Pilatus PC-XII/PC-12

BRIEF

The Pilatus PC-12 first flew on 31 May 1991, about a year and a half after the program was launched. Design features include a low wing with retractable landing gear, T-Tail, voluminous cabin with 330 CF capacity, and in the current PC-12 NG, a PWC PT6A-67P turboprop engine flat-rated at 1,200 SHP. From the center of the USA, the NG can reach any destination in the lower 48 states non-stop. A 2008 review of the PC-12 NG by Flying Magazine reported actual cruise figures at FL280 of 278 Kts @ 54 GPH.

The PC-12 has been highly successful, with over a thousand built so far. Twenty years after its first flight, no marketplace competition exists. Available in many variants, the PC-12 flies as a pressurized executive transport, an air ambulance, an incident response platform, a SAR platform, a military utility aircraft (USAF U-28A), and it has become a favorite with the package delivery service.

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