When the early morning sun crests over the high plains, it lights up the headquarters of Pilatus Business Aircraft, Ltd., which sits near the Rocky Mountain foothills in the northwest Denver suburb of Broomfield, Colorado. Located at the approach end of Runways 12R/L at the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (KBJC), the modern aircraft facility finishes and delivers the Pilatus PC-12 turboprop andPC-24 Super Versatile Jet, manufactured by Swiss airplane maker Pilatus Aircraft, to North and South American customers.
The roots of Pilatus Business Aircraft, also known as PilBAL, sprouted with the help of Chris Finnoff, alongtime turboprop sales guru who founded Turbo West Aviation, and sold various types of aircraft before turning his focus on the Pilatus PC-12. The first PC-12 was brought to the U.S. in 1994—the same year it achieved both Swiss and FAA certification—and the Broomfield facility opened in 1996 as a parts and distribution source for North American dealers.
