Just saw an unusual aircraft

**safn1949** · December 13th, 2009, 10:06

I didn't manage to get a photo,it was a canard wing,twin engine pusher,sounded like turboprops.I am outside the Kansas City Airport unloading a truckload of pop cans.Any ideas...oh,and loud as all getout.:USA-flag:

**Railrunner130** · December 13th, 2009, 10:11

Sounds like a Piaggio P-180 Avanti.

***Ferry_vO*** · December 13th, 2009, 10:17

Beech starship 2000?

http://www.maquettes-papier.net/foru...arship_110.jpg

***Moparmike*** · December 13th, 2009, 10:24

Possibly an Avanti.

It could also be a Beechcraft Starship...there are still a few of em in the air according to Bob Scherer's Starship tracking pages anyway. Not sure how current his pages are but he still lists 5 as registered and flying.
He's got a pretty complete listing of all 53 Starships that were built and what their fate is/was.
http://www.bobscherer.com/Pages/Starship.htm

I think if I was owner of one of the survivors I would relish flying it over KBEC in Wichita at every opportunity just to blow a big raspberry at Raytheon for scrapping most of em!

:

I saw a Starship out in CA back in the early 90s. Neat looking machine!
And yes, they are loud for a t-prop twin...but them most of em are.

**luckydog** · December 13th, 2009, 10:36

Have never seen an actual Starship but have seen (and HEARD) a few
Avantis. Even on final they're loud.

***Cazzie*** · December 13th, 2009, 11:00

More than likely an Avanti, one is very lucky to ever see a Starship.

Unique sound from those two turboprop pushers.

Caz

***PRB*** · December 13th, 2009, 11:18

There's an Avanti based at KSUS, very near to where I live. I know every time it flies over - the sound is very distinctive.

**safn1949** · December 13th, 2009, 11:28

I don't know,it looked like the wings were longer then the Avanti,but I only saw it for a few seconds.

A mystery to me.:d

**N2056** · December 13th, 2009, 11:34

Which airport in KC where you near?

**safn1949** · December 13th, 2009, 11:42

Not sure,here is an image from my mapping program showing where I was.The aircraft appeared to be taking off,going west to east.

**N2056** · December 13th, 2009, 11:51

I think this is your plane...it was an Avanti :d
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/V...717Z/KMKC/KCYS

**safn1949** · December 13th, 2009, 11:54

Roger that,the time is correct and the direction,thanks everyone.:USA-flag:

**cheezyflier** · December 13th, 2009, 14:35

Originally Posted by N2056

I think this is your plane...it was an Avanti :d
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/V...717Z/KMKC/KCYS

stuff like this is why the outhouse is THE place to be

**Lionheart** · December 13th, 2009, 15:04

The Avanti and the Starship are both twins and both turboprops and both EXTREMELY loud, all from the propellors caused from being too close to the dual laminar airflows coming off the trailing edges of the wings.

A good way to tell if its a Avanti is the short wingspan, glider like wings, T-tail, with a fuselage that is fat in the middle.

The Starship has no rudder, only rudderettes on the wingtips, classic Rutan shaped wings that are thick at the roots, and the canards aim backwards (to the rear) when in cruise mode. The wingspan is also very wide.

They are cool to look at. There is an Avanti at Deer Valley. Very sharp looking birds. There is one Starship left, privately owned. He wouldnt part with his. The only one not scrapped.. What a shame..

Bill

**Railrunner130** · December 13th, 2009, 17:45

Beech bought back all (I think) of the Starships to be chopped into little pieces, so they wouldn't have to support them any longer. I think Burt Rutan said they'd have to pry it out of his cold, dead hands. I don't know that any went to museums. Sad.

smoores · December 13th, 2009, 18:07

the Avanti west coast headquarters is at Camarillo, so I get to here those noisy planes a few times a day

**Kiwikat** · December 13th, 2009, 18:08

The Starship is an incredible machine. I saw one at EAA Airventure many years ago. It was one of the coolest planes I've seen there.

It is a shame that they took them out of the sky. It is sort of like Concorde... I wish they would keep one flying, just because of its uniqueness.

The P180 is cool too though!

***aeronca1*** · December 13th, 2009, 19:53

Awesome paint on that bird Kiwikat! Thanks for sharing it!

***Cazzie*** · December 14th, 2009, 03:11

Originally Posted by aeronca1

Awesome paint on that bird Kiwikat! Thanks for sharing it!

Sure is and I think there is a paint kit for the FS2004 Avanti.

Caz

**Lionheart** · December 14th, 2009, 10:14

Originally Posted by Railrunner130

Beech bought back all (I think) of the Starships to be chopped into little pieces, so they wouldn't have to support them any longer. I think Burt Rutan said they'd have to pry it out of his cold, dead hands. I don't know that any went to museums. Sad.

One made it. Privately owned.

**lefty** · December 14th, 2009, 10:34

Just to toss in another option, there is also this little chap - don't know if it is still around - the Avtek 400

***Willy*** · December 14th, 2009, 11:30

Per Wiki on the Starship:

As of autumn 2008 only six Starships continue to hold airworthiness registration with the FAA. Three Starships are based in Oklahoma, one in Washington, one in California, and one is still registered to Raytheon Aircraft Credit Corporation in Wichita, Kansas.