On Tuesday at EBACE in Geneva, Pilatus launched the PC-24, the much-anticipated, long-awaited follow-on to its popular PC-12 turboprop single. The Pilatus PC-24 is a twinjet, and while it looks in many ways like a conventional business jet, it is a very different animal, bringing together a combination of cabin volume, access, utility, speed, rough field capability and range unlike any existing or proposed airplane. Anticipated certification is in 2017.
The PC-24 will be powered by a pair of Williams FJ44-4A engines of 3,400 pounds of thrust apiece. With nearly 6,000 pounds of fuel capacity (almost 900 gallons), the PC-24 has a range of around 1,800 nm; its top cruise speed will be around 425 knots at 30,000 feet. It will be certified to 45,000 feet. Avionics are from Honeywell — the PC-12 features the Apex suite — and the airplane boasts a huge side cargo door that opens to a part of the cabin that is accessible in flight. A flat floor highlights a big cabin with a five-foot ceiling height and large windows. A large, private lav and fully wired cabin look to make the PC-24 a comfortable place to spend time. The interior, like that of the PC-12, is readily reconfigurable.
Projected price is between $8 and $9 million. First flight is scheduled for the end of next year. Look for much more on the PC-24 in Flying in the coming weeks and months.
