PC-12 Pics from POPA 2010

Here are a few fleet pictures from the 2010 Pilatus Owners & Pilots Association Convention in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Its always great to see so many PC-12s in one place! Flown any of these? Click to enlarge.

Skytech Receives 2009 FAA Award of Excellence

Skytech, a Pilatus Sales and Service Center, has received the 2009 FAA Award of Excellence "Diamond Award" ... the highest level award in the FAA's Aviation Maintenance Technician Awards program. The awards are issued yearly based on the training received in a calendar year. Skytech's Rock Hill service facility has received the award continuously since 2006 and was the only maintenance provider in South Carolina to receive the award in 2009.

"We are honored that the dedication and hard work of our technicians is recognized by the FAA each year," said John K. Foster, President of Skytech Inc. "At Skytech, we rely on building strong and lasting customer relationships, a strong commitment to customer service and a firm belief that providing the very best in sales support and service means continued business success."

PC-12 Spectre Captures Disaster Footage

FLIR released electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) footage from recent environmental disasters including the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull, and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Recording the footage was the Star SAFIRE(R) HD from the company's Pilatus PC-12. The Star SAFIRE HD is the world's first and only all-digital, all-high definition (HD) EO/IR surveillance system. The system serves as the eyes for aircraft in reconnaissance, search-and-rescue, law enforcement and environmental protection missions for governments, militaries and defense communities across the globe. It was designed to record high-quality footage day or night, in some of the harshest environments around the world. The PC-12 Spectre, a surveillance variant of the popular workhorse turboprop, houses this camera on a retractable platform in the tail cone, protecting it when not in use and leaving the cabin intact for other uses.

Pilatus Performs Well Despite Tough Market

In spite of the general financial and economic crisis, 2009 was another year of new records for Pilatus Aircraft Ltd: the highest ever operating income (CHF 78 million), a record number of PC-12 NG deliveries (100) and the biggest single order in its entire history with the PC-21 assignment from the United Arab Emirates.

The United Arab Emirates decided to go with Pilatus again in mid-November of last year. As an existing customer with a fleet of 31 Pilatus PC-7s, the UAE have now opted for the PC-21 training system. The total order for 25 aircraft is worth over CHF 500 million.

A further contract was also concluded with the Finnish Air Force for six PC-12 NGs to be deployed as liaison aircraft. This is the first ever order from a European air force for an entire fleet of this type of aircraft.

The global financial and economic crisis impacted on sales of business aircraft, resulting in cancellations and a slowdown in the order flow. Good planning and a full order book ensured Pilatus delivered a record number of PC-12 NGs (100) notwithstanding, including the 900th PC-12 to an existing customer in the USA.

In 2009, readers of “Professional Pilot Magazine” and “Aviation International News” voted Pilatus Customer Service the best in its category for the eighth and sixth times consecutively.

The Pilatus Maintenance Business Unit remained very busy throughout the year under review, essentially in connection with the conversion of the PC-7 fleet operated by the Swiss Air Force. These aircraft were fitted with a new cockpit. Buoyant demand for component and maintenance work also contributed to good capacity utilization. Maintenance is also responsible for production of the PC-6: five such aircraft were delivered in 2009. The legendary Pilatus Porter celebrated its 50th birthday during the year under review – and was brought right up to date with a state-of-the-art Garmin glass cockpit.

Around the world in 60 days with a PC-12

Here’s a video slide show by photographer Tom Sólo about his round-the-world trip aboard a Pilatus PC-12. Some European entrepreneurs decided to take a Pilatus PC-12 around the world and have some fun on the way. Check out the photographs of this 60 day unique round-the-world trip. Spain, Egypt, Dubai, Maldives, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia, New Caledonia, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Easter Island, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Cape Verde, Morocco, Spain.

Seaport Begins Operations in Salina

SeaPort began operations in Salina, Kansas, offering three nonstop flights to Kansas City Sunday through Friday. Three flights is a “starting place,” McKinney said. A fourth flight to Kansas City is a goal, along with flights someday to Denver in the company’s Pilatus PC-12. SeaPort replaces the 19-seat planes flown by Great Lakes Airlines as the scheduled air carrier for Salina, using a federal Essential Air Service subsidy. The smaller planes are right-sized for Salina, he said, going from two to three flights a day to “give people more choice, more opportunity to get where they need to go.”

Pilatus Partners with PZL Swidnik

Pilatus Aircraft Ltd is pleased to announce its partnership with PZL Swidnik S.A. for the assembly of PC-12 fuselage and wing cells. Following in-depth and extremely detailed assessments of various suppliers, Pilatus is confident that PZL Swidnik S.A. will prove to be a partner capable of meeting the highest standards of quality, and one with the requisite experience and certifications in the aviation industry.

Located in the Lublin region to the south-east of Warsaw, PZL Swidnik S.A. of Swidnik was recently acquired by AgustaWestland, the air transport Group. The contract between Pilatus and PZL Swidnik S.A. has been signed for a ten year period, and provides for delivery of the first complete PC-12 structures during the second half of 2011. Pilatus Aircraft Ltd will continue to produce detail parts in Stans, and these will be made available to PZL Swidnik S.A. for assembly work.

The PC-12 positions Pilatus Aircraft Ltd as the market leader in the single engine turboprop aircraft segment. With a view to safeguarding and further expanding PC-12 production rates in the future, Pilatus Aircraft Ltd has been seeking another partner in addition to the existing relationship with OGMA – Indústria Aeronáutica de Portugal. The long and excellent partnership of many years with OGMA will continue on its present basis.