Pilatus PC-9

what is it?

The Pilatus PC-9 is a single-engine, low-wing tandem-seat turboprop training aircraft designed and manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. Developed as a more powerful evolution of the preceding Pilatus PC-7, the PC-9 features an enlarged cockpit and a ventral airbrake while possessing only a low level of structural commonality with its predecessor. During May 1985, the maiden flight of the prototype PC-9 was conducted; four months later, type certification was received and permitting deliveries to commence that same year.

🔎How to recognise it: 1 turboprop · 10.1 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 593 km/htop speed
• range 1,537 kmwithout refuelling
• size 3,200 kgmax take-off weight
• built 265made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 42 years ago, in 1984.
• 🏎️Top speed is 4.6× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Wingspan of 10.1 m: about 2 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🌍Range of 1,537 km: 9× Amsterdam to Brussels.
• 🏔️Can fly 1.3× higher than Mount Everest (8,849 m).

turboprop: A jet-style turbine turning a propeller: efficient on short hops.

spec sheet

first flight

1984-05-07

introduced

1986

status

still flying

number built

265

role

basic/advanced trainer aircraft

origin

🇨🇭 Switzerland

makers

Pilatus Aircraft

engines

1× Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-62

length

10.1 m

wingspan

10.1 m

height

3.3 m

max take-off weight

3,200 kg

top speed

593 km/h

cruise speed

556 km/h

range

1,537 km

ceiling

11,580 m

wings

monoplane

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.

family