Tradewind Aviation placed an order today for 20 Pilatus PC-12 NGXs that will more than double its existing fleet of 18 PC-12s. Deliveries of Tradewind’s factory-new turboprop singles under this order will start in the third quarter and then continue at a rate of three to four PC-12 NGXs annually over the next five years, according to Pilatus.

“Our customers value the reliability, performance, safety, and innovation that the PC-12 NGX has to offer, and market demand remains strong,” said Pilatus Business Aircraft CEO Thomas Bosshard. “We are pleased to continue our partnership with Tradewind as they upgrade and expand their fleet, and look forward to celebrating their uninterrupted success for years to come.”

Oxford, Connecticut-based Tradewind Aviation has operated on-demand private charter and scheduled shuttle service throughout the U.S. and Caribbean since 2001. Eric Zipkin, Tradewind’s co-founder and president, said the additional PC-12s will enable the company to “significantly” expand its services. Over the past year, he noted that Tradewind has experienced year-on-year growth and increased demand for private charter and scheduled shuttle flights.