The Italian Aerospace Information Web
by Aeromedia - corso Giambone 46/18 - 10135 Torino (Italy)

Opening of the New I.C.P. Ultra-Light Factory

On September 12, 2009, at Castelnuovo Don Bosco (Province of Asti), I.C.P., one of the major Italian ultra-light aircraft manufacturers, officially opened its new factory. The total investment, valued at about 7.8 million Euro, covers a total area of about 140,000 m2 with a new airstrip open to leisure traffic. The 16,000 m2 industrial area stands at the North-East of the runway, with a 5.000 m2 building devoted to administrative/technical offices and manufacturing activities.

I.C.P. was established in 1980 to produce accessories for the automotive sector. In 1988 it entered the aviation field through the dealership of the Dynali Chickinox, a Belgian, three-axis first-generation ultra-light aircraft. At the beginning of the ‘Nineties, I.C.P. began production of UL aircraft, in collaboration with Agrocopteros of Colombia, including successive models such as the MXP-740, the MXP-740 Savannah, the MXP-640 Amigo! and the MXP-650 Amigo S.

At the end of the decade, Tancredi Razzano, the I.C.P. head, decided to switch from artisan production to industrialized series-production, simultaneously introducing NC machinery. The considerable investment resulted in reduced costs, better quality and consequent wide commercial success in the UL market.

A heritage model such as the Savannah has evolved into the successive Savannah Turbo, Hydro, ADV, VG (Vortex Generator) and the new Savannah XL which features a wider and more comfortable cabin. Very popular is also the Bingo!, a light-weight Savannah, offered in variants with different power units. Bingo! and Savannah models are also sold in kit form, with the assembly manual available in five languages.

In 2003, I.C.P. started design and development of the original SA2 Vimana, powered by a Rotax 912 ULS engine, as the top-line, less angular evolution of I.C.P.’s two-seater UL dynasty. The name Vimana comes from a Sanscrit word for a mythological flying object quoted in ancient Indian religious texts.

The main features of the I.C.P aircraft are low-cost, simple construction, reliability and safety, with no particular emphasis for extreme performance. It is an ideal choice for panoramic airfield-hopping during the week-end. Hundreds of I.C.P. two-seaters are flying in Italy and other European countries.

At the moment I.C.P. has a workforce of 52. The total production volume is some 160 aircraft (kit and complete units) every year, with a theoretical capacity of 200 units. When the new factory is fully geared up, with workforce and tooling increases, the total capacity could rise to more than 300 aircraft/year.

The opening ceremony was highlighted by the delivery of the second Savannah VG to “Associazione Pro Africa ENDE” based in Beinasco, near Turin. This non-profit organization plans to use two Savannah aircraft as the mobility element of “Project Ndege Ndogo” aimed at improving medical assistance in the remote Tharaka territory, Kenya. The just delivered Savannah was assembled in downtown Turin, in June this year, as part of the World Air Games 2009. The other A.P.ENDE’s Savannah VG is undergoing flight tests at Novi Ligure airport, in the Province of Alessandria.

On Sunday, September 13, the Castelnuovo Don Bosco airfield hosted the 5th I.C.P. Aircraft National Fly-In. Bad weather coming in from the Alps did not prevent the arrival of some 100 ultra-lights from all over Italy, almost all manufactured by I.C.P. A crowd of local people was attracted by the unusual activity at the new airfield, completing the success of the two-day event organized by I.C.P.

In the picture: The Castelnuovo Don Bosco airfield, seat of the new I.C.P. factory which was inaugurated on September 12, 2009. (Aeromedia)

(Aeromedia, September 2009)