ABOVE: PlaneSense accepts delivery of the 2,000th PC-12 from Pilatus’ headquarters in Stans, Switzerland
Pilatus has celebrated the handover of the 2,000th PC-12 to longstanding US customer Planesense in what it deems “another milestone in the Swiss aircraft manufacturer’s history”.
The pressurized, single-engine turboprop has been in production since 1991, with 80 examples manufactured in 2022. The latest variant – the PC-12 NGX –was first launched in 2019 and the total global fleet has clocked up over ten million flying hours to date across a variety of missions including business travel, transport operations, medevac and search and rescue flights. Pilatus explain that “statistically, there are over 70 PC-12s in the air at any given time”.
At the handover ceremony on 12 May, Markus Bucher, CEO of Pilatus, noted: “Year after year, our PC-12 is, and will remain, the world’s best-selling single-engine turboprop aircraft in its class with pressurized cabin.” He added his pride in being able to hand over the 2000th aircraft to “exceptionally loyal and faithful customer PlaneSense”, describing the fractional aircraft ownership specialists as “an important part of the PC-12’s history, demonstrating day in, day out, that our proven, reliable and safe aircraft are ideally suited to the most demanding of missions”.
PlaneSense currently operate 43 PC-12s and eleven PC-24s, and took delivery of their first PC-12 – the 20th airframe produced – back in 1995. George Antoniadis, Founder, President and CEO of PlaneSense, described the PC-12 as a “unique aircraft”, adding: “Our clients have enjoyed the aircraft’s versatility, reliability, comfort and efficiency for 28 years. Our partnership with Pilatus has been incredibly valuable and we look forward to expanding it further in the years to come”.
IMAGE: PILATUS AIRCRAFT
