Page 17 - SOFEX 2022 - Day 3

PILATUS LOOKS FOR MORE PC-21 ORDERS

With a growing interest for trainer aircraft training fleet and also bridging the perfor- According to the company, the PC-21 can
in the MENA region, Pilatus Aircraft Ltd is mance gap between traditional turboprop be used as a basic, advanced and fighter
eyeing more orders for its PC-21 advanced trainers and expensive lead-in fighters. In lead-in trainer. “This reduces the number
and fighter lead-in trainer aircraft. this respect, the PC-21 provides significant of different aircraft in the training pipeline
advantages over traditional turboprops and and delivers optimum efficiency for maxi-
The Swiss air-framer had delivered the last jet trainers,” he added. mum student quality in minimum time,” the
two PC-21s for Jordan in 2019. The Royal official said.
Jordanian Air Force now counts 12 PC-21s
amongst its ranks. The Royal Jordanian Air The PC-21 is designed not only to satisfy
Force (RJAF) has replaced its CASA 101s the requirements for basic and advanced
with the turboprop-powered Pilatus PC-21s. military pilot training but also to provide
Apart from Jordan, PC-21s are used by enhanced training for all aircrew in mis-
air forces in Switzerland, Singapore, the sion planning and tactical navigation,
United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, mission system management, civil flight
Australia and France. management, electronic warfare, air-to-air
operations and air-to-ground operations
“For years, the market players believed including radar training, simulated weap-
that single-engine turboprops could never ons employment and night vision goggles
replace jet trainers. We have proved the operation.
exact opposite with our PC-21. The trend
looks set to continue. We are currently The PC-21 design ensures a predictable
working on our future successes and are operating cost profile. An innovative con-
optimistic,” a company official said. cept, modern materials and validation with
a full-scale fatigue test, result in an aircraft
“The PC-21 is as benign and easy to fly for that is ideal for both conventional and per-
the ab-initio student as it is challenging formance-based operations. Experience
and rewarding for the pilot preparing for with existing PC-21 customers has shown
the front line. The capabilities of the PC-21 that it is possible to reduce the cost of
make it ideally suited to a very wide training taking a student to wings graduation by
envelope. It can be used from day one, elim- more than 50 per cent, the company offi-
inating the need for an elementary flying cial added.

SOFEX JORDAN 2022 NOVEMBER-03-2022 | 17