Pilatus PC-21 Reaches Milestone
The company announced the fleet has marked 500,000 flying hours.
Pilatus said its PC-21 fleet has achieved 500,000 flight hours, many accrued by military aviators. [Courtesy: Pilatus Aircraft]
You are probably aware there has been an increase in flight training over the past 20 years, and a number of those people are training in Pilatus aircraft. This week the company announced the PC-21 fleet of 250 has achieved 500,000 flight hours, with military pilots accruing many of those.
According to Pilatus Aircraft, its customers include air forces in Europe, Australasia, and the Middle East. The Swiss Air Force has used the PC-21 to train its future military pilots since 2008. One of the largest users of the aircraft is the Spanish Air Force, which purchased an additional 16 PC-21s and associated simulators in March 2023, making it the airplane’s largest operator in Europe.
“The PC-21 provides air forces with a highly efficient platform for military pilot training," said Ioannis Papachristofilou, who was recently appointed vice president of government aviation at Pilatus. "Featuring state-of-the-art equipment and smart avionics, the training aircraft delivers a high level of performance. With the PC-21, training hours can be flown with substantially less fuel, making it an exceptionally cost-effective, sustainable, and intelligent training platform.”
Training With Pilatus
In addition to the actual aircraft, the integrated PC-21 training system includes mission planning and debriefing systems, training materials, virtual reality tools, and flight simulator to combine for the best educational experience.
More information on the PC21 and other Pilatus aircraft can be found here.
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