P92 Super 2000 / Short Wing

The Tecnam P92 Super 2000 is the short-wing development of the Echo. The fuselage was revised and the span cut from 9.30 m to 8.70 m, producing a noticeably sportier aircraft that appears under several names in German paperwork: as P 92 „Echo“ series 2000 S in DAeC data sheet 61138.2, as P 92 Echo SW in DULV sheet 802/14, and as P 92 Echo Short Wing S in DULV sheet 577/04-10. Whether the manufacturer and the associations treat all these designations as exactly the same type is not documented; the sheets differ in wing area (12.0 to 12.20 m²) and length (6.3 to 6.43 m).

Construction remains typically Tecnam: light alloy over steel tube, strut-braced high wing, cruciform tail, fixed nosewheel gear, two side-by-side seats. The usual engine is the 100 hp Rotax 912 S/ULS; the Short Wing S version is also listed with the 80 hp Rotax 912 UL/A/F in DULV sheet 577/04-10. Approved propellers vary by sheet and include the Tonini GT-2, NEUFORM and HELIX three-blade units and the Woodcomp Varia 170; sheet 577/04-10 lists only the Tonini GT-2. Tank options are 2 × 35 l, 2 × 45 l or 1 × 45 l depending on the sheet. The 2000 series was also offered as the P92 2000RG with retractable gear.

The shorter wing pays off in speed: the data sheets permit 243 to 252 km/h VNE (DAeC 61138.2: 250 km/h, DULV 802/14: 252 km/h, DULV 577/04-10: 243 km/h) at 220 to 225 km/h with maximum power, and best climb of 5.9 m/s at 120 km/h is documented for the 100 hp Echo SW. Minimum speed stays moderate at 65 km/h, and flaps to 35° (Short Wing S: 38°) keep landing distances short.

Strengths: higher cruise speed and much better climb than the long-wing Echo, a smaller span that eases hangar handling, plus the same rugged metal airframe and low Rotax running costs. Weaknesses: cruise speed, range and service ceiling are not documented in any data sheet for this series – only the individual aircraft's flight manual gives reliable figures. The shorter wing means higher wing loading and less glide performance in slow flight, and the variety of data sheets makes checking the paperwork more work than with a modern single-standard type.

The Super 2000 suits pilots who enjoy cross-country flying but want to stay with the familiar, easily maintained Echo concept. Before buying, always confirm which data sheet applies, which engine and propeller are entered in the papers, and whether the aircraft is the fixed-gear or the RG version – the data-sheet figures on this page refer to the fixed-gear versions.