Weird Plane. What Was It?

[littleport2003]

Hi Guys

I was sailing in southampton at on sunday and I saw an odd vip aircraft landing at southampton airport, I have seen some once before at RIAT that belonged to the dutch airforce. I don't seem to remember them haveing a horizontal control surface at the rear but thay had it on the nose instead and they have pusher props one on each wing. Any idea what aircraft this was?

Thanks MAtt

[Sock]

Did if look anything like this?



If it did, it could have been a Rutan Starship.

I think there are still a few flying.  ???

[littleport2003]

no wasn'y one of those. It had a high wing, the props were further out and the thing at the front was almost a perfect rectangle right on the front#

MAtt

[Felix/FFDS]

I don't believe that there are any Starships still flying.  Beechcraft bought them all back.

From the description, it could be the Piaggio P-180 Avanti

http://www.piaggioamerica.com/

[Ivan]

There are rumours that there are one or two starships still flying.
Only thing that looks like it is the Avanti

[flyboy 28]

There are rumours that there are one or two starships still flying.

I see one flying around every now and then. Or something of the like..

[C]

[quote]I don't believe that there are any Starships still flying.

[Souichiro]

The dutch AF doesn't have a Piaggio........although from your description it would seem that that is the plane...

[C]

The dutch AF doesn't have a Piaggio........although from your description it would seem that that is the plane...

Probably Italian AF...

[papa-metro]

There is deifinitely ONE  RUTAN STARSHIP still flying as it ws featured this last week on DISCOVERY or HISTORY CHANNEL. Private owner has bought up all available spare parts (tons of 'em) in order to keep it flying. also it was the chase/photo ship for the recent individual/private flight into space by an aircraft.owner loves it and has hopes someone will redesign and give it rebirth. It's "death" was due to government not knowing how to test and certify a composite aircraft so costs got up there with the private jets after us govt got through with it :-(
papa-metro usaf 1953-57

[spirit1flyer]

I saw that one on the History channel it was a cool lookin plane  :)

spirit

[littleport2003]

the ones at riat where defenty dutch because i spoke to the guys

[legoalex2000]

I don't believe that there are any Starships still flying.  Beechcraft bought them all back.

From the description, it could be the Piaggio P-180 Avanti

http://www.piaggioamerica.com/

not true Felix. one guy is restoring 2 starships and bought pieces for 6 more as maintainence.

they did a special on it on Discovery HD. something about aircraft that were being destroyed that were big contributions to Aviation.

[Craig.]

what year for the RIAT? would make looking it up alot easier. Because from looking at 2004 line up there wasnt anything from your description there.

[littleport2003]

i belive it was 2002 but might have been 2001 or 2003