General Aviation Pilatus PC-24 receives type certification

After completing a maiden flight in May 2015, the PC-24 prototype has flown 2205 hours in total to run through all necessary tests. The jet was tested in hot temperatures, under icing conditions, at high altitudes and unusual speed. Further tests contained noise tests, structural stress tests and the aircraft´s reaction to bird impacts. The successful completion of the tests ensures, that the aircraft meets all safety standards. Both, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the US-American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) handed out the type certificates.

Oscar J. Schwenk, Chairman at Pilatus said: “The PC-24 is the first ever Pilatus business jet. Naturally, the requirements associated with obtaining certification for this sort of aircraft are extremely rigorous, and I need hardly mention that we faced some big challenges. In 2013 we announced that the PC-24 would be ready in 2017, and now, shortly before the end of the year, we have achieved exactly that. And all performance data promised to our first 84 customers have been achieved or even exceeded. The PC-24 delivers a maximum speed of 440 knots (815 km/h) compared to the contractually agreed 425 knots (787 km/h) – to cite just one example.“

Pilatus invested over 650 million Swiss francs in the project. At Stans (Switzerland), the company invested in an own production machinery. Currently, 8 PC-24 aircraft are on the assembly line, with the first one to be delivered in December to the American fractional aircraft ownership business PlaneSense. An official delivery ceremony will be held in January 2018.

In addition, Schwenk commented: “I’m extremely proud of my workforce, and would like to thank Pilatus owners, the two aviation authorities and our first 84 PC-24 customers for their trust and confidence in myself and my team. This project involved considerable risk, but we always believed 100 percent in our PC-24 and were prepared to go all the way to the limits of what we can reasonably do to ensure its success. Obtaining certification is our reward for so many years of untiring effort.”