Pilatus PC-24

PC-24
Pilatus PC-24 first prototype landing at Stans, 2015.
Role	Light jet
National origin	Switzerland
Manufacturer	Pilatus Aircraft
First flight	11 May 2015
Status	Under development
Number built	3 prototypes
Unit cost	US$9M (projected, 2013)

The Pilatus PC-24 is a twin-engine business jet under development by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. On 21 May 2013, the aircraft was first revealed to the public; and on 11 May 2015 the maiden flight for the type was performed. The PC-24 is anticipated to enter service in mid-2017.

During the 1990s, Pilatus Aircraft had brought to market the Pilatus PC-12, a single-engine turboprop-powered business aircraft. As the PC-12 quickly proved to be a commercial success, Pilatus sought to follow up with a complementary aircraft and began gathering feedback from customers of the type. In response to this request, several customers reportedly expressed a desire for an aircraft that would possess both a greater range and top speed than the existing PC-12, while retaining the type's overall ruggedness and ability to make use of very short runways. Based on this feedback, Pilatus elected to pursue development of such an aircraft. In 2007, Pilatus initiated work on the program. Development of the aircraft was conducted using existing company funds.

Designated as the PC-24, Pilatus decided that the new design would use jet propulsion, choosing to power the type using a pair of Williams FJ44 engines; the PC-24 is the company's first jet-powered aircraft. Beyond the propulsion choice, several other unique features were developed for the PC-24; Pilatus and Honeywell cooperatively designed the Advanced Cockpit Environment for the type. This is intended to reduce pilot workload and allows the PC-24 to be single-pilot certified. Several competing business aircraft were identified early on, including Embraer's Phenom 300 and Cessna's Citation CJ4.

On 21 May 2013, the PC-24 was introduced to the public at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva. At the time, Pilatus chairman Oscar Schwenk claimed the PC-24 did not fit into any existing business jet categories, and stated that the aircraft was the only one that combined "...the versatility of a turboprop with the cabin size of a medium light jet, and the performance of a light jet".