Turboprop Interest Soars On High Fuel Prices

Swiss planemaker Pilatus had little in the way of new announcements at NBAA 2008, but they didn't seem to mind... as interest in the company's PC-12 NG single-engine turboprop is keeping the company quite busy, thank you.

According to the company, among the customers checking out the latest variant of the PC-12 are current jet aircraft owners, as well as prospective jet buyers. While high fuel prices are taking a toll on the entire corporate aviation market, Pilatus notes every cloud has a silver lining.

Pilatus says its dealer network from Australia to the USA report customers are expressing a desire to step out of their thirsty jet aircraft in to the ultra efficient PC-12 NG. With a cabin size comparable to jet aircraft costing more than twice as much and a fuel burn saving of up to 50 percent, the case for the PC-12 NG has never been stronger.

"Pilatus takes great pride in its ability to offer the marketplace a thoroughly efficient workhorse with versatility and capabilities that rival those of aircraft costing twice as much," said Oscar J. Schwenk, Chairman & CEO of Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. "Our ongoing commitment to the PC-12 continues through our recent introduction of the PC-12 NG which offers pilots sophisticated flight management capabilities and system integration to further enhance operating efficiencies."

Certified earlier this year, the PC-12 NG features a number of significant improvements over its predecessor, including a fully integrated Honeywell Primus Apex avionics system, a completely new cockpit designed by BMW Group DesignworksUSA, and a more powerful Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A engine.

FMI: www.pilatusaircraft.com