Pilatus is finishing up certification work on its PC-24, which it calls the “Super Versatile” jet and claims it will deliver the first customer aircraft before the end of the year. At an NBAA-BACE press conference in Las Vegas on Monday, Pilatus CEO Markus Bucher said EASA is completing its final reviews on the aircraft and that the three test articles–once of which is on display in the hall here in Las Vegas–have accumulated more than 2000 flight hours.
In a business decision somewhat unusual for sales-hungry GA manufacturers, Pilatus has temporarily closed its order book with 84 aircraft sold. Bucher says the company wants to stabilize production and begin delivery before accepting any more orders. Meanwhile, the company has already merged the PC-12 and PC-24 support organizations and has set up 24/7/365 support for the jet even before it has been fielded.
PC-12 sales continue to be strong, according to Bucher. Some 85 PC-12s have been sold for 2017, down slightly from the 91 sold in 2016. Although the PC-12 has a worldwide market, a major slice of it remains in North America. Bucher said about 50 percent of the PC-12 is built from U.S.-sourced components.
