Yesterday Pilatus Aircraft sent its brand new PC-24 Super Versatile Jet out on its very first flight, which was a total success. The Swiss company calls its first business jet "super versatile" due to its short-runway performance and ability to handle challenging landing strips, ultimately combining traits of a turboprop with the medium size and performance of a light jet. The aircraft took off from Buochs airport in Switzerland under the watchful gaze of just under 1,800 Pilatus staff and flew around for 55 minutes at approximately 10,000 feet, giving its twin-engine a much-needed workout through a series of planned tests. It returned to runway 07 to a round of applause from its spectators, thrilled to see that their hard work paid off.
"It's an emotional moment for sure, and another major milestone in the Pilatus and Swiss aviation history", says Oscar J. Schwenk, Chairman of the Board of Directors. "See our new business jet take off on its maiden flight is something we've worked very hard for, and dreamt about for a long time. Today, at last, that 'Swiss Dream' became a reality!“
The company plans on making a total of three PC-24 prototypes, which will all be put through an intense testing program amounting to around 2,300 over the next two years. Though the aircraft isn’t planned for production until 2017, Pilatus already sold 84 of them during last year’s European Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition.
