Pilatus PC-24

Super Versatile Jet

The design of the PC-24 was based on feedback from PC-12 customers who asked for an increase in the range and speed of the plane without losing its unique ability to use very short runways.

The Pilatus PC-24 is a twin-engine business jet developed by Pilatus Aircraft in Switzerland and known as the ‘Super Versatile Jet’. Its versatility lies in the effective combination of size, lightness, and performance.

Brief History

Pilatus PC-24 was revealed to the public at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva on 21 May 2013. The price was set at around nine million U.S. dollars and Pilatus started taking orders for the PC-24 on 24 May 2014. The plane first flew on 11 May 2015. The interior of the PC-24 will be completed at Broomfield, Colorado. Pilot and technician training will be conducted by FlightSafety International in Dallas.

Specifications

The PC-24 is the only aircraft that combines the versatility of a turboprop with the cabin size of a medium-light jet and the performance of a light jet. Pilatus’ PC-24 was designed to achieve an outstanding short-field performance. Moreover, the PC-24 can access almost every airport in the world, enabling users to land as close as possible to their final destination.

Andre Zimmermann, Vice President of Pilatus, described three features that Pilatus’ customers regarded as particularly important in a follow-on aircraft. Firstly, the aircraft has to be capable of operating from short airstrips. Secondly, the cabin has to have volume, as was the case with the PC-12. Lastly, the aircraft was to be developed faster than the PC-12 model. The PC-24 meets each of these requirements.

The Pilatus-24 is designed to be similar to the PC-12. However, the PC-24 is distinguished from the earlier plane by the pallet-sized cargo door. This door, which is 4 ft., 1 in. wide and 4 ft., 3 in. tall, will be especially appreciated by medical transport, utility, and special-mission operators. In line with this, the baggage compartment volume has been boosted from 51 cu. ft. to a spacious 90 cu. ft.

Pilatus PC-24 provides quiet, economical energy to power electrical systems – including heating and air-conditioning. For a light jet, the PC-24’s flat-floor cabin is spacious, measuring 23 ft. in length, 5 ft., 7 in. at its widest, and 5 ft., 1 in. in height at the center of the aisle. This gives passengers substantial freedom of movement, and they don’t have to sit with their necks cranked sideways.

The Pilatus PC-24 is designed to facilitate the possibility of quick and easy cabin reconfigurations; for example, passenger seats can easily be added or removed. The PC-24’s cockpit is equipped with a Honeywell base system, 12-in. screens, two primary flight displays, and a multi-function display providing aircraft system status such as fuel levels or similar.

The PC-24's maximum certified altitude is 45,000 ft and the maximum cruise speed is currently projected to be a minimum of 425 KTAS at FL 300. The time to attain FL 450 from sea level in a direct climb is projected to be 30 minutes. The takeoff balanced field length ranges from 4,430 ft (1,350 m) to 2,690 ft (820 m).

Aircraft Data

Pilatus PC24’s Features:

• Cruise (Max speed cruise, Long range cruise, Normal cruise)
• Climb (High-speed climb, Normal climb)
• Holding (Anti-Ice On, Anti-Ice Off)
• ETOPS (ISA -30, ISA -25, ISA -20, ISA -15, ISA -10, ISA, ISA +10, ISA +15, ISA +20, ISA +25, ISA +30)