Since 2022, Pilatus has been planning to expand its presence in the US in order to supplement capacity in Switzerland, which is now close to maximum. At a groundbreaking ceremony recently held at Sarasota Bradenton International airport in Florida, Pilatus executives as well as representatives of regional authorities and organisations marked the official construction start of a new sales, service and production facility.

This event ushers in the first phase of Pilatus' long term development in Sarasota and is a significant milestone in the company's continuing investment and growth at the airport. Future phases will build on this foundation and expand into aircraft assembly. The facility will serve as a flagship sales, service and production centre, taking quality, expertise and customer experience to a new level.

Markus Bucher, CEO of Pilatus, states: “Today marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Pilatus in the US. We are bringing aircraft production to the country. This flagship facility will be our fifth location in the US and will set new standards for quality, expertise and technology in the southeastern region. In America, we will build aircraft for Americans! We are establishing Sarasota as a major production site, serving our customers right where they are.”

The project is a reflection of the solid partnership between Pilatus, the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority, the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corporation and numerous other local, regional and state organisations.

Pilatus has now integrated all its US subsidiaries into a single company, Pilatus Aircraft USA, creating a unified organisation of around 400 employees, and harmonised systems across all US operations. The company comprises its headquarters at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield, Colorado, plus formerly Skytech-branded service locations at Carroll County Regional Airport in Westminster, Maryland, Rock Hill/York County airport in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and Dekalb-Peachtree airport in Atlanta, Georgia. Pilatus already operates a PC-12 and PC-24 completion facility at its US headquarters in Broomfield, Colorado. In Florida alone, Pilatus will create approximately 200 new jobs over the next five years. Pilatus also plans to expand its existing US apprenticeship programmes at various locations.

Today, there is a growing fleet of over 2,300 Pilatus Aircraft in operation across North and South America. The additional site in Florida will not affect existing employment at the company's Swiss headquarters. Instead, it will support overall growth and ensure a timely response to strong global demand for the PC-12 and PC-24.