Pilatus Aircraft, Ltd., located in Stans, Switzerland, has been a world leader in turboprop aircraft design and manufacturing since 1939.
Beginnings. The story of Pilatus began nearly seventy years ago with a small maintenance facility to service the aircraft of the Swiss Air Force. At that time, in 1939, no one could have guessed that the small company from Stans would go on to become a respected world leader in aviation. The answer to what makes Pilatus different is simple. It is a love of flying joined in equal parts by an obsession with precision and absolute focus on customer needs. That is the secret to the founders’ success, and what attracted George A. Antoniadis to Pilatus and the PC-12.
Quality. Pilatus has sought and earned a number of significant awards, including the highest level of international manufacturing certification for its industry: EN/AS 9100 (aerospace series quality management system), a substantial upgrade to its ISO 9001 certificate. These certifications, along with the company’s commitment to un-compromising quality and timely delivery, have earned Pilatus a first-class industry reputation. The combination of cutting-edge technology and precision craftsmanship is evident in every PC-12 we deliver to our share owners.
Aircraft Types. Pilatus currently offers two Business & Utility Aircraft, including the PC-12 NG (which is the latest model of the PC-12 and the model that new share owners acquire when they join the PlaneSense® program) and the PC-6. The legendary Pilatus PC-6 is known worldwide simply as the “Pilatus Porter” -- an extraordinarily rugged, mission-flexible aircraft that is extremely economical to fly and maintain and can operate in areas inaccessible to many other aircraft.
The company also offers three Training Aircraft. The PC-7 MkII is for beginning student pilots and inexperienced cadets, perfect for all aspects of ab-initio and basic training. The PC-9 offers superior training value for air forces around the world, with sufficient power for the more demanding phases of advanced training. And, the PC-21, which is Pilatus’ the next generation trainer specifically designed for pilots who are destined to fly jet fighters without actually having to fly jets until much later in their training program.
Operations. Pilatus is one of the biggest employers in central Switzerland, with a workforce of over 1,100 people at its head office. The company attaches great importance to career development for young people and currently provides training for 100 apprentices in nine different professions.
Pilatus’ subsidiaries include:
Pilatus Business Aircraft, Ltd in Broomfield, Colorado, where 60% of all PC-12s which come off the production line in Stans are finished to customer specifications (e.g. interior and exterior livery). This subsidiary is also responsible for PC-12 marketing, sales and servicing activities in North and South America.
Pilatus Australia Pty Ltd is the company’s PC-12 sales and marketing support centre for Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and on the Pacific Islands.
Altenrhein Aviation Ltd (AAL), also located in eastern Switzerland at St. Gallen-Altenrhein Airport, specializes in the maintenance, modernization and overhauling of Pilatus PC-12s and PC-6s, as well as other business and regional aircraft.