Names Of First Customers For The New Jet Will Be Revealed

Pilatus Aircraft Ltd will sign and announce contracts with the first customers for its new business jet at the European Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (EBACE) to be held in Geneva from May 20 to 22.

The Swiss aircraft manufacturer will attend the annual trade fair in Geneva, and will be present both in the exhibition halls and in the outdoor static display. A 1:1 mock-up of the forthcoming PC-24 Super Versatile Jet will be on display for visitors. The latest version of the PC-12 NG turboprop can also be seen in the outdoor area.

As previously announced at EBACE 2013, Pilatus will sign the first sales contracts for its PC-24 at the trade fair this coming week. The Pilatus booth will feature a giant screen, symbolising an order book, on which visitors will be able to follow the progress of PC-24 sales live. Pilatus will announce more details of the first customers as soon as contracts are signed.

"The PC-24 project was unveiled to the general public exactly a year ago," said Oscar J. Schwenk, Chairman of the Board of Directors. "The interest from potential customers has been overwhelming ever since. It was soon clear to us that our new aircraft occupies a unique but typically Pilatus market niche. For everyone at our factory in Stans who is involved in this project, it is a source of motivation and reward to know that we have already found the first customers for our new business jet, even though it is still undergoing development. The sales registered at this year's EBACE are another major milestone in the PC-24 project."

The PC-24 is the world's first Super Versatile Jet and the launch customers will be the first to operate our new aircraft in the demanding conditions of day-to-day use. The first prototype is currently under construction at the Pilatus headquarters in Stans, Switzerland.

The rollout of the first prototype will go ahead on August 1, 2014, which also happens to be Swiss National Day. It will be a unique show event and everyone is warmly invited to come and celebrate with Pilatus. Three prototypes will be built for the PC-24 flight test program, the maiden flight is scheduled for early 2015. Certification and first deliveries to customers are planned from 2017 onwards. 

(Image from file)

FMI: www.pilatus-aircraft.com