When Simon Ambrosius climbs into this aircraft, many things remind him of his main job as an airline captain: two engines, a state-of-the-art cockpit and passengers behind him.

But there are crucial differences: reciprocating engines instead of turbines.

He flies by sight instead of instruments, and there are not several hundred, but fewer than a dozen passengers in the cabin.

The brand new Italian Tecnam P 2012 Traveler from the still young airline Alpen Air at Augsburg Airport is a real niche product.

Because passenger planes with piston engines for just nine passengers were considered a dying species.

These small twin engines are only profitable on special routes or in island traffic.

And there, for example in the feeder service to the North Frisian Islands or the islands off Scotland, the Britten-Norman Islander from England, which was developed almost 60 years ago, is still the top dog.

Robust, capable of short take-offs, good-natured to fly.

But also loud, cramped, uncomfortable.

For a long time it was thought that the expensive development of a new aircraft in the small twin-engine aviation niche would not be worthwhile, especially since the British Islander is still being built.

It was a challenge

Until the airline Cape Air approached the company in Capua near Naples.

The American airline operates around 80 Cessna 402 C twins from the 1960s to 1980s with six-cylinder engines.

The regional airline is looking for a replacement for this aging fleet.

Tecnam, on the other hand, has made a name for itself in recent years as a manufacturer of ultralight aircraft, single-engine touring aircraft and a small twin-engine aircraft for training purposes.

But building a real, albeit small, passenger aircraft with a de-icing system and all-weather capability was a challenge.

As launch customers, the Italians listen carefully to those responsible at Cape Air, what they want from a modern aircraft of this class and what flight performance is expected.

Then they start to construct.

In 2019 they presented the result: a high-decker without a pressurized cabin with a fixed landing gear, two 375 hp six-cylinder engines and nine passenger seats.

The Traveler is fast at a maximum of 359 km/h and can fly up to 1760 kilometers.

The flight performance and the economical modern engines were the deciding factor for the still young Alpen Air to use this machine primarily for sightseeing flights.

For the guests, this becomes an experience, above all due to the lavishly dimensioned windows.

Unlike the Islander, the Tecnam even has an aisle that passengers use to get to their seats.

The machine is always flown by sight on these flights.

In this way, the pilot can fly into the heart of the Bavarian Alps instead of simply flying over them, as in an airliner.

Everyone on board has a window seat.

Seating comfort and legroom are also at a good level.

The high-deck configuration means that all passengers have an uninterrupted view of the landscape below.