Pilatus PC-24

The Pilatus PC-24 was introduced in May 2013 and deliveries started five years later in April 2018 as is a unique proposition within the private jet industry. It doesn’t strictly fit into any existing category of aircraft.

It has the cabin size of a mid-size jet, the performance of a light jet and the versatility of a turboprop. This has lead Pilatus to create a new category for the PC-24, a category they call the Super Versatile Jet (SVJ).

It has an impressive short-field performance and can operate in and out of unpaved runways (no surprise it is the aircraft of choice for the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Australia).

Pilatus are a Swiss based manufacturer and created the PC-24 after their hugely successful single-engine turboprop aircraft called the PC-12. After gathering feedback from customers Pilatus established that many customers desired an aircraft that had a great cruising speed and a greater range, but maintained the ruggedness of the PC-12.

This led to the creation of the PC-24, one of the most capable jets in the industry.

The Pilatus PC-24 is powered by two rear-mounted Williams FJ44-4A turbofan engines, producing 3,420 lbf of thrust each (6,840 lbf total). These engines can propel the aircraft to a maximum cruise speed of 440 knots with a maximum range of 2,000 nautical miles.

The really impressive numbers are the take-off and landing distance, which are just 2,930 feet and 2,375 feet respectively. The benefit of these numbers is that the number of airports that the PC-24 can reach is far greater than any other aircraft of its size.

For example, worldwide there are just over 11,500 paved airports that are accessible with a take-off distance of 2,930 feet. Now if you factor in the number of airports that are at least 2,930 feet long and unpaved (grass or gravel), the number of accessible airports increases by nearly 20,000.

While the PC-24 may not fly faster than its competition in the air, it reduces overall travel time as you can depart and arrive closer to your final destination, and by using smaller airports there are fewer administration procedures. All this will reduce ground time to the absolute minimum.

The PC-24 features a continuous flat floor (max cabin height 5 ft 1 in), soft leathers, rare hardwood cabinetry with fully bespoke designs.

Once seated, the seats can swivel in multiple directions and the armrests on both sides can fold down, all making conversation within the cabin much easier.

Of course, when an aircraft is dubbed the Super Versatile Jet you expect that to apply to all aspects of the aircraft and the interior is no exception.

The aircraft can be configured solely for cargo, medical evacuations (such as the Royal Flying Doctor Service), even a 10-seat configuration for commuter services.

In the usual business jet configuration, you will commonly see either a six or eight seat configuration.Once inside the cabin passengers are able to connect to the airplane’s server with a phone, tablet or laptop allowing them to follow the flight in Airshow, control the cabin lights, temperature and consume media on the server.

With power ports, USB sockets in the side pockets, cup holders, plenty of storage spaces and a cupboard by the entrance – comfort is second nature in the PC-24.

By the main entrance one can option a fully enclosed externally serviceable lavatory for maximum comfort on a long flight, along with a door to close off the cockpit for maximum privacy in the cabin.

With a cabin volume of 501 cubic feet and a baggage compartment of 90 cubic feet (along with a cargo door large enough for a pallet), the Pilatus PC-24 has plenty of space to get comfortable inside it.

All Pilatus aircraft are certified for single pilot operation and the PC-24 in no exception – somewhat unprecedented in this segment of aircraft. Pilatus have achieved this through an efficient and intuitive cockpit layout.

The design of the cockpit has been arranged in order to reduce the workload for the pilot, allowing for an increase in safety and increasing full situational awareness.

If you are chartering the aircraft you will almost always find two pilots upfront, but if you are yourself a pilot and want to split your time between the front and the back, this aircraft has got you covered.

Pilatus have fitted the PC-24 with their Advanced Cockpit Environment (ACETM). Pilatus say that it “is so capable and offers such a wealth of functionality that in its most basic configuration it boasts the most intuitive and user-friendly cockpit concepts ever seen in business aviation”.

The PC-24 features four 12-inch screens to allow the pilot (or pilots), to arrange all the relevant information in the most convenient and efficient way.

Also included in the Pilatus ACETM is a Synthetic Vision System, Autothrottle, Graphical Flight Planning, Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS II), and Localiser Performance with Vertical (LPV) guidance capability.

Chartering the PC-24 is an excellent choice if you are looking to fly somewhere off the beaten track, or even if you are flying between large airports but want an aircraft that is comfortable and smooth. If you are renting the PC-24 it is estimated that the hourly cost is just over $4,000.

One important consideration when chartering a PC-24 is that there aren’t many around, currently just over 70 aircraft are in service (compared with over 500 Phenom 300’s in the sky), so finding an appropriate operator with a PC-24 is a harder process.