© Flightglobal/Stephan Widmer Pilatus has begun taxi trials of its new Pilatus PC-24 light business jet, ahead of the planned ma...
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| ©Flightglobal/Stephan Widmer |
Pilatus has begun taxi trials of its new Pilatus PC-24 light business jet, ahead of the planned maiden flight later this month.
The seven seater twin jet, dubbed the “super versatile jet” due to its short take off and landing capability is the first jet engine powered aircraft built by Pilatus and also marks Pilatus's foray into the business jet segment.
Engine runs were begun in early 2015 using the second prototype. Three prototypes will be built for the certification program and first deliveries to customers are planned from 2017 onwards.
The program was launched in 2012 and the first prototype aircraft was rolled out in August 2014 at ceremony held at stans, Switzerland. Pilatus won an impressive 84 orders for the $9 million jet at the 2014 European Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (EBACE) in May, following which bookings were suspended. The next available production slot is from 2019 onwards.
