Pilatus sold 80 PC-12 NGs last year and the company is claiming once again the title of world's best-selling single-engine turboprop in its category. The global fleet grew to over 1,650 aircraft in 2018; the fleet leader has 34,000 hours in the air while the PC-12 with the most landings has more than 46,000.

The PC-12 was approved for commercial use in Europe in 2017, generating a sharp increase in demand in the region. The Jetfly group, including the Fly7 management company, alone operates a fleet of 38 from its base in Luxembourg.

Statistical data reveals that the safety record of the PC-12 with the PT6 exceeds other single-engine aircraft, says Pilatus, outperforming even twin-engine turboprops. "The engine is used at a 65 per cent power setting in the PC-12. That means the engine is never exposed to the stressful conditions and high temperatures which it has been designed to cope with at full capacity. This delivers a massive reduction in maintenance and general wear and tear costs, resulting in very affordable operation," it says.

Pilatus carefully monitors market demand and adjusts production levels accordingly to avoid saturating the market and diminishing its customers' investment. Independent providers of data services such as Rolland Vincent Associates confirm that the resale value of the aircraft after five years of operation remains at around 83 per cent of the original purchase price. The share of used PC-12 aircraft currently available on the market is not more than approximately four per cent.

Pilatus chairman Oscar J Schwenk remarks: “I'm very pleased that, once again, the PC-12 is the best-selling turboprop in its class. It is proof of the extent to which our customers accord it their full confidence. An original will always be an original. Our goal is to offer the best single-engine turboprop combined with the best customer service in class, now and in the future.”