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Many of their engineering and sup- port staff have offices overlooking the production line, facilitating collabo- ration. Concurrent with an increase in production is the requirement for more energy. One of their primary corporate goals is a focus on sustain- ability. We viewed real-time displays throughout the buildings advising em- ployees of their progress toward those goals. Along with extensive materials recycling and efficient design, they utilize a substantial on-premise solar installation, evident when I f lew over their airport the following day.
In Person
While viewing the PC-24 in produc- tion, and looking at photos, nothing matches personally touring the air- craft. Tigre and I were fortunate to meet up with Theddy Spichtig, Factory Test Pilot and one of the early Pilatus employees, at NBAA BACE in Las Ve- gas. While externally, you won’t see any noticeable changes, the totality of the interior upgrades is immediately
visible. The jet’s interior was impres- sive before, and the changes integrate well and elevate the experience. The first impression upon boarding is the new beverage center, with contem- porary finishes and convenient wine glasses. The design of the divan is very efficient and comfortable, even for Tigre at 6’6”. The larger cup hold- ers and additional power outlets add to the passenger convenience. The cabin management system is useful, although we didn’t have time to test all of its features.
The f light deck is a comfortable place for the pilots to work, with ad- equate room for even the tallest pilots and a wide range of rudder pedal ad- justments. The cockpit layout and the very efficient and powerful Honeywell avionics suite are all within easy reach of the pilots. In my PC-24 flights, I’ve found it to be the most comfortable flight deck in its class. Flying up to 600 hours annually, I spend a lot of time in the front office, and most cockpits need more attention from the aircraft
designers. You can view a video tour of the new PC-24 on our YouTube chan- nel – Personal Wings.
Conclusion
The new Pilatus PC-24 is a significant upgrade over the current model. With its increased range, payload, and cabin comfort, the new PC-24 is even more versatile and will appeal to a broader range of operators. The Versatile Jet just became even more versatile.
With 12,000+ hours of piloting more than 100 aircraft models, Rich Pickett still has a passion for flying. Rich holds an ATP, CFII SME,
SES, glider licenses, and type ratings in the L29, L39, Citation 500/510s/525s, Eclipse 500S, Beechcraft Premier and DA10. His company, Personal Wings, provides training, mentoring and air- craft services. You can contact Rich at rich@personalwings.com.
12 • TWIN & TURBINE / December 2023
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