Oriens Aviation, the exclusive sales and service centre for Pilatus Aircraft in the British Isles, has delivered a third-generation Pilatus PC-12 NGX to a private customer based in north west England. With an executive six to eight-seat interior layout, the aircraft is suited to business and leisure use. It will be flown by UK operator Ravenair and is available for charter.

“It is notable we have been able to conclude this delivery to a new Pilatus customer, considering the challenging environment we are all living through,” says Oriens CEO Edwin Brenninkmeyer, crediting the Pilatus team in Stans, Switzerland, the supply chain and other parties who were instrumental in pulling together, despite the Coronavirus pandemic lockdown.

The PC-12 NGX is the newest addition to the PC-12 turboprop family. Three years in the making, the type was unveiled during last year's NBAA-BACE. It features enhancements including an improved Pratt & Whitney PT6E-67XP engine, electronic propeller and a FADEC system. The cabin interior is modelled on the PC-24, in collaboration with BMW Designworks. With 10 per cent more window area, the cabin is brighter and features more headroom, compared with the earlier PC-12 NG model. The NGX version features fully reclining seats and improved lumbar comfort, while the NGX can also be outfitted with the latest in Wi-Fi connectivity. A low-speed propeller mode delivers reduced cabin noise for enhanced cabin comfort. An advanced cockpit environment houses Honeywell's Epic 2.0 avionics and a touchscreen avionics controller.

“The PC-12 NGX is an outstanding performance turboprop,” Brenninkmeyer continues. “It represents excellent value for money, with an up to 1,800 nm range and a maximum cruise speed of 290 kts. To date, 20 of the latest generation model have been sold worldwide, boosting the number of PC-12s flying worldwide to over 1,750.”