Regional Aviation Authorities Must Be More Aware Of Biz-Prop Needs, Says Pilatus

As producer of the successful (330 delivered to date) PC-12 corporate commuter and utility turboprop, which can be seen in the static display, Switzerland's Pilatus has a vested interest in making it simple to operate such aircraft in Asia.

However, says regional managing director Detlef Kestermann, while those who can afford to buy their own jets have little trouble in getting around Asia, others who could be PC-12 customers are thwarted by bureaucracy and have to travel by scheduled airliner instead.

The result, of course, is less profitable use of executive time, but the military is no less to blame for outdated attitudes to an aircraft with only one engine, says Kestermann. Air force decision makers learned to fly in the days when engines were less reliable, so their continuing prejudice against a single prop has been overtaken by events.

That may be about to change, now that Brunei, Thailand and Malaysia are looking at the PC-12 as a communications aircraft and possible surveillance platform. In the latter role, Pilatus is offering the PC-12M Eagle version, one of which was delivered to the Swiss Air Force late last year. The Eagle has a ventral equipment pannier (and additional tail surface area to compensate) which can be fitted with a variety of sensors, according to customer specification.

There are other variants of surveillance PC-12, namely those used for drugs interdiction by the U.S. Government. These are less conspicuous than the Eagle and purport to be no more than simple transports for staff.

By Paul Jackson