Pilatus PC-21

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Pilatus PC-21
A PC-21 on approach for landing during the Royal International Air Tattoo.
Type: Training aircraft
Design country:

SwitzerlandSwitzerland Switzerland

Manufacturer:

Pilatus Aircraft

First flight:

July 1, 2002

Number of pieces:

278+

The Pilatus PC-21 is a single-engine turboprop - training aircraft , which is designed for a wide range of training.

history

The starting point of the development can be seen in the tests carried out in November 1997 with a modified PC-7 Mk.II , on which, for example, new wings and a 1190 kW PT6 propeller turbine were tested. The actual construction work on the practically completely newly developed PC-21 then began in early 1999, using modern CAD design processes. Construction of the first prototype began in 2001 and Pilatus celebrated its rollout on May 1, 2002 ; two months later the first flight took place with Bill Tyndall. The machine was presented at the RIAT and Farnborough Air Show that same month . At the end of 2004, Pilatus received the type certificate from the Federal Office for Civil Aviation (FOCA) for the PC-21, which was ready for series production. Up to this point in time, CHF 200 million had been invested in the development.

The second prototype (HB-HZB), which flew for the first time on June 7, 2004 with head test pilot Andreas Ramseier, crashed on January 13, 2005 while training for a flight demonstration. Ramseier had a fatal accident and an uninvolved person on the ground was seriously injured. The first production machine had its maiden flight on August 29, 2005, although at that time there was no official order for the machine.

The big breakthrough came in the PC-21 in early November 2006 when the Air Force of Singapore 19 copies for 700 million Swiss francs ordered. The machines were delivered to the Singapore training center in Perth, Australia, from spring 2008. The Swiss Air Force signed on 22 January 2007 the purchase contract for six aircraft for its jet pilot training program (JEPAS). The price for all machines including logistics was 115 million Swiss francs. The fighter jet pilot of the Swiss Air Force, Fanny Chollet (* 1991), was the first woman to complete her basic tactical training on the Pilatus PC-21 in 2017. The aircraft were delivered from September 2007. In November 2009 the Air Force of the United Arab Emirates ordered 25 PC-21s including flight simulators and logistics support with an order value of more than CHF 500 million. The first of these machines to be delivered from the beginning of 2011 had its maiden flight on November 22, 2010. After orders from Australia and France in 2015 and 2016, no machines were sold for three years. The order of the Spanish Air Force for 24 aircraft at the turn of the year 2019/2020 ensured the continued employment of the employees working in the production of the aircraft, which would otherwise have become unsafe from 2021.

properties

The flight characteristics and the on-board systems are based on modern jet trainers . A powerful engine (around 40% more powerful than that of the PC-9 ) is used together with a five- blade Hartzell propeller with a diameter of 2.39 m. The engine has a jet-like response behavior thanks to an electronic control system, whereby the torque of the engine is compensated for by automatic rudder control. The aerodynamics are designed for maneuverability and speed. For example, the ailerons are hydraulically supported by small spoilers, which ensures a high roll rate of 200 ° / s. The heart of the avionics is the modern digital cockpit , each with three LCDs (15 × 20 cm) and a head-up display connected to the input panel for the two pilots below. With the “open architecture mission system”, the aircraft is far more powerful and flexible than comparable training aircraft. For emergencies it is with two ejection seats Martin Baker equipped CH16C (Mk.16L). The PC-21 can be used for both basic and advanced pilot training. Most of the jet training can be completed on the PC-21. However, noise and environmental pollution as well as the costs are many times lower.

Users

The PC-21 A-104 and A-105 at Emmen Airfield
AustraliaAustralia Australia
Royal Australian Air Force : 49 PC-21
The delivery took place from June 2017-
The majority, 42, are used as basic and advanced trainers at No. 1 Flying Training School in East Sale (22) and No. 2 Flying Training School in Pearce (20), where they replaced the CT / 4 (located in Tamworth ) and the PC-9A in 2019 . The remaining seven copies are at No. 4 Squadron in Williamtown (4) and the Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU) in Edinburgh (3) in service.
FranceFrance France
French Air Force : 17 PC-21
In January 2017, Pilatus received the purchase contract for 17 PC-21s from the French Ministry of Defense. The aircraft were delivered in 2018/2019.
They are operated by the École d'Aviation de Chasse on the BA 709 Cognac-Châteaubernard .
JordanJordan Jordan
Jordanian Air Force : 8 PC-21s
Jordan initially ordered 9 PC-9Ms in 2015 and changed this order to eight PC-21s in 2016
QatarQatar Qatar
Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF, Qatar Air Force) : 24 PC-21s
In the summer of 2012, Qatar ordered 24 PC-21s for around 600 million Swiss francs . The delivery is to take place from 2014. The QEAF does not currently have a training aircraft of this class, which is why the corresponding structures and the simulators that have been ordered will be newly created on site in the new Air Force Academy.
Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia Saudi Arabia
Royal Saudi Air Force : 55 PC-21
In 2012, the Saudi Air Force ordered 55 PC-21s as an advanced trainer to replace their Pilatus PC-9 . Delivery started in 2014.
SwitzerlandSwitzerland Switzerland
Swiss Air Force : 8 PC-21s
The Swiss Air Force uses eight PC-21s for advanced training to replace the BAE Hawk, which was eliminated in 2002 . The first tranche comprised six PC-21s and was delivered in 2008, the two re-ordered aircraft were handed over to the Swiss Air Force on April 12, 2012.
SingaporeSingapore Singapore
Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) : 19 PC-21
The PC-21 replaced the previously used SIAI-Marchetti S. 211 . used as an advanced trainer at the RSAF Flight Training School on the Australian air force base RAAF Base Pearce.
SpainSpain Spain
Spanish Air Force : 24 PC-21s
In December 2019 it was announced that Spain will purchase 24 copies with delivery between 2020 and 2022 as a C-101 replacement, the contract was concluded in early 2020
United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates Air Force : 25 PC-21s
The UAE Air Force uses the PC-21 as an advanced trainer, replacing their BAE Hawk Mk63 .
United KingdomUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
QinetiQ : 2 PC-21 ordered in 2017

Technical specifications

Parameter Data
crew 2
length 11.23 m
span 9.11 m
height 3.75 m
Wing area 15.22 m²
wheelbase 2.49 m
Gauge 2.72 m
payload ? kg
Empty mass 2,280 kg
Max. Takeoff mass 4,250 kg (3,100 kg for aerobatics)
Marching speed 574 km / h at an altitude of 3050 m
Top speed 685 km / h, Mach 0.72 (624 km / h in level flight)
Stall speed 150 km / h
Service ceiling 11,580 m
Rate of climb 1219 m / min (21.6 m / s at sea level and 10.8 m / s at 6100 m altitude)
Takeoff route 725 m (over a 15 m obstacle)
Landing route 900 m (over a 15 m obstacle)
Load factor + 8 / -4 g
Range 1330 km
Engines a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 A-68B with 1200 kW

External loads

Since the PC-21 can simulate the use of guided and drop weapons on the display instruments for weapon training, it is currently not intended to carry weapons. However, the infrastructure is prepared for four lower wing stations and one lower hull station for weapons for the counter-insurgency role.

External loads of up to 1,150 kg at five external hanging stations
External container

See also

Web links

Commons : Pilatus PC-21  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ FOCA Swiss Aircraft Register ICAO PC21 = Total: 178
  2. ↑ FlugRevue October 2010, pp. 61–64, Pilatus PC-21 - aircraft down to the smallest detail
  3. ↑ Fanny Chollet - First woman in a Swiss fighter jet
  4. ↑ The first female jet pilot . In: Schweizer Sodat , January 2018 / Switzerland.
  5. ↑ Pilatus can secure jobs in Stans thanks to a major order from Spain , NZZ, January 31, 2020
  6. ↑ FlugRevue October 2008, pp. 54–58, With the prop straight to the jet
  7. ^ Nigel Pittaway: Australia To Buy PC-21 Trainers, Relocate Basic Training. DefenseNews. September 11, 2015, accessed April 18, 2016.
  8. ↑ L'Armée de l'Air sélectionne l'avion-école Pilatus PC-21, Avions Legendaires, January 4, 2017
  9. ↑ Jordan in the evening Pilatus order to take PC-21 trainers. Flightglobal. April 11, 2016, Retrieved April 18, 2016.
  10. ↑ a b c d e Craig Hoyle: Pilatus marks PC-21 production milestone. In: Flightglobal.com. February 20, 2015, accessed on November 12, 2017 (English): "Pilatus has rolled out its 100th PC-21 turboprop trainer, with the Royal Saudi Air Force aircraft sporting special markings."
  11. ↑ Saudi Arabia buys Swiss PC-21 planes. Day indicator . May 23, 2012, accessed April 18, 2016.
  12. ↑ Initial Singapore PC-21 Deliveries Completed. Airforces Monthly, June 2008 ( online ).
  13. ↑ Spain signs for PC-21 trainers, Janes, February 3, 2020
  14. ↑ SIPRI - Trade Registers China (English)
  15. ↑ French air force, Qinetiq confirmed as PC-21 buyers French air force, Qinetiq confirmed as PC-21 buyers, Flightglobal, January 4, 2017