Swiss Precision—The Pilatus PC-12 NG

By Graeme Mollison.

When Pilatus Australia sent a PC-12 NG demonstrator on a New Zealand tour recently, Graeme Mollison took the opportunity to put the aircraft through its paces and was impressed with what he found.

Perhaps most famous historically for its magnificently rugged PC-6 Turbo-Porter, which is still in production after 50 years, Pilatus Aircraft—which takes its name from nearby Mt Pilatus—began as a small maintenance facility in 1939 servicing aircraft of the Swiss Air Force. In 70 years of servicing, designing and building aircraft for military and civilian use, there is one thing that all aircraft from Pilatus have had in common: single engines. Although Pilatus purchased Britten-Norman Aircraft in 1978 and produced a number of multi-engined aircraft under the Pilatus Britten-Norman banner (it re-sold Britten-Norman in 1998), Pilatus has never sold any multi-engine aircraft of its own design.

The PC-12 NG is the latest offering from the company, which, in addition to the stalwart Turbo-Porter, also produces the PC-7 MkII, -9M and -21 military trainers. The PC-12 NG (Next Generation) is an upgrade of the original PC-12, which first flew in May 1991 and of which 788 were produced. The “NG” took to the sky in late 2006 and gained certification the following year.

Systems Upgrade

The NG has had a major systems upgrade compared to its predecessor. Central to this is the Honeywell Primus Apex avionics system, which was developed for Pilatus to reduce workload for the single pilot and improve safety. It incorporates four 25 cm (10 in) display screens: a primary flight display (PFD) for each pilot (the right side installation is optional) and two multifunction displays (MFD) in the centre. The MFDs can display a plethora of information including flight plan details, a moving map and electronic Jeppesen charts as well names, addresses and contact numbers for hotels and rental car/transport companies—a handy feature for those last minute trips or unexpected diversions.

A multifunction controller incorporating alphanumeric buttons and a small joystick is used to programme and access information on the PFDs and MFDs. Standby instrumentation consists of a single electronic unit, which incorporates its own emergency battery so that in the event of an electrical failure, it displays attitude, speed and altitude information.

Interior

Pilatus employed BMW Designworks USA to give the PC-12 an interior makeover and the result is nothing short of superb. Climbing the forward airstairs, one enters a world of luxurious leather and fine wood. The demonstration aircraft was configured in a spacious six-place executive layout with large fully adjustable leather seats, beautifully finished worktables with leather inlays, power for a laptop, a refreshment centre, and a bathroom and toilet. The generous luggage area is in the pressurised section of the aircraft, conveniently allowing it to be accessed in flight if required. There is also a satellite phone option available for data and voice connectivity.

The PC-12 NG is capable of maintaining a sea level cabin altitude to 13,200 feet and at FL250, the cabin is still at a comfortable 8,000 feet. With the new environmental system in the aircraft, the pressurisation system is fully automatic and does not require any pilot intervention.

Various cabin configurations are available for the PC-12 NG from all-cargo to a “high-density” nine-seat interior and a range of combinations between. Although it is only the executive version that gets the BMW Designworks USA interior treatment, all PC-12 NG cockpits have it—and it shows; the quality of finish and attention to detail both in the cabin and the cockpit on the demonstration aircraft was stunning.

Performance

The PC-12 NG is powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67P, which is flat-rated to 1,200 shp (around 70% of its rated 1,744 shp). The -67P is part of the PT6 family of engines that have now accumulated more than 300,000,000 hours worldwide, so reliability is well proven.

This is an aeroplane with some “get up and go”, having a TAS of 280 knots at 20,000 feet. By trading speed, it is capable of cruising as high as 30,000 feet in order to get more range or to avoid weather (the aircraft has a weather radar installed on the starboard wingtip). This puts Christchurch within two hours of Auckland, and Wanaka or Queenstown within two and a half hours flying time. Importantly, the PC-12 NG doesn’t need a wide, long, sealed runway. During its New Zealand tour, the aircraft spent a day operating from the grass vectors at Omaka in Marlborough’s wine country—not bad for an aircraft that also flew across the Tasman non-stop from Brisbane to Auckland in around four hours!

Flying the PC-12 NG

The opportunity to fly the latest offering from the Swiss manufacturer is not the kind of call I get every day so when this one came, it was automatically a case of “I’ll be there” without even considering where “there” might be. As it turned out, “there” was Wellington, New Zealand, which is renowned for its somewhat “sporting” conditions at times; in the course of my “day job”, I have operated there with the wind gusting to 60 knots. Thankfully, on the day of our demonstration flight, it was gusting a more sedate six knots—my kind of weather!

Wellington’s Capital Jet Services graciously provided facilities for me to talk to Pilatus’s New Zealand sales manager, Alan Aitcheson, and Pilatus Australia’s demonstration pilot, Peter Tippett—both of whom are passionate supporters of their product. After a lengthy discussion on the pros of owning and operating a modern single engine turbine aircraft such as the PC-12 NG (it is a convincing case and one that the regulators have warmed to in recent years), Peter provided a comprehensive briefing before we headed out to get acquainted with VH-VTF.

The Australian-registered PC-12 NG made a fine sight parked on the apron, exuding a quality that is hard to explain. It is a bit like comparing a Breitling Professional Aerospace watch with Casio G-Shock. Both are accurate and practical, but there is absolutely no denying the “presence” and aura of the Swiss precision that draws one’s eye immediately to the Breitling product. So it is with the “Swiss precision” of the PC-12 NG on the airport apron.

Entry to the aircraft is via a sturdy integral air stair just forward of the port wing. Turn right at the top to enter the cabin or left to enter the cockpit; I turned left. At Peter’s invitation, I made myself comfortable in the left seat. This was accomplished with ease and without any need to be a contortionist; Pilatus has incorporated a convenient handle in the centre of the cockpit above the glare shield to hold onto as one swings across the centre pedestal and into the seat. Compared to some of the aircraft I have flown over the years, the PC-12’s cockpit is wide and uncluttered with a spacious feel.

Once seated, a ball sighting mechanism installed on the top of the glare shield—reminiscent of larger aircraft—assists pilots of all shapes and sizes to find the correct seating position. By aligning a white ball with the centre of the blue ball of the sighting mechanism, one is at the correct eye-height in relation to the instruments and to ensure optimum visibility from the cockpit.

A small overhead panel contains switching for systems that are seldom used during flight. These are pretty much checked and set during the cockpit preparation phase and then “forgotten” (“set and forget”) with the exception of the external lights.

The centre pedestal is well laid out and nicely positioned, as are the engine controls. The power lever combines the operation of the throttle and propeller RPM into a single decent-sized lever that fits comfortably into the palm of the hand and moves smoothly with just the right amount of friction—nice and simple.

Although the PC-12 NG has an electronic checklist, for today’s flight, we would be sticking to the conventional laminated plastic version! The preflight preparation checklist is fairly long; however, many of the items are covered in the form of cockpit flow, which can then be checked off the checklist towards the end of the setup. Turning the battery switch on powers the basic systems necessary to prepare the aircraft for flight: communications, fire-test and the lower MFD, which allows the flight to be programmed into the Honeywell Primus Apex avionics suite. One simply enters the point of departure, destination, fuel, weight and V-speeds, with no need to worry about the pressurisation, which takes care of itself. I was immediately impressed with how simple and intuitive the system was.

The start button is on the overhead panel—push it and the Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67P engine comes alive. Move the condition lever to “Ground Idle” at 13% and within a short time, the engine is humming at idle. The two generator switches on the overhead panel are normally left in the ON position. They automatically come on line when the engine starts and drop off line when it shuts down (again, “set and forget”). Should a generator fail, load shedding is automatic, thus reducing pilot workload. Two 24V/42Ah batteries ensure there should always be power available for preflight preparations and engine start, and, in the unlikely event of an engine failure, there is plenty of power to the standby systems for a 32-minute/90-nm glide from FL300.

With the after-start checks complete, we set the flaps to 15 degrees before commencing our taxi. The aircraft is taxied using the rudder pedals, which are linked to the nosewheel. Even without using differential braking, the PC12 turns through 180 degrees with ease and is soon accelerating along the taxiway; beta and braking are used to control the speed on taxi. Beta is selected by closing the power lever to the idle gate and then lifting the detent mechanism, which allows the power lever to be moved behind the idle gate and into the beta range. The steering is smooth with just the right amount of feel, as are the brakes, which are not short of power.

The PC-12 NG has a takeoff configuration warning system which provides a warning to the pilot if the condition lever has not been set to High (flight) idle, if the flaps are not set in the takeoff range or if the trim is out of the takeoff range.

We were to formate on a Cessna 182 camera ship during the first part of our flight so we gave it a small head-start before commencing our takeoff roll. With the power set to 40 inches (well short of the maximum), the PC-12 NG leapt into life. Acceleration was brisk with very little swing. At 80 knots, we rotated, pitched the nose up to 10 degrees and were quickly heading for the overcast. After raising the gear, then retracting the flaps, we had the C182 in our sights and were closing fast as we turned left at 800 feet. As I reduced power further to bring our indicated speed back to 140 knots, Peter activated the PC-12 NG’s yaw damper, which effectively took care of the rudder for me—a nice feature.

TCAS was used to assist in sighting opposing traffic as we headed for the Wairarapa in loose formation with the C182. Such is the versatility of the PC-12 NG that it can cruise at up to 280 knots at altitude or slow to 110 knots (so as not to overtake accompanying C182s) without having to select flap. The published stall speed is 66 KIAS at “flap-40”.

Having finished posing for the camera, it was time to head off on our own to explore a little more of the PC-12 NG’s virtues and try to unearth some vices. I advanced the power and commenced a cruise climb—at an impressive 2,000 feet a minute or so—to 13,000 feet. Noise levels were quite acceptable, especially when assisted by Bose X ANR headsets (two are supplied as standard, even though this is a single-pilot aircraft).

Upon levelling at 13,000 feet, I carried out a few medium and steep turns in order to get a feel for the aircraft. Pilatus has installed new aileron tabs to improve roll control forces in the NG. I had not flown the previous model, so cannot compare the two. However, the results are superb, with the aircraft being smooth yet crisp in roll. The aircraft is beautifully stable, yet suitably responsive, making it wonderfully easy to fly.

I then pick up our IFR clearance: “Direct to ATSUN”, which I execute through the multifunction controller. With the autopilot engaged in the LNAV (lateral navigation) mode, we were on our way towards the standard arrival (STAR) into Wellington. The STAR would link us straight on to the ILS/DME approach for Runway 16. The arrival and approach were already in the PC-12 NG’s database so programming was a simple process. With the waypoints and constraints listed down the left side of the MFD, and the track projected onto the moving map, checking was just as simple. Paper charts are not required, as arrival and departure Jeppesen plates can be requested and displayed on the MFD.

The Honeywell system had calculated a top-of-descent (TOD) for us based on compliance with all of the altitude constraints on the STAR, all the way down to decision altitude on the ILS. So at the TOD on the map display, we selected vertical speed pitch mode. A vertical path indicator (similar to the glideslope in its presentation) meant it was just a case of adjusting the vertical speed to keep the aircraft on the programmed “slope”.

Speed was controlled manually by adjusting the power. Future plans for the PC-12 NG include the incorporation of a vertical navigation mode (VNAV), in which the aircraft will adjust its pitch/rate-of-descent automatically to maintain the profile, leaving the pilot having to control only the speed. Even as it is, the current set up is hardly challenging. We chose to fly the initial part of the STAR at 210 knots to allow me a little more time to absorb the features available to a pilot; the PC-12 NG is capable of flying significantly faster—or slower—providing plenty of flexibility to pilots and controllers alike at busy airports.

The PC-12 NG, which is RNP 0.3 capable, tracked the STAR perfectly. The autopilot is wonderfully smooth—very airliner-like—and the transition from the STAR to the ILS was barely noticeable. Flaps were selected to 15 degrees once below the limiting speed symbol on the PFD’s speed tape. The PC-12 NG was wonderfully stable in this configuration at 160 knots, making for a comfortable ride down the ILS.

The landing gear was selected down at around 1,500 feet and a slow speed reduction commenced. I disengaged the autopilot at 1,000 feet and selected flap-30, followed shortly afterwards by the final landing flap setting of 40 degrees. This gave me plenty of time to reduce speed to our target of 82 knots at the threshold. Peter told me diplomatically afterwards that at our weight, the TTS (target threshold speed) would normally have been 78 knots. He said he had added a little “buffer” because—knowing what I normally fly—he suspected that I would flare at least twice before finding the runway—and he was right.

Nevertheless, with Peter’s patter through the flare(s) my first touchdown in the PC-12 NG was quite acceptable. Our first landing was a touch-and-go, so Peter retracted the flap to 15 degrees and I increased the power to the conservative 40 inches. Once again, accelerate through 80 knots, rotate, pitch up to 10 degrees, landing gear up, flaps up and into the circuit.

I had to pull the power back to haul this thoroughbred back in as we raced downwind. After an orbit mid-downwind to position us behind another turboprop on the ILS, we set up for a four nautical mile final approach. With the gear down and flaps set at 40 degrees, our TTS was again 82 knots. After another couple of flares, the touchdown was silky smooth; more of a reflection on the PC-12 NG’s marvellous trailing link undercarriage than my flying brilliance!

With the application of a little beta, we slowed quickly and exited the runway. Within a few minutes, the four-bladed Hartzell propeller was winding down on the apron and the PC-12 NG was again at rest.

Impressions

Having not flown the original PC-12, I am not in a position to comment on comparisons with the previous model. However, I can say that the PC-12 NG is a very impressive aircraft. Its design and build quality are superb. The cockpit is beautifully finished and ergonomically pleasing, keeping the workload for a single pilot of this high performance IFR single relatively low. However, it is important for a pilot to know how to drive the integrated Honeywell Primus Apex avionics suite properly in order to take full advantage of its capabilities and those of the aircraft—and to ensure that he or she stays out of trouble.

The only feature I didn’t like was the electric trim control. I just didn’t find it as user-friendly as everything else in the aircraft. It consists of a separate trigger activated by the forefinger and a toggle activated by the thumb; both have to be depressed at the same time to operate the trim and for me, they felt an uncomfortable distance apart. While it was a challenge for this Pilatus novice to get the trim right in pitch and roll using the toggle, I suspect a little more exposure to the aircraft would be sure to resolve this.

I have said it before: manufacturers don’t build bad aeroplanes these days. However, some are definitely better than others and the PC-12 NG is one of these. It has plenty to satisfy both the pilot and the passenger. It is beautifully designed and the build quality is superb. It is one of the nicest aircraft I have had the pleasure of flying. You wouldn’t really expect much less out of Switzerland, would you?

Pilatus PC-12 NG Specifications

Weights

Maximum ramp weight: 4,760 kg

Maximum takeoff weight: 4,740 kg

Maximum landing weight: 4,500 kg

Maximum zero fuel weight: 4,100 kg

Operating weight (incl pilot): 3,076 kg

Useful load: 1,684 kg

Usable fuel: 1,522 litres

Dimensions

Length: 47 ft 3 in (14.40 m)

Wing span: 53 ft 4 in (16.28 m)

Height: 14 ft (4.26 m)

Cabin height: 4 ft 10 in (1.47 m)

Cabin width: 4 ft 3 in (1.30 m)

Powerplant

Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67P

Thermodynamic power: 1,744 shp

Takeoff power: 1,200 shp

Engine TBO: 3,500 hours

Performance

Maximum cruise speed: 280 KTAS

Stall speed: 66 KIAS

Maximum operating altitude: 30,000 feet (cabin altitude 10,000 ft)

IFR Range (single pilot + 3 pax): 1,573 nm

Takeoff distance to 50 ft (MTOW): 808 metres

Landing distance from 50 ft (MLW/Reverse): 558 metres

While there are not (yet) any PC-12s on the New Zealand register, they are extremely popular across the Tasman, with 40 on the Australian register. There, they are flown by the Royal Flying Doctor Service (24 aircraft) and various enforcement agencies, as well as private owners. Pilatus has sold more than 900 PC-12s (including PC-12 NGs) around the world and the global fleet has already accumulated more than two million flying hours.