Pilatus Aircraft remains on track to earn certification of the PC-24 twinjet in the third quarter of next year. Andre Zimmerman, vice president of the program, reported yesterday morning at NBAA 2016 that the two test aircraft have flown 1,032 hours over the course of 600 flights through the end of October and are halfway through the test program, having completed natural ice testing, extreme temperature testing and flooded runway testing.
The aerodynamic design has been frozen, and handling and performance numbers are “better than we expected." A third test aircraft has had power on and will fly in the first quarter, while the first customer aircraft are already on the production line in Stans, Switzerland.
“A big bunch of test cards remains,” Zimmerman acknowledged, but he said that the PC-24 will exceed preliminary estimated performance numbers for cruise speed (425 knots), range (1,800 nm) and runway performance. Pilatus has promised to release hard numbers at EBACE in May.
Meanwhile, plans are moving ahead to conduct both flight and maintenance training at FlightSafety in Dallas, where the initial level-D simulator for the jet will be located. A second level-D device is planned for Europe.
The PC-24 order book remains closed through 2019 and covers the first block of 84 production aircraft, most of which have been ordered by existing PC-12 owners.
Pilatus is putting the finishing touches on the CrystalCare maintenance program for the PC-24. It will incorporate the Williams International TAP Blue engine program, as well as coverage for the Honeywell avionics, airframe, electronic flight bag and service bulletins. The pricing of several layers of fixed monthly costs will be driven by aircraft utilization, starting at $545 per hour.
Pilatus is ramping up for PC-24 production, expanding its physical plant in Switzerland and Broomfield, Colorado, by a collective 400,000 sq ft and raising its headcount by 40 percent over the last four years. CEO Markus Bucher stressed that the PC-24 will have 70 percent U.S. content and that the company is committed to expanding its workforce in Switzerland and Colorado, where it has begun an apprenticeship program.
