Snoopy wrote:
Would be, yes.
Robin is gone. The plane shown during Aero23 with the turbine was a mock up.
The next marketing stunt is the turbine VL3.
Pipistrel made a great exit to Textron. If you ask me, it was for their efficient line of two seaters and to prepare for electrification, not for bolting a turbine to an experimental.
Why marketing stunt? The manufacturer of my aircraft, GoGetAir, is completing the build of an aircraft which will be turbine powered – I was at the factory yesterday and saw it. Today they have the Slovenian FAA visiting to accompany testing of the motor mounts, the project is at a very advanced stage. This aircraft was ordered and has been designed for work in Africa where the availability of Avgas or Super is limited but Diesel or Jet A1 is readily available. He hopes to exhibit the completed aircraft at Aero before handing it over to it’s new owners. It’s not a marketing gag, but instead a serious piece of equipment to fulfil a need in the market. They are also running trials to see if the turbine can eventually be powered by (eg) Hydrogen such that if fossil fuels do become banned, then this is also an alternative
Back to the Panthera (which is really bringing something new in GA, a more efficient design than moneys with a look), it looks like Textron bought Pipistrel to kill them, more than develop it. I think they never really wanted to benefit from Pipistrel experience and models, which could have been good in Europe. It’s efficient design with cheap but good and light carbon fiber cells, very nice for schools and light stuff. These 2 places planes are developping in Europe (look at Elixir, bristell, CSA, …)
The Panthera is just a symbol, but the cherry on the cake is to continue selling expensive parts of models designed in the 50’s running leaded gasoline.
While I struggle to understand why Textron spent a small fortune to buy Pipistrel, why would they do so to kill them? They are nothing like a threat to their core business. If the motive is to protect Cessna, they would have to buy up a lot more companies 
With all the fuss about decarbonisation Pipistrel looks like a great company to own. The certified electric trainer is unique, Think an icon of CSR for the whole Textron.
