Pilatus Secures Contract Delivering PC-21 Trainers To Royal Canadian Air Force

On Thursday, Pilatus announced it has secured a major contract to deliver 19 PC-21 training aircraft to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) as part of the Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) program.

The agreement was finalized through a partnership between Pilatus and KF Aerospace, who are collaborating as part of the SkyAlyne team—responsible for providing training to the RCAF. Deliveries of the PC-21 are scheduled to begin in 2026.

In a Nov. 28 press release, Pilatus noted the PC-21 aircraft will primarily be used to provide advanced training to future military pilots, as part of the 25-year FAcT program aimed at modernizing the RCAF’s pilot training capabilities.

The PC-21 is a highly capable aircraft known for its cutting-edge technology and cost efficiency. The Swiss manufacturer says it was designed with student pilots in mind. According to the company, based on experience with existing PC-21 customers, the aircraft has proven to reduce the cost of taking a student to wings graduation by more than 50%.

“The Pilatus PC-21 is the ideal advanced trainer for the Royal Canadian Air Force and SkyAlyne is excited to deploy it as part of the FAcT program,” said General Manager of SkyAlyne Kevin Lemke. “The aircraft is state-of-the-art and utilized by several other militaries, and it will undoubtedly serve Canada well in the years ahead.”

Pilatus also noted the global fleet of PC-21 aircraft now totals nearly 250, with customers across Europe, the Middle East, the Far East and Australia. The aircraft has been in use by the Swiss air force since 2008.