Aviation 12

PILATUS PC-24

A BREED APART

T

he Pilatus PC-24 has been dubbed

a ‘super versatile jet’ (SVJ) by the

manufacturer. Initial deliveries have

taken place this year as part of

what the company expects to be a 40-year

build programme.

Pilatus envisages an eventual market of

4,000 for the twin-engine jet over the next

four decades with 40 aircraft are planned for

next year and a further 50 in 2020.

But the company has a history of long

production runs. When it  rst  ew in 1991 the

PC-12, it aimed to sell a couple of hundred;

more than 1,700 have been built and

production continues.

Construction of the PC-6 is only now

coming to an end, nearly 60 years after it

began. It  rst  ew in May 1959.

NEW JET AGE

In the early years of this century, most

established general aviation manufacturers

began exploring the addition of light, jet-

powered aircraft to production lines. The trend

was most noticeable in the United States, but

was mirrored in Europe. Grob (Germany),

Piaggio (Italy) and what is now Daher-Socata

(France) worked on new designs. The

German company was the only one of the trio

to build a  ying prototype, but development

of the G180 SPn was curtailed when Grob

Aerospace  led for insolvency in August 2008.

During the middle of the decade, EADS

Socata was successfully marketing its TBM

700/800 family to the single-engine turboprop

sector. In October 2008, news came it was

investigating a new eight-to-ten-seat, twin-

engine business aircraft, known as the NTx,

although it had not decided if it would be

powered by turboprops or jets. The project

was inherited by Daher when it con rmed an

intention to acquire a majority stake in EADS

Socata in January 2009, resulting in the

creation of Daher-Socata.

While the moribund Grob SPn was

evaluated (and ultimately rejected) as

A BREED APART

PC-12, it aimed to sell a couple of hundred; PC-12, it aimed to sell a couple of hundred;

more than 1,700 have been built and

was most noticeable in the United States, but was most noticeable in the United States, but

was mirrored in Europe. Grob (Germany),

Pilatus Aircraft will start the new year buoyed by successful early deliveries

of its PC-24. David Willis reviews the Swiss-built business jet’s progress.

28 Aviation News incorporating Jets December 2018

Left: The PC-24 was rolled out in 2014 on

Swiss National Day (August 1).

Right: First  ight took place on May 11, 2015,

from Buochs-Stans.