Pilatus has reported a very successful year in 2024. Despite ongoing challenges, the Swiss aircraft manufacturer was able to hand over 153 aircraft to customers, thanks to continued high demand. With total sales of 1.633 billion Swiss francs, EBIT of 243 million Swiss francs and orders worth 2.193 billion Swiss francs, figures are buoyant.

Pilatus achieved an increase in sales of more than 10 percent compared to 2023, which was already a very successful year. The total number of aircraft sold is significant: 96 PC-12 NGXs, 51 PC-24s and six PC-21s.

In the government aviation sector, Pilatus signed an important contract for 19 PC-21s and associated simulators with the Royal Canadian Air Force. In early February, the Netherlands also opted to buy eight PC-7 MKXs, thereby underlining the importance of this advanced basic trainer.

In business aviation, the improved PC-24 Super Versatile Jet with extended payload and range enjoyed a successful market launch. Meanwhile, the PC-12, became the most flown business aircraft in the USA over a one-year period.

Hansueli Loosli, chairman of the board of directors at Pilatus, describes the past year as very positive overall: “Despite the challenges, we achieved important milestones in 2024, with yet more portfolio development. We are pursuing targeted investment in our infrastructure and sustainability, and we continue to improve the terms of employment we offer our staff, whom we regard as our most important resource of all.”

Markus Bucher, CEO of Pilatus, adds: “Innovation, quality and precision are the driving forces behind our actions: Pilatus continues to grow, with over 3,000 full-time employees worldwide for the first time ever. Employees from 63 nations now contribute to the company's success. Never before have so many apprentices been taken on as permanent employees. Improved terms of employment and a study that ranks Pilatus as the ninth best employer among 800 companies across Switzerland underline our attractiveness.”

The newly established corporate sustainability department drafted the company's Sustainability Strategy 2.0, aimed at creating structures for innovation. Pilatus is committed to integrating sustainability within its processes and to focusing on new technologies, including an investment in Synhelion, an ETH spin-off that uses solar energy to produce CO₂-neutral jet fuel. New builds and renovation projects adhere to international sustainability standards; Pilatus' new maintenance hall at Buochs Airport is a good example, as is the composites competence centre currently under construction in Ennetbürgen.

Despite these successes, Pilatus was again confronted with supplier-related delivery delays and quality problems, which impaired production processes. Pilatus is aiming to achieve greater vertical integration and has invested in a new facility, Pilatus Aircraft Ibérica SA in Seville, Spain, which will commence operations in the first quarter. Pilatus also acquired the maintenance and sales activities, as well as 40 employees, from Aero Center Epps in Atlanta, Georgia. The planned sales and service centre in Bradenton, Florida, will further reinforce Pilatus' presence on the US East Coast, enabling on-site contact with customers and greater ability to ensure the quality of services provided.