It was designed as a joint venture between Piaggio and Douglas Aircraft Company of Long Beach, California, United States.

[1] The basic design work was carried out by Douglas and the prototype was built at the Piaggio factory at Finale Ligure.

[2] The PD.808 was a low-wing cantilever cabin-monoplane with tip-tanks and powered by two rear-mounted Bristol Siddeley Viper 525 turbojets.

[3] On 18 June 1968 one of the demonstration aircraft I-PIAI crashed in bad-weather when it flew into the side of Mount Jaizkibel, near San Sebastian, Spain, all six on-board including the Italian businessman Lino Zanussi and the Piaggio chief test pilot Davide Albertazzi were killed.

[5] Data from ,[8] Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide[9]General characteristics Performance Gaillard, Pierre (March 1989).