Civil | Military | Helicopters | History | Spaceflight

Pilatus PC-12

Type (Muster)
Turboprop business/utility transport

Country (Land)
Switzerland (Schweiz)

Manufacturer (Hersteller)
Pilatus Aircraft AG
CH-6370 Stans
Switzerland

Phone: 0041/41-619-6111
Fax: 0041/41-610-3351
Internet: www.pilatus-aircraft.com

General (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 1 or 2
Passengers (Passagiere): six in executive outfit to nine maximum in passenger version

Power plant (Antrieb): 1 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67B turboprop
Power (Leistung): flat rated to 1200 shp (895 kW) take-off and 1000 shp (746 kW) in the cruise (Reiseflug).
Fuel consumption: 0.538 lbs/shp/h
TBO: 3500 hrs (hot section inspection at 1750 hours)
Propeller: Four blade Hartzell, 1700 rpm, diameter is 2,67 m

Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Length (Länge): 14,40 m
Height (Höhe): 4,26 m
Span (Spannweite): 16,23 m
Wing area (Flügelfläche): 25,81 sq m

Cabin length (Kabinenlänge): 5,16 m
Cabin width (Kabinenbreite): 1,53 m
Cabin height (Kabinenhöhe): 1,45 m
Cabin volume (Kabinenvolumen): 9,34 cu m
Baggage compartment: 1,13 cu m

Weights (Massen)
Standard empty weight (Leermasse): 2661 kg or 2887 kg in Executive fit or 2545 kg for cargo operations
Max. payload (max. Nutzlast): 1873 kg from 2006 (was 1350 kg or 1123 kg in executive outfit earlier)
Payload with full fuel (Nutzlast mit vollen Tanks): 539 kg in standard fit, 313 kg in Executive version or 656 kg in cargo fit
Max. useable fuel (Max. nutzbarer Kraftstoff): 1226 kg (1522 l, 402 US gallons)
Max. zero fuel weight (Max. Masse ohne Kraftstoff): 4100 kg
Max. ramp weight (Max. Masse am Boden): 4520 kg
Max. take-off weigth (Max. Startmasse): 4740 kg from 2006 (was 4500 kg earlier)
Max. landing weight (Max. Landemasse): 4500 kg

Performance (Flugleistungen)
Max. cruise speed (max. Reisefluggeschwindigkeit): 270 kts (500 km/h TAS)
Stall speed (Überziehgeschwindigkeit): 64 kts (121 km/h)
Max. operating altitude (Reiseflughöhe): 30000 ft (9150 m)
Rate of climb (Steigrate): 1940 ft/min (9,8 m/s)
Take-off run (Startrollstrecke): 452 m
Take-off over 15 m obstacle: 701 m
Take-off distance over 50 ft obstacle (Startstrecke über ein 15-m-Hindernis): 700 m
Landing distance over 50 ft obstacle (Landestrecke): 560 m
Landing ground roll: 288 m with reverse
Max. range (Reichweite):
   - 850 km with 1465 kg cargo at high-speed cruse
   - 903 km with 1465 kg cargo at long range cruise
   - 2671 km with six passengers in Executive fit, high-speed cruise
   - 2804 km with nine passengers at long-range cruise
   - 2976 km with six passengers in Executive fit, long range cruise
   - 4150 km ferry flight, no payload in standard fit

Costs (Kosten)
The base price for 2006 was quoted as 2,79 million US-Dollars, with a typically equipped aircraft selling at 3,4 million US-Dollars.
Basic price quoted as 2,826 million US-Dollars in 2001, with a good equipment standard.
Total operating costs per flight hour were given as 363,6 US-Dollars in early 2005, with fuel at 2,52 US-Dollars per gallon. In 2001, a sum of 334,84 (including 136,64 US-Dollars for fuel) was mentioned.
Development costs were at least 90 million Swiss Francs.

Customers (Kunden)
By November 2005, Pilatus had delivered around 575 aircraft.
Known customers include:
Bearskin Airlines
Community Air: 11. Based in Ukiah, California
Harrison Ford: Received one in 2004
Klener Airways
Native American Air Ambulance
Royal Canadian Mounted Police: 13
Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia: had an all PC-12 fleet of 10 aircraft in mid-2004
South African Air Force: two
Thunder Air
US Air Force: 6. The Special Operations Commands 319 th SOS at Hurlburt Field, Florida, operates the aircraft under the designation U-28A, it was announced in October 2005. The aircraft were procured second-hand.
US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA): two, delivered in 1999 and 2000
US Bureau of Immigration and customs Enforcement (ICE): one handed over on 14 May 2004, with more on order
Production was 71 in 2001, 69 in 2000, 55 in 1999 and 51 in 1998.

Competitors (Konkurrenz)
Beech King Air B200
Cessna Caravan

Remarks (Bemerkungen)
The PC 12 is the largest single-engine turboprop in production. It was conceived as a multi-role turboprop that can be configured for use as an executive transport, regional airliner, air ambulance, or cargo or combi- carrier. Operating costs are claimed to be much lower than competing twins. Among the main features are:

a large pressurized cabin with an airstair in front and a cargo door at the rear.
a high-lift wing for operations from small airfields
state of the art EFIS cockpit
single-pilot certification

For deliveries beginning in January 2006, Pilatus announced some improvements to the PC-12 like:

additional useful load (plus 240 kg)
higher take-off weight
new winglets to reduce drag and improve crosswind control
new Flettner tabs to reduce roll control forces
new LED cabin lights for better reliability (they last 20000 hours)
better crew seats

Wings and fuselages of the PC-12 are riveted together at OGMA in Portugal, while final assembly is carried out at Pilatus' facility in Stans, Switzerland. Aircraft destined for North and South America are flown "green" to the United States, where they are completed to customer specifications at Pilatus Business Aircraft's facilities in Broomfield, Colorado.
Pilatus is offering the PC-12 Eagle as a multi-role special missions platform for military applications. It can be fitted with a variety of sensors below the fuselage.

History (Geschichte)
The PC-12 programme was launched to give Pilatus a better foothold in the civil market. Work started in January 1986. The official nnouncement came at the NBAA Convention in October 1989.
Roll-out was on May 1, 1991. At that time, Pilatus predicted a 640 aircraft market over twelve years. The first flight was achieved on 31 May 1991. Chief pilot Hans Galli flew to 10000 feet and operated at speeds between 100 and 140 knots.
The second prototype followed on 28 May 1993. At that point, more than 350 hours had been logged. P-02 was a production representative aircraft with pressurization and a new, stretched wing.
After various modifications, the Swiss certification was achieved on 30 March 1994, about a year late. At that time, 21 firm orders and 23 purchase commitments were in hand. FAA approval followed on 15 July 1994. Deliveries began in September 1994 to Carston Leasing Corporation in the USA, which is the main market.
At the Dubai air show in November 1995, Pilatus unveiled a multi-role military variant, named the PC-12 Eagle. It is fitted with sensors in an underfuselage fairing.
A higher gross-weight option (4,5 tonnes) was introduced in 1996, and this became the standard variant form 1997.
Commercial single pilot IFR operations (to FAR Pt 135) are possible since the summer of 1997. First scheduled services operator was Kelner Airways of Canada, which ordeerd three in November 1996.
The 100th PC-12 was delivered in April 1998 to R.G. Edwards of Unionville (Ontario, Canada).
The 200th sale was announced at the NBAA convention in October 1999.
The 200th PC-12 was handed over in March 2000 to a Canadian dealer.
Around 225 aircraft were delivered by the autumn of 2000, when a production rate increase was thought likely.
Worldwide fleet hours had passed the 200000 mark in October 2001.
The 300th aircraft was delivered towards the end of 2001. It went to the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Australia. At that time, the aftershocks of the September 11 terror attacks precipitated a nosedive in sales in the vital US market, and Pilatus was forced to introduce short-time working in the early months of 2002.
The Max-Viz EVS system made its PC-12 debut on the aircraft in the Pilatus NBAA display on 7 October 2003, and was offered as an option on future aircraft. The EVS system uses uncooled, long-wave infrared sensors to gather data about runways, terrain, and any potential obstacles on the ground or in flight. These images are enhanced, relayed, and displayed on a multifunction display in the cockpit.
In April 2004 Pilatus reported a sales increase by 35% in 2003 relative to 2002. Pilatus led all turbine business aircraft sales in 2003 by delivering 61 PC-12s to retail customers, noting that t the end of the first quarter 2004, nearly the entire Pilatus' 2004 production of 70 PC-12s was already committed for purchase by retail customers and Pilatus' dealer network.
On 13 July 2004, Pilatus signed a contract with OGMA concerning the delivery of another 200 „green aircraft“ from the Portuguese manufacturer, which at that time was preparing for privatisation.
On 11 October 2004, Pilatus Aircraft and Honeywell announced Federal Aviation Administration certification of an avionics package that enables the Pilatus PC-12 to meet the new Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) requirements. The rules took effect in the United States and Canada beginning January 20, 2005. The PC-12 RVSM avionics system includes two AM-250 altimeters coupled to the KFC 325 Flight Control System's Altitude Pre-Selector and a dual pitot-static system.
On 14 January 2005 Pilatus commemorated the delivery of the 500th copy of the single-engine business turboprop. The PC-12 had been the top selling turbine-powered aircraft in general aviation for the past three years in a row. The 500th PC-12 was purchased by Scott Archer, Managing Director of The Barclay Group of Scottsdale, Arizona. Mr. Archer actually took delivery of the aircraft in late December, but returned to Colorado for an all-company ceremony held at Pilatus Business Aircraft's headquarters.
In February 2005, the worldwide Pilatus PC-12 fleet passed a significant milestone when it logged its one-millionth flight hour in operation.
At the NBAA Convention in November 2005 at Orlando, Pilatus announced a round of upgrades for the PC-12 for 2006, as well as a price increase to 2,79 million US-Dollars basic. At that time, the PC-12 fleet exceeded 580 aircraft. For 2005, Pilatus predicted delivery of 80 aircraft and planned to increase production in 2006.

Civil | Military | Helicopters | History | Spaceflight

Last updated 9 December 2005

FLUG REVUE, Ubierstr. 83, 53173 Bonn, Germany