We Fly: Pilatus PC-12 NGX

Tuesday, June 02, 2020 at 04:11 PM ET

Verified

“The biggest impediment to selling a new PC-12…is a used PC-12. But that’s what drives us to continually improve and innovate.” Courtesy Pilatus Aircraft

Key Takeaways:

The Pilatus PC-12 NGX represents the most significant update in the model's history, featuring a new Pratt & Whitney PT6E-67XP engine with full authority digital engine control (FADEC) and autothrottle, a first for a single-engine turboprop.
It boasts enhanced Honeywell Epic avionics, redesigned interior with 10% larger windows and BMW Designworks seating that allows for quick cargo configuration, and extended engine overhaul times for reduced operating costs.
The NGX incorporates advanced safety and automation features, including an emergency descent mode, TCAS II, and flight envelope protection, providing a sophisticated and easier-to-fly experience akin to a light jet.
Maintaining its legacy as a versatile workhorse capable of carrying substantial loads to varied locations, the NGX combines luxury, advanced technology, and improved performance, securing strong market demand.

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I first flew a Pilatus PC-12 Model 10 back in 2008 and found it made a nice, stable instrument platform. At 270 knots, it was no jet, but a walk through that gargantuan cabin on the ground with the massive rear cargo door open made no bones about the airplane’s ability to carry tons of stuff.

I think I called it an airborne Chevy Suburban. Pilatus chief pilot Jed Johnson offered a more descriptive tag line when I was in Broomfield, Colorado, for a December 2019 visit to Pilatus Business Aircraft, calling it a “turbine Suburban.”