA’s growing Tecnam fleet and is intended to increase multi-engine training capacity in the region. The acquisition was facilitated by authorised Tecnam dealer Cutter Aviation and financed by leasing partner Nesher.

The commercial case for the type in a training environment rests on operating economics. Multi-engine ratings have historically been delivered on legacy piston twins with substantially higher fuel burn than the single-engine aircraft students train on beforehand, which makes the multi-engine phase disproportionately expensive per hour and constrains how much of it a school can offer. Tecnam positions the P2006T against that problem, and PSA identifies the same characteristic in environmental terms. Rashid Yahya, Owner and President of Pacific States Aviation, said the company was committed to providing environmentally responsible flight training alongside top-tier instruction, and that the P2006T MkII offered students an advanced modern multi-engine platform while significantly reducing the school’s environmental footprint.

GLASS COCKPIT CONTINUITY INTO THE AIRLINE FLIGHT DECK

The aircraft’s avionics specification is the second element PSA identifies. The P2006T MkII carries a glass cockpit environment designed to resemble the commercial flight deck, which matters for a school whose stated purpose is preparing students for airline careers. A student who completes primary, commercial and multi-engine training on aircraft with consistent avionics philosophy carries a shorter adaptation curve into a type rating than one who transitions between analogue and digital cockpits during training.

Patrick Cote, Regional Manager for Cutter Tecnam, said the company looked forward to building a long-term partnership with PSA and supporting the continued growth of its multi-engine training programme. Reuven Hahn, Managing Member at Nesher, said the company was pleased to expand its West Coast relationship with Tecnam and PSA and to support bringing a modern platform to the school’s multi-engine curriculum. Walter Da Costa, Chief Sales Officer at Tecnam, said the delivery reflected the manufacturer’s commitment to supporting leading flight schools with efficient, modern and reliable training aircraft.

THE PARTNERS

Cutter Aviation, founded in 1928, is the oldest continuously family-owned and operated fixed base operator in the United States, offering aircraft sales, maintenance, avionics, charter and management services. The delivery coincides with the completion of its first year as an authorised Tecnam dealer. Nesher is a specialised aircraft leasing company serving flight training organisations across the United States, providing lease structures designed around flight school operations — a financing route that matters for schools whose fleet decisions are frequently constrained by capital availability rather than by demand for training slots.