The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
and the European Aviation Safety Agency(EASA) both awarded certi cation for the
Pilatus PC-24 business jet on December 7.The manufacturer closed the order book for
the type shortly after its public launch in 2014,
with 84 customers placing deposits.
Initial production is sold out into 2020
and new orders are now being accepted for
subsequent deliveries.
Classi ed as a light jet, the PC-24 can
carry a maximum of eight passengers and is
unique in having a large upward-hinged cargo
hatch in the port rear fuselage. This mirrors
the layout of the turboprop Pilatus PC-12 and
the PC-24, named the ‘Super Versatile Jet’ by
Pilatus Chairman, Oscar J Schwenk, is aimed
at a range of operators who will bene t from
short take-off and landing performance and
the ability to operate from unimproved airstrips.
The Pilatus PC-24 is expected to be in
service early this year with fractional ownership
company, PlaneSense. Rod SimpsonQatar Typhoon Order Confi rmed
Qatar placed a £5bn contract with BAE
Systems to buy 24 Typhoons on December- Delivery is expected to begin in late
- The deal depends on nancing
conditions with the rst payment due no
later than the middle of this year.
The UK Ministry of Defence has
announced that a new RAF Typhoon
squadron will temporarily include Qatari
personnel and be based at RAF Coningsby,
Lincolnshire. The Qataris will not be a
permanent part of 12 Sqn, but will be
integrated ahead of the delivery of their
Typhoons. At present, 12 Sqn operates
Tornado GR4s at RAF Marham, Norfolk.
Qatar is also buying military jets from
France and the USA. Dassault announced
on December 7 that options for another12 Rafales had been exercised. Qatar
ordered 24 Rafales (18 single-seat Rafale
EQs and six two-seat DQs) under a $7.6bn
deal signed in May 2015. Deliveries of the
original batch are due to begin this year.
Two days before Christmas, news
emerged that Boeing had been awarded a
$6.2bn contract to build 36 F-15 ghters for
the Qatar Emiri Air Force.Delta Orders 100 A321neos
Delta Air Lines ordered 100 A321neos
on December 14. The US-based carrier
selected the largest member of Airbus’ single-
aisle Family in the ACF (Airbus Cabin Flex)
con guration.
The aircraft will be powered by Pratt &Whitney PW1133G-JM geared turbofan
engines and most will be delivered from
the Airbus manufacturing facility in Mobile,
Alabama.
The A321neo ACF introduces new door
and fuselage enhancements enabling airlinesto make the best use of the cabin space.
At the end of November last year, Delta
had 196 Airbus aircraft in its eet (as well
as other types), including 150 A320 Family
members, 42 A330 widebodies and four A
XWB aircraft.China’s rst domestic large amphibious aircraft, the AG600 Kunlong,
performed its maiden ight on December 24. The AVIC AG600, the
Chinese said, will mainly be used for maritime rescue, ghting forest res
and “marine monitoring”.The initial ight was from Zhuhai airport in southern Guangdong
province. It returned about an hour later.The AG600, built by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC),
makes its rst ight. AirTeamImages.com/WeimengFirst Flight for AG
4HEADLINES
Certifi cation for Pilatus PC-
The PC-24 was certi ed by EASA and the FAA in December. Rod SimpsonAviation News incorporating Jets February 201804-05_headline_newsDC.mfDC.indd 4 08/01/2018 16: