This website uses cookies
More information
Business Air News Bulletin
Business Air News Bulletin
The monthly news publication for aviation professionals.
Related background information from the Handbook...
The monthly news publication for aviation professionals.

Request your printed copy

Successful year is springboard for Pilatus
2018 was both a successful and challenging year for Pilatus. Sales revenue reached over US$1bn and 128 aircraft were delivered to customers, among them the first PC-24.
Pilatus looks back on a successful 2018.

For Swiss manufacturer Pilatus, 2018 financial performance was up on 2017. Sales revenue surpassed the US$1 billion mark for the first time since 2015 and operating results exceeded US$154 million. In total 18 PC-24s, 80 PC-12 NGs, 27 PC-21s and three PC-6s were handed over to customers. Not only that, the future looks good: incoming orders worth nearly US$1 billion have brought the current order volume to US$2.06 billion, the equivalent of just under two years of sales revenue.

The delivery of the first PC-24 in February 2018 marked a milestone in a development phase that had spanned more than eleven years. The brand-new 'Super Versatile Jet' was the focus of much work throughout the year: besides bringing PC-24 series production operations up to speed, the customer service unit and entire service network also switched to live mode. At the same time the company continued to make improvements to the aircraft, pushing ahead with various post-certification test programmes aimed at delivering all aircraft capabilities promised to customers at the outset. The next milestone is just around the corner: the reopening of the PC-24 order book.

While the military sector is hugely important to Pilatus, the lack of new trainer fleet contracts in 2018 is not unduly worrying; Pilatus is focused on the necessary upstream work and has reinforced its sales efforts in this area. Constant growth in after-sales business is encouraging.

The general aviation business unit also saw continued expansion of its customer service operations. The volume of PC-24s in operation grows every week, generating similar growth in the number of customers requiring support. The network of authorised Pilatus centres was further strengthened to offer customers around the world the level of service they are entitled to expect in the business aircraft league.

At the end of 2018 the Pilatus Group employed 2,283 people, of whom 127 were apprentices, and over 150 new jobs were created. 93 per cent of all employees work in Switzerland. At the headquarters in Stans work progresses on the construction of the new structure assembly hall: this new centre of competence for airframe construction operations will be commissioned in spring 2019, a clear sign of commitment to the location in Switzerland.

The new completion centre run by US subsidiary Pilatus Business Aircraft in Broomfield, Colorado opened in the autumn. In Adelaide, preparatory work continued for the construction of a new, company-owned building for its Pilatus Australia subsidiary.

Chairman Oscar J Schwenk remarks: “I am pleased to note that financially 2018 was a very successful year for us. A year in which a great deal of energy went into performing much detailed work that will take us forward throughout the coming year, creating added benefit for our customers. The good financial results of the past year will also benefit our employees under our profit-sharing programme. In addition to an extra month's salary, they have also been paid a bonus equivalent to 1.5 times salary. Our next challenge is already in sight: the imminent re-opening of the PC-24 order book. This is the year in which the reputation of the PC-24 and all other related services will be established. We are consistent in our efforts towards achieving that goal, to consolidate our success and our future.”

Other News
 
XTI completes merger and starts trading on Nasdaq
March 18, 2024
XTI Aerospace will be focused on bringing the TriFan 600 to market, having secured over 700 conditional pre-order reservations and indications of interest from a variety of customer types.
Strong year leads Pilatus to infrastructure investment
February 22, 2024
Last year the OEM delivered 148 aircraft worth around $1.7bn, topped up a purchase order from the Spanish government, delivered its 12,000th PC-12 and launched the new PC-24 variant.
NSW Ambulance PC-24s are ready for take off
February 19, 2024
As part of a $54.3m boost to increase the capability of its aeromedical operations, two PC-24s have joined the NSW Ambulance fleet, optimising response times for patients in rural and regional areas of Australia.