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FEATURE PILATUS PC-24

Power Packed boasts the most intuitive and user-friendly to the company’s PC-21 advanced military
Powered by two Williams International cockpit concepts ever seen in business trainer, it will have a low-drag airfoil that
FJ44-4A turbofan engines producing a aviation. was developed in-house. The PC-24 will
max take-off thrust of 3,400 lbf, the PC- Four 12-inch screens ensure that all be capable of both high-altitude, high-
24 is predicted to have a top speed of relevant information is displayed in the speed cruise and fitted with dual-wheel
approximately 787 km/h. Maximum range right place and with no delay. The Inertial main gear with low-pressure tires and
with six passengers (1,200 lb payload) is Reference System (IRS) guarantees anti-skid brakes.
stated to be 3,330 km. excellent reliability and accuracy of “This is the only aircraft combining the
“We chose the FJ44-4A as it delivers altitude and navigation data. As standard versatility of a turboprop with the cabin size
ample power to support the PC-24’s equipment, the Pilatus ACE also includes of a medium-light jet, and the performance
excellent field performance and enables a Synthetic Vision System, Autothrottle, of a light jet. It’s a plane that simply doesn’t
a direct climb to the PC-24’s operational Graphical Flight Planning, Traffic Collision fit into any of the existing business jet
ceiling. But we wouldn’t be Pilatus if we Avoidance System (TCAS II), and Localizer categories. That’s why we had to create this
simply settled there – we wanted to go Performance with Vertical (LPV) guidance new aircraft,” Schwenk says.
further. The all new PC-24’s unique Quiet capability. Pilatus’s first ever business jet has taken
Power Mode provides quiet, economical “We developed Pilatus ACE in a while in coming and hopes to follow on the
energy to power electrical systems – partnership with Honeywell, whose footsteps of the successful PC-12 turboprop
including heating and air-conditioning products have a proven track record in which has sold over 1,200 aircraft till date.
– independent of any source of ground much larger aircraft,” Schwenk says. As Schwenk says, “everything can be sold,
power.....An APU without an APU. These but certain things are very hot to sell.”
innovations offer more operational Want to Carry Your Harley?
flexibility and higher fuel efficiency. Or PC-24 can claim to be the first business
to put it simply: maximum versatility,” jet with a standard pallet-sized cargo
Schwenk says. door. “Some of our PC-12 customers have
been known to take their motorbike with
Pilot’s Place them. Now they can do that at jet speed,”
All Pilatus aircraft are certified for Schwenk says.
single-pilot operation. And the PC-24 is The newest Pilatus is the firm’s first
no exception to this rule. The PC-24’s production twin, and a twin turbofan at On Aug. 1, a team of 24 horses
Advanced Cockpit Environment (ACE) sets that. High-strength aluminum alloys will pulled the first prototype out of
the standard for high-tech simplicity. It be used for the primary airframe. Similar the production halls
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