Technical Report: The Piaggio P.148 Aircraft
This six-manual digital collection documents the Piaggio P.148, an Italian military primary trainer and basic aerobatic monoplane developed in the early 1950s by Giovanni Casiraghi for Piaggio.
Aircraft overview and history
The all-metal, low-wing cantilever monoplane first flew on 12 February 1951. After validation testing, the Italian Air Force adopted the type for primary training, with approximately 100 aircraft ordered. The side-by-side cockpit gave instructors and students an intuitive training environment. The P.148 later returned to Italian pilot-selection duties in the 1970s, and surplus aircraft were also supplied to the Somali Air Corps. Piaggio subsequently developed the related P.149 with retractable tricycle landing gear and a four- to five-seat configuration.
Design and construction
- All-metal semi-monocoque fuselage with riveted aluminium skin panels
- Low-wing cantilever layout with detachable semi-wings and reinforced landing-gear attachment points
- High-visibility Plexiglas canopy for the side-by-side crew positions
- Fixed tailwheel undercarriage designed for primary-training operations
- Conventional flight controls with electrically powered trim tabs
Technical specifications
- Length: 8.44 m
- Wingspan: 11.12 m
- Height: 2.40 m
- Wing area: 18.81 m²
- Empty weight: 876 kg
- Gross weight: 1,280 kg
- Fuel capacity: 169 L
- Powerplant: one air-cooled Lycoming O-435-A flat-six, approximately 190 hp
- Propeller: two-blade Piaggio P.1031 constant-speed metal propeller, 2.20 m diameter
Collection contents
- Lycoming O-435-A Aviation Engine Operator's Manual - English
- P.148 Description and Piloting Procedures, Descrizione e Norme di Pilotaggio - Italian
- P.148 Aircraft Assembly, Adjustment and Maintenance Instructions and Regulations, 1954 - Italian
- P.148 Technical Report - English
- P.148 Extended Engineering Report - English
- P.148 Aircraft Technical Brochure, Brochure - Italian
Historical documentation included
The collection references the P.148 flight manual, including Document CA. 792 dated March 1954, the 1954 assembly, adjustment and maintenance instructions, and a manufacturer's performance prospectus. The supplied technical material covers operating procedures, limitations, emergency information, maintenance instructions, configuration details, tolerances, rigging, and period performance data.
Useful for
- Historical aircraft research and restoration reference
- Study of Italian post-war military training aircraft
- Research into P.148 flight operations and maintenance documentation
- Reference work on the Lycoming O-435-A installation
Format: Digital manual collection. These documents are historical reference material, not current approved airworthiness data or instructions for operating, maintaining, or restoring an aircraft. Verify provenance, rights, and technical suitability before relying on any document.