PC-9 low and fast

Canadian fractional orders 10 PC-12's

AirSprint, a fractional aircraft operator headquartered in Toronto, Canada, placed orders for 23 new airplanes with an aggregate retail value of $116 million with Cessna Aircraft and Pilatus Aircraft. Under terms of the agreements, AirSprint – which currently operates 10 PC-12 single-engine turboprops and five Citation XL/XLS twin turbofans – will take delivery of three more XLS/XLS+ jets and threeadditional Pilatus PC-12/47E “Next Generation Pilatus” models over the course of the next 24 months. Timing of the delivery of the rest of the newly ordered aircraft will depend on customer demand. AirSprint began business in the spring of 2000 in Calgary, Alberta. It has bases in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Kitchener/Waterloo, Edmonton and Calgary, and officials say they have sold just under 100 aircraft interests. The company also provides management services for a number of privately owned aircraft. AirSprint revenues have grown from more than $16 million in fiscal 2005 to an estimated $47. million in fiscal 2007.

B/CA Mar 08

PC-21 to enter Swiss service this month

Switzerland's selection of six PC-21s (first example pictured above) represented the first success for the new model. Assembly is now complete, and the air force has almost finished training syllabus development and qualified flying instructor conversion work at Pilatus's Stans production facility near Lucerne. Operations will shift next month to support training activities from the service's Emmen and Sion air bases.

Flight Global Mar 2008

Bright times ahead for Pilatus trainers

Consultancy Forecast International projects that manufacturers of military fixed-wing trainers will deliver 1,550 new aircraft from 2008 to 2017, reaching around $17.1 billion total. More than half (784) of these new trainers will be turboprop powered, with jet trainers accounting for nearly all of the rest (748). The market for piston powered military trainers is “dying out” and will account for only 18 aircraft during the same period, FI says. Overall, annual production will reach a high of 212 units in 2009 before gradually falling.

Pilatus assembly hall on track.

Some interesting facts:
$22.5 million investment
80,000 sq. ft.
13 month construction program.
Assembly area ready by mid May 2008.
Used for PC-12 production.
Timber used for primary structure of hall and annex.
Concrete floor, pilings, and stairs.
60 meter span of hall bridged by 16 large timber beams.
No supporting posts needed.
State of the art eco compliant heating and ventilation.

Smiling flyer completes her mission

Late last year we reported on the proposed adventure by a group of 8 guys with the notion to fly around the world in a PC-12. Well, they did it! The group of entrepreneurs based in the South of Spain successfully completed the journey with some very interesting statistics.
Total distance travelled – 37,500 miles
Total landings – 39
Bottles of Chardonnay consumed – 424
Backgammon games played – 582
Photos taken – 30,496
Living proof that the PC-12 is certainly the most versatile, reliable and indeed comfortable tool that we all know it to be!

Further information here: http://www.smilingflyer.com/

PC-21 configured for Singapores Air Force

As contenders for Singapore's advanced jet trainer contest showed their wares at the Singapore air show, Switzerland's Pilatus has flown the first PC-21 turboprop trainer configured for the Republic of Singapore Air Force's Basic Wings Course flight training programme. Lockheed Martin was awarded a 20-year contract in November 2006 to support the Basic Wings Course, with training to begin in June 2008. The contract includes 19 PC-21s.

Lockheed will provide aircraft, maintenance, simulators, courseware and simulator instructors to the RSAF's 130 Squadron based at RAAF Pearce near Perth, Western Australia. The PC-21s will replace Aermacchi S-211s.