The AVIA L-3 (also later known as the Lombardi FL-3) was an Italian two-seat cabin monoplane designed and built by Azionaria Vercellese Industrie Aeronautiche (AVIA). The design of the L-3 was promoted by Italo Balbo, at the time Minister of the Italian Air Force, through a public tender, to which participated 10 industries, including AVIA and the winner Fiat/Ansaldo AS-1. The L-3 was a simple low-wing cantilever monoplane with fixed landing gear and powered originally by a Walter Persy 60 HP (45 kW) and, in serial production, by an 85 HP (63 kW) Continental C-85 engine. It had room for a pilot and passenger sitting side-by-side and could either have an open or enclosed cockpit. The first aircraft flew in 1937 and production was started, but ended temporarily when the Second World War started. Production resumed after the war and in 1947 the company was taken over by Lombardi. Over 700 aircraft had been built by AVIA and Lombardi when production stopped in 1948. In 1953 Meteor SpA acquired the rights for the FL-3 and with some redesign produced it as the Meteor FL-53 and this was followed by a three-seat version the FL-54 powered by a 135 HP Lycoming engine. A four-seat version the FL-55 was also produced powered by either a 150 HP (112 kW) or 180 HP (134 kW) Lycoming engine.