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Pilatus PC-21

2008 MODERN AIRCRAFT

History of Pilatus PC-21

Since its inception in December 1939, Pilatus has built a reputation as a preeminent designer, developer and manufacturer of high performance basic/advanced turboprop trainers. These now include the PC-7, PC-9 and PC-12 series, many of which are used in civilian and military aerial circuits, and some are even equipped with tapper roles.

When the company flew a revised/modified version of its PC-7 at the end of 1997, the program laid the groundwork for an entirely new development of the modern training platform "PC-21".

Following the success of the improved PC-7 in 1997, Pilatus developed the design further as a private company. Work began in 1998 and continued until the beginning of the next decade. The result was the first flight on July 1, 2002.

Following certification, the series was launched as a separate product line in April 2008. Since then, the aircraft has been adopted by several operators around the world, namely the Swiss Air Force, the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the Royal Saudi Air Force.

As of the time of writing (2017), more than 200 devices have been received by different customers, and more than 130 prototypes have been built, with production continuing since 2002.

The PC-21 bridges the gap between basic flight training and advanced flight training, bridging the gap between those pilots who have completed basic flight training and who now require greater performance and skill to rival jet-powered platforms.

The aircraft is a modern design trainer with an all-glass cockpit, the use of composite materials in its structure and highly streamlined aerodynamics. The high-performance aspects of the aircraft require a fully pressurized cockpit and an adequate supply of oxygen for both crew members, both sitting under a long-running, largely unobstructed canopy, while equipped with a "zero" Zero" ejection seat.

To better simulate jet fighter flight conditions, the PC-21 is equipped with a Hand Throttle Stick (HOTAS) flight control assembly and Heads Up Display (HUD).

The hull has a sleek look with a clean silhouette for speed. The main plane of the wing is amidships, the empennage relies on a single vertical fin and a low overhang horizontal plane. The chassis is fully retractable and has wheels on all three elements, with a tricycle arrangement.

Dimensions include a length of 36.10 feet, a wingspan of 29.10 feet and a height of 12.3 feet. Curb weight is 5,000 lbs and MTOW is 9,370 lbs. The aircraft is powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68B turboprop engine that produces 1,600 horsepower and drives a five-bladed (Hartzell) nose propeller assembly.

Top speed is 428 mph, range is 828 miles, and service is capped at 38,000 feet. The climb rate is 4,000 feet per minute.

The PC-21 can be plinth-mounted via four underwing hardpoints (two per wing) and the fuselage centerline location. Together these points are rated up to 2,540 pounds for conventional throwing weapons, machine gun pods, missile pods and fuel tanks.

The launch customer for the PC-21 became the Republic of Singapore Air Force, which completed an order for 19 aircraft. The Swiss Air Force committed to the PC-21 in 2006, and deliveries began in 2008. Since then, the Swiss Air Force has built up a fleet of eight such aircraft.

In May and July 2012, Saudi Arabia and Qatar ordered PC-21s. In 2015, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) committed 49 of these aircraft, with deliveries starting in August 2017. Other operators include Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.