Vulcanair Canguro
Vulcanair · Italy · first flew 1978 · transport aircraft
The Vulcanair Canguro (Kangaroo) is an Italian utility transport derived from the Partenavia P.68 family, modified with a large rear-loading cargo door and a strengthened floor to serve freight, parachuting, and special-missions roles. Vulcanair is the successor company to Partenavia.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Slab-sided fuselage with a flat floor for freight loading |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- High-wing utility twin originally the SIAI-Marchetti SF.600 Canguro, with a large rear cargo door
- Slab-sided fuselage with a flat floor for freight loading
- Twin piston engines in long nacelles on a straight high wing
The P.68 heritage shows in the straight high wing and twin-boom tail absence (conventional single tail here); the Canguro is set apart by its noticeably deeper aft fuselage and the large rear cargo door.
Specifications
- The Vulcanair Canguro has a length of 12.15 m (40 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 15 m (49 ft).
- Typical crew: 1–2, up to 9 passengers or freight.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Vulcanair developed the Canguro in the late 1990s building on the proven P.68 twin-piston platform. The principal modification was the addition of a clamshell rear door, transforming the touring twin into a practical utility hauler suited to cargo, medevac, and paradrop operations.
Variants
The Canguro is offered with Lycoming TIO-360 turbocharged engines; a turboprop conversion has also been proposed using Allison 250-series powerplants.
Where you'll see it
Small numbers operate with Italian and overseas light cargo operators and parachute clubs; the type fills a utility niche in markets where a simple piston twin with rear cargo access is preferable to larger turbine aircraft.
Related aircraft
- Vulcanair VF-600W Mission
- Aerospatiale AS 532 Cougar
- AIDC XC-2
- Beechcraft King Air F90
- Beriev A-50 Mainstay
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 5,024 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.