Last weeks handover of the 2,000th PC-12 by Pilatus to PlaneSense, its longstanding US customer, was marked by a large ceremony at the company’s headquarters in Stans, Switzerland and attended by over 2,000 employees.
The anniversary aircraft went to PlaneSense by way of symbolic thanks for its many years of loyalty.
It is another milestone in the Swiss aircraft manufacturer’s history.
Since 1995, PlaneSense®has specialized in “fractional aircraft ownership”.
The company currently operates 43 PC-12s and eleven PC-24s. Both PlaneSense®and its customers have expressed total confidence in Pilatus.
Longstanding partnership
George Antoniadis, Founder, President and CEO of PlaneSense, comments: “We are honoured to receive the 2,000th PC-12. We took delivery of our first PC-12, the 20th built, in 1995.
“This unique aircraft constitutes the backbone of our operation and has been an important part of the success of the PlaneSense program.
“Over the years, the mutual respect of our companies has supported a productive dialogue contributing to the improvement of the PC-12 and the PlaneSense program.
“Our clients have enjoyed the aircraft’s versatility, reliability, comfort, and efficiency for 28 years. Our partnership with Pilatus has been incredibly valuable and we look forward to expanding it further in the years to come.”
Markus Bucher, CEO of Pilatus, said at the handover: “Year after year, our PC -12 is, and will remain, the world’s best -selling single-engine turboprop aircraft in its class with pressurised cabin.
“We have continually developed our bestseller over the years and the current PC-12 is state of the art.
“Today, I’m very proud that I and my team are able to hand over the 2000th PC-12 to our exceptionally loyal and faithful customer PlaneSense.
“I’m grateful that we can count this very professional company among our customers.
“PlaneSense is an important part of the PC-12’s history, demonstrating day in, day out, that our proven, reliable and safe aircraft is ideally suited to the most demanding of missions. Quite simply, it’s the best aircraft in its class!”
The Leader made in Switzerland
Statistically, there are over 70 PC-12s in the air at any given time. In 2022 alone, Pilatus produced 80 PC-12s in the heart of Switzerland for delivery all over the world.
