Austrian-based Diamond Aircraft

Industries has recently joined forces

with Pilatus, taking over the exclusive

sales representation of the Pilatus PC-

12 for Austria and Germany.

“We were able to do this because

we have a long friendship with them,”

said Diamond Aircraft Industries

marketing director, Sylvia Mandl.

“Pilatus take care of the maintenance

of our aircraft in Switzerland and

that was really the first step. We know

a lot of customers who could be

interested in the PC-12, so we

mutually decided that it would be

beneficial to work together.”

Official representation began on

December 1, but the demonstration

aircraft for showing to customers is

due to be delivered as we go to press.

“We only work as representatives

in Austria and Germany, but we

would like to be successful enough

to obtain representation for other

European Union member states,”

she said.

“We will see how it goes. We have

many contacts in the eastern

countries too and perhaps there

will be an opportunity to help Pilatus

through these contacts. As far as I

know, they do not have representation

anywhere else.

“For a long time we have had a

maintenance centre here in Wiener

Neustadt and we have now built a

new facility for production as well,”

she continued.

“We will have the opening in

January this year. This big facility

will be used for maintenance parts

and we also established a new

company – Diamond Maintenance

GmbH. They will also be authorised

to set up the Pilatus Service Centre,

not only for our products, but

catering for Pilatus and a selection of

other aircraft too.”

Mandl explained: “We have a

subsidiary in Egelsbach, Germany

and the maintenance centre there,

Diamond Air Service, can also

maintain the Pilatus aircraft.

“We will be doing this in addition

to marketing our own products – we

don’t want to take anything away

from Pilatus.

“It must be said that we are very

good at getting sales with this kind of

product though.”