ExecuJet To Welcome First Africa-based PC-24 in October
Pilatus jet will be based at South Africa's Cape Town International Airport and managed and operated day-to-day by the Luxaviation Group subsidiary.
Luxaviation Group subsidiary ExecuJet will welcome the first Africa-based Pilatus PC-24 to its fleet in October. ExecuJet will manage and operate the twinjet, offering it for charter starting in late October or early November. (Photo: ExecuJet)

ExecuJet has announced it will be the first business aviation company to operate a Pilatus PC-24 in Africa. The twinjet, which is scheduled to be delivered in October, will be based at South Africa's Cape Town International Airport and managed and operated day-to-day by the Luxaviation Group subsidiary.


According to ExecuJet, the PC-24 will also be available for charter “a few weeks” after being handed over to its undisclosed customer. With six passengers on board, the Pilatus jet will be able to fly nonstop from Cape Town to Angola, Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique; from ExecuJet’s FBO at Lanseria International Airport in Johannesburg, it can reach Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, and Mauritius, the charter operator said.


“Africa is the perfect environment for the PC-24, with its testing terrain and challenging runways,” said ExecuJet vice president Gavin Kiggen, noting the jet’s flexibility and ability to operate in and out of very short and unpaved runways.


While the PC-24 was designed for unpaved runway operations, Pilatus Aircraft focused on obtaining certification using paved runways before turning to gain approval for grass and dirt strips. The aircraft manufacturer started unpaved runway testing in June and expects to receive “rough field” certification in the fourth quarter.