PILATUS AIRCRAFT LTD.

SWITZERLAND

Formed as Pilatus Flugzeugwerke AG in 1939, as a subsidiary of the Oerlikon armaments company. First aircraft was SB-2 Pelican six-seat light transport of 1944, but prototype only built. Followed by P-2 advanced trainer, produced in quantity for the Swiss Air Force in late 1940s, and the P-3 advanced trainer from 1953. Series production of the P-3 followed for the Swiss Air Force, and six went to the Brazilian Navy. In May 1959 Pilatus flew the first PC-6 Porter STOL monoplane with a Lycoming piston engine; this type has been in continuous production ever since, later developments using Astazou, Garrett, and most recently Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop engine as the PC-6/B2-H4 Turbo P-3 Porter. Pilatus also signed a license agreement for production of Turbo Porters by Fairchild-Hiller (q.v.) in U.S.A. Also undertook Mirage production and maintenance work for the Swiss Air Force. Now known as Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. Company's current product range encompasses the PC-7 Turbo Trainer (first flown August 1978 in production form), PC-7 Mk II (M) Turbo Trainer (first flown September 1992) with new features including stepped cockpits for improved vision, advanced electronic cockpit displays and more powerful engine, the PC-9 (M) Advanced Turbo Trainer (first flown May 1984) with the highest engine power of the range and also selected in 1995 for U.S. military service as the Raytheon/Beech (q.v.) T-6A Texan II, and the PC-12 utility and business turboprop transport (first flown May 1991 and also available in military form). Also, in 1979 Pilatus took control of the LJ.K.'s Britten-Norman Ltd (q.v.) company, becoming Pilatus Britten-Norman, but sold this company in July 1998. Back to the letter P

All the World's Rotorcraft Virtual Aircraft Museum SB-2 "Pelican" P-2 P-3 P-4 PC-6 "Porter", "Turbo-Porter" PC-7 "Turbo-Trainer" PC-9 PC-12