Pilatus has developed a new PC-12 master maintenance plan that will reduce required maintenance labor by 20 to 40 percent, according to the Stans, Switzerland-based company. The range is from users flying their aircraft 300 hours per year up to those flying them more than 800 hours a year.

Under the new maintenance plan, operators can see scheduled maintenance tasks that have maximum intervals and package them. In addition, the new plan lists “pre-packaged” tasks falling under six intervals: 300 flight hours (FH); 300FH/12 months; 600FH; 600FH/12 months; 1,200FH/12 months; and 2,400FH/24 months—all on a “whichever comes first” basis.

The move follows a detailed analysis of the in-service fleet to date, which has now clocked up a total of more than 6.8 million flying hours. Based on this, Pilatus decided to extend the scheduled maintenance interval from 100/150 hours to 300. “We know that low direct operating costs are one of the more important reasons for purchasing a PC-12,” said Ignaz Gretener, v-p of the company’s general aviation business unit.

Pilatus is displaying a PC-12NG on its indoor display this week at EBACE 2018 (Booth L115). The eye-catching livery is by Swiss paper-cutting artist Esther Gerber. “It reflects two essential values embodied in the PC-12: Swiss craftsmanship and perfection,” the company said.