Pilatus PC-12

Turboprop-powered Passenger / Light Utility Aircraft [ 1994 ]

The Swiss-made Pilatus PC-12 has proven popular with global operators and some 1,500 have been produced since introduction occurred in 1994.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/26/2020 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Image from official Pilatus PC-12 marketing material.

GO TO SPECIFICATIONS [+]

Advertisements

Swiss-based Pilatus Aircraft Limited is a long-time player in the world of aerospace, having set up shop as far back as 1939. Fast-forward to 1994, the concern introduced a new single-engine passenger-and-cargo-minded utility aircraft in the Pilatus PC-12. A first-flight of a prototype form was recorded on May 31st, 1991 and the design went into production that same year. Before the end of 2017, total production of the series reached 1,500 units with many committed to the civilian market - though some have been outfitted by military services to undertake special missions roles.

The United States Air Force currently (2018) makes use of the PC-12 series as the "U-28A".

PC-12 Variants
Variants in the family line include the original PC-12/41 with its PWC PT6A-67B engine. These were followed by the PC-12/45 of 1996 which increased MTOW from 9,040lb to 9,920lb. In 2005, the company was granted certification for the next iteration of the series, the PC-12/47. Design changes led to another increase in MTOW to 10,450lb. The PC-12M "Spectre" became a special missions aircraft used by military services.

Pilatus PC-12NG
The PC-12/47E then followed in 2008 and this model shifted to the PWC PT6A-67P turboprop engine. The mark is also known as the PC-12NG ("Next Generation"). This model sports seating for two crew and up to nine passengers depending on the internal make-up of the cabin. Overall length is 47.2 feet with a wingspan of 53.3 feet and a height of 14 feet. MTOW is 10,450lb. The avionics fit it the Honeywell Primus Apex series suite.

PC-12 Walk-Around
The PC-12 operates with a single turboprop engine installed at the nose - the globally popular 1 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67. This is used to drive a five-bladed Hartzell composite propeller. The aircraft can cruise at speeds nearing 330 miles per hour with a range out to 1,845 nautical miles and a service ceiling of 30,000 feet. Rate-of-climb is 1,920 feet-per-minute.

The basic arrangement of the aircraft is traditional. It has straight, low-mounted monoplane wing assemblies fitted ahead of midships and a single vertical tail fin. The tail fin supports a high-mounted horizontal plane. The undercarriage is of the typical tricycle arrangement. The cockpit is situated just aft of the engine compartment at the nose, offering good views for the two crew. An entry-exit door for passengers and crew is fitted to the portside near the cockpit. A cargo door is found along the same side of the fuselage just aft of the mainplanes.

With millions of flight hours recorded by the series, the PC-12 has enjoyed a stellar market run with the 1,000th airframe announced as delivered in June of 2010. It continues to see global sales.©MilitaryFactory.com

Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

January 2018 - The Irish Air Corps have ordered three PC-12NG model aircraft.

October 2019 - Pilatus has revealed its modernized PC-12 NGX model powered by the PW PT6E-67XP turboprop engine. The design also incorporates larger windows as well as an all-new interior finish.

Specifications

Service Year

1994

Origin

Switzerland

Status

ACTIVE
In Active Service.

Crew

1

Production

1,700
UNITS

Pilatus Aircraft - Switzerland

(View other Aviaton-Related Manufacturers)

Afghanistan; Argentina; Australia; Bhutan; Brazil; Bulgaria; Canada; Finland; Ireland (ordered); New Zealand; Russia; South Africa; Switzerland; United States; Tanzania

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Special-Mission: Airborne Early Warning (AEW)
Specially-equipped platform providing over-battlefield Command and Control (C2) capability for allied aerial elements.

✓ Special-Mission: Electronic Warfare (EW)
Equipped to actively deny adversaries the ElectroMagnetic (EM) spectrum and protect said spectrum for allied forces.

✓ Transport
General transport functionality to move supplies/cargo or personnel (including wounded and VIP) over range.

✓ Commercial Aviation
Used in roles serving the commercial aviation market, ferrying both passengers and goods over range.

✓ VIP Service
Used in the Very-Important-Person (VIP) passenger transport role, typically with above-average amenities and luxuries as standard.

✓ Special Forces
Serving Special Forces / Special Operations elements and missions.

Length

47.2 ft
(14.40 m)

Width/Span

53.4 ft
(16.28 m)

Height

13.9 ft
(4.25 m)

Empty Wgt

6,614 lb
(3,000 kg)

MTOW

10,461 lb
(4,745 kg)

Wgt Diff

+3,847 lb
(+1,745 kg)

(Showcased structural values pertain to the Pilatus PC-12NG (Next Generation) production variant)

Installed: 1 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67P turboprop engine developing 1,200 horsepower and driving a five-bladed propeller unit at the nose.

Max Speed

329 mph
(530 kph | 286 kts)

Ceiling

30,003 ft
(9,145 m | 6 mi)

Range

2,125 mi
(3,420 km | 6,334 nm)

Rate-of-Climb

585 ft/min
(178 m/min)

♦ MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the Pilatus PC-12NG (Next Generation) production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)

None.

Supported Types

(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)

PC-12 - Base Series Designation

PC-12/41 - Initial production model of 1994.

PC-12/45 - Model of 1996; increased MTOW.

PC-12/47 - Model of 2005; increased MTOW.

PC-12/47E - Model of 2008; PWC PT6A-67P engine.

PC-12NG "Next Generation") - Alternative designator for the PC-12/47E.

PC-12 NGX - Model of 2019; PW PT6E-67XP turboprop engine; enlarged windows for improved viewing; revised interior finish.

PC-12M "Spectre" - Special missions military variant.

U-28A - United States Air Force designation of the PC-12.

Cockpit image represents the Pilatus PC-12 production model.

Military lapel ribbon for Operation Allied Force

Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Britain

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Midway

Military lapel ribbon for the Berlin Airlift

Military lapel ribbon for the Cuban Missile Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War

Military lapel ribbon for the French-Indochina War

Military lapel ribbon for the Golden Age of Flight

Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War

Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars

Military lapel ribbon for the Iran-Iraq War

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon for the 1982 Lebanon War

Military lapel ribbon for the Malayan Emergency

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the attack on Pearl Harbor

Military lapel ribbon for the Six Day War

Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War

Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for the Suez Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for Warsaw Pact of the Cold War-era

Military lapel ribbon for the WASP (WW2)

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War

Military lapel ribbon for experimental x-plane aircraft

Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.

Images Gallery

1 / 4

Image from official Pilatus PC-12 marketing material.

2 / 4

Image from official Pilatus PC-12 marketing material.

3 / 4

Image from official Pilatus PC-12 marketing material.

4 / 4

Image from official Pilatus PC-12 marketing material.

❮ ❯