Tokyo (SCCIJ) – Swiss aircraft manufacturer Pilatus has delivered the first new-generation turboprop business jet in a ceremonial handover to Tradewind Aviation in Colorado, USA. Another 19 planes of the PC-12 NGX model will follow until 2027. This model is the successor to what Pilatus calls “the world’s most versatile and pioneering single-engine turboprop business jet,” the PC-12.
The Swiss-made business jet PC-12 NGX flying above Colorado, USA (© Pilatus).
Leading the industry
Pilatus’ most advanced single-engine turboprop, the PC-12 NGX, will join Tradewind’s fleet of PC-12s, further expanding their private charter options throughout North America and the remote islands of the Caribbean. Pilatus and Tradewind Aviation executives gathered to celebrate the milestone at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield.
David Zipkin, Tradewind co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer, said: “The PC-12 NGX provides the perfect balance of efficiency, comfort, and superior performance for shorter flights and hard-to-reach destinations, allowing our clients to save precious time and focus on what’s most important to them.”
Pilatus Business Aircraft President & CEO, Thomas Bosshard, stated: “The PC-12 continues to lead the industry as the global fleet approaches 2,000 aircraft and ten million flight hours. The demand remains very strong among new and returning customers looking to upgrade.”
The planes for Tradewind are manufactured by Pilatus’ US subsidiary, Pilatus Business Aircraft Ltd in Broomfield, Colorado, based at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport.
Handover ceremony of the Swiss new generation business jet PC-12 NGX (© Pilatus).
Major milestone ahead
The PC-12 NGX represents the third major evolutionary progression of the PC-12 airframe. Through the third quarter of 2022, Pilatus has delivered 1,920 PC-12s since program inception and will celebrate a major milestone in delivering the 2,000th PC-12 next spring. Many existing PC-12 customers are stepping up to the latest version to take advantage of the new engine and avionics technology, as well as the completely new interiors.
Introduced at the 2019 National Business Aviation Association’s annual convention and exposition, the NGX model incorporates the first Electronic Propeller and Engine Control System in a turboprop aircraft. The Pratt & Whitney PT6-67E engine is coupled to a fully integrated auto throttle, dramatically reducing pilot workload, increasing efficiency, and extending the time between overhauls by 43 percent. Other upgrades include larger cabin windows, all-new passenger seats, and reduced cabin noise.
The PC-12 fleet has amassed over 8 million flight hours of operating experience, including hundreds of thousands of hours in some of the world’s harshest environments. In 2021, for the 19th consecutive year, PC-12 operators ranked Pilatus‘ customer support as the best in the industry in an annual survey conducted by Professional Pilot magazine.
Text: SCCIJ based on Pilatus materials
