Dutch Air Force Buys Pilatus PC-7 MKX Trainers, Simulators

The purchase contracts for the equipment and maintenance were signed Friday at Woensdrecht Air Base, the Netherlands Ministry of Defense said.

"This marks the beginning of a new era of basic flight training in the Netherlands, which—I am sure—will set a new standard that other air forces will seek to follow,” Markus Bucher, CEO of Pilatus, said in a statement.

The air force currently has 13 Pilatus PC-7 trainers in its Elementary Military Pilot Training (EMVO) fleet, which prepares pilots for F-35, transport aircraft, or helicopter flight training. 

"Since 1988, the EMVO has provided preliminary training to student pilots at the Royal Military School of the Air Force," the ministry said. "They acquire essential skills in the training aircraft. For example, they learn to maintain control in emergency situations or during complex manoeuvres."

The training gives pilots a head start on course materials, which makes them less likely to drop out, according to officials.

"This is especially the case with fighter pilot follow-up training in the United States,” officials said. “This also reduces the financial risk."

Decommissioning of the current fleet and associated equipment is set for 2027, according to officials.