The Pilatus PC-24 Super Versatile Jet turned heads at this week’s Festival of Speed show at Goodwood Aerodrome in southern England when it became the first business jet to land on the rural site’s 2,621-foot grass runway. The Swiss manufacturer is in the process of getting the PC-24 certified for operations on grass, with the super-midsize twinjet having already been approved for dirt and gravel runways by both the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the U.S. FAA.
According to Pilatus, the PC-24’s short-and-unpaved landing capability allows it to operate from almost twice as many airports as comparably sized jets. The aircraft also is approved for steep approach, such as the 5.5-degree approach to London City Airport.
At the Festival of Speed event (July 4-7), the PC-24 is being displayed in the VIP air arrival area alongside a pair of Pilatus PC-12NG turboprop singles by UK authorized Pilatus center Oriens Aviation. Also featured in the event’s aviation display area are Bell 407 and 505 helicopters and a PAL-V Liberty flying car.
