When Pilatus opened the orderbook for its PC-24 “super versatile” twin jet just before the May 2014 EBACE event in Geneva it pulled off somewhat of a coup. It was the story of the show; in only 36 hours the Swiss OEM had announced 84 orders. The management team then said it would not open the order book again until the aircraft had flown. The program, launched back in 2007, is now eight years along–an ambitious project representing the company’s first jet.

One year on from that EBACE show and the prototype (HB-XVA, designated P01) had been rolled out and started flight-testing. During EBACE 2015 in May this year the Pilatus announced that it had completed a fifth test flight following the first flight on May 11. This was the very start of a 2,300-hour flight test campaign. Along with P01, two more prototypes are being built, with the second, P02, due to fly by the end of October. P03 will then come next, with a full cabin. It will be used for certification and customer demonstrations and will include improvements and changes necessary after the first phase of testing. It will then fly in mid-2016.

Certification is planned for mid-2017 with first customer deliveries shortly afterwards, while the production line will have started to produce the first 10 production aircraft. Pilatus is planning for a capacity of 50 PC-24s a year off the production line at its base at Buochs near Stans, Switzerland.

The PC-24 is designed to be both a business jet and a utility aircraft–the mainstay of the manufacturer’s activities in civil aircraft to date has been the PC-12 single-engine turboprop, used around the world in business/utility roles. All of the customers for the initial 84 PC-24s are PC-12 customers already, Pilatus admitted. But that’s not to say there hasn’t been wide interest around the world from others, and the new type has reportedly attracted a lot of interest, with regions such as Africa and Latin America likely to prove ideal for a jet designed to operate from dirt strips if necessary.

Medevac is likely to prove a popular application, and one of the first customers was Australia’s Royal Flying Doctor Service (having ordered six aircraft so far).

Latin America

In Latin America, Pilatus is represented by Synerjet, which is based here in São Paulo. According to Tom Aniello, Pilatus v-p marketing, the company originally sold and serviced PC-12s in Brazil before expanding to cover the whole of Latin America in 2014. “Synerjet’s relationship with Pilatus was also expanded to become an authorized representative for the new PC-24 Super Versatile Jet,” added Aniello.

There are currently 35 Pilatus PC-12s in Latin America “with the majority based in Brazil.” Aniello said that these aircraft are “employed in numerous roles as executive transport, air ambulance, combination transport/cargo and special mission capacities.”

Pilatus recognizes that “the Brazilian economy is currently facing very difficult challenges” but adds that the market still has “excellent potential for future sales of both the PC-12NG and the new PC-24”…in particular, the growing agribusiness sector has excellent potential for Pilatus aircraft due to their unique ability to operate from short, unimproved runways, carry large payloads and load oversized objects through their cargo doors.

Here at LABACE Pilatus Business Aircraft president and CEO Thomas Bosshard and Synerjet CEO José Eduardo Brandão plan to host visitors at their joint static display, which features a new PC-12NG. Aniello told AIN that “Synerjet will be making an important announcement about a new flight company they have established to offer fractional shares and management services for PC-12s.”

In addition, Aniello noted that the first Chilean-registered PC-12 was delivered to Aerocardal earlier this year–the aircraft is being used as an executive transport as well as for charter and air ambulance services.

“Throughout North and South America use of the PC-12 in a charter role is growing dramatically as passengers enjoy the quiet, spacious cabin and operators appreciate the low operating costs.”

Pilatus reports that interest in the PC-24 has been “very strong” in Latin America. “Of the first block of PC-24 aircraft which Pilatus took orders for, three will be delivered to customers in the region,” said Aniello. “Current PC-12 owners and operators of traditional business jets are closely following progress of the flight-test program, and eagerly awaiting for Pilatus to open the order book on the next block of PC-24s,” he concluded.