Baykar Targets US Business Aircraft Market With Piaggio Purchase

Turkish aerospace firm Baykar Technologies plans to invest in a newly acquired line of private aircraft, using fresh versions of the Italian-made Piaggio P.180 to target US business customers.

Baykar, known mainly for making drones used in combat, is aiming to develop variants of the P.180 for both VIP use and special missions, according to a planning document seen by Bloomberg News.

The “pusher” turboprop, with rotors mounted behind each wing, is speedy enough to compete with some private jets. The model has been used mostly by charter operators and some feeder airlines, but its future was clouded after Piaggio ...