Pilatus PC-21

The Pilatus PC -21 is a single-engine turboprop training aircraft which is designed for a wide range of training.

History

As a starting point of development you can view the work carried out in November 1997 experiments with a modified PC-7 Mk.II, at the instance, new wings and a 1190 kW PT6 turboprop were tested. The actual construction work on the virtually all-new PC-21 then began in early 1999, with modern CAD ​​design methods were used. The construction of the first prototype began in 2001 and on 1 May 2002 Pilatus celebrated the rollout; Two months later, the first flight with Bill Tyndall. The machine has been presented in the same month at the RIAT and Farnborough Air Show. The end of 2004 Pilatus received the Type Certificate by the Federal Office for Civil Aviation ( FOCA ) for the PC-21, which was now ready for series production. Until that time, 200 million francs were invested in the development.

The second prototype (HB- HZB), with the chief test pilot Andreas Ramseier first flew on 7 June 2004, crashed on 13 January 2005 from when training for a flight demonstration. This Ramseier was killed and uninvolved person on the ground was seriously injured. Had the first production aircraft made ​​its maiden flight on 29 August 2005 although at that time existed no formal order for the machine.

The big breakthrough came in the PC-21 in early November 2006, when the Air Force of Singapore ordered 19 copies for 700 million francs. The machines were delivered to the training center of Singapore in Perth, Australia from spring 2008. The Swiss Air Force signed on 22 January 2007 regarding purchase of six aircraft for your jet pilot training program ( JEPAS ). The price for all machines including logistics was 115 million Swiss francs. The aircraft were delivered in September 2007. In November 2009, the Air Force ordered the United Arab Emirates 25 pieces of PC-21, including flight simulators and logistic support with an order of more than 500 million francs. The first of these to be delivered from early 2011 machines had its first flight 22 November 2010.

PC-21 in Mollis

PC-21 on the ground during the Payerne Air '04

Properties

The flight characteristics and the on-board systems are inspired by modern jet trainer. As a powerful engine is combined with a five- sheet Hartzell Propeller used with 2.39 m in diameter ( about 40% more than that of the PC -9). The engine has by an electronic control via a jetähnliches response, the torque of the engine is counterbalanced by automatic rudder control. The aerodynamics is designed for maneuverability and speed. For example, are hydraulically supported by small spoiler ailerons, what / s ensures a high roll rate of 200 °. The core of the avionics is the modern digital cockpit with three LCDs ( 15 × 20 cm) and a head-up display connected to the input panel placed below for the two pilots. With the " open-architecture mission system" the aircraft is far more powerful and flexible than comparable training aircraft. For emergencies, it is with two Martin -Baker ejection seats CH16C ( Mk.16L ) equipped. The PC-21 can be used both for basic training as well as for the advanced pilot training. Thus, a large part of the Jetschulung are already completed on the PC-21. However, noise and pollution and the costs are lower by a multiple.

User

  • Qatar Emiri Air Force ( QEAF, Air Force of Qatar)
  • 0 × PC -21 ( plus 24 ordered in inlet)
  • Swiss Air Force
  • 8 × PC-21
  • Air Force of the United Arab Emirates
  • 20 × PC 21 (of 25 ordered the remaining 5 in inlet)

Specifications

Since the PC-21 can simulate the use of steering and dropping weapons on the display instruments for weapons training, the carrying of weapons is not currently provided. The infrastructure is, however, prepared for four underwing pylons and a lower fuselage station for weapons for Counter- insurgency role.

  • 2 × droppable auxiliary fuel tanks with 248 liters of kerosene for ferry flights

Comparable advanced trainer

  • Hawker - Beechcraft T-6 " Texan II"
  • Embraer EMB -314 " Super Tucano "
  • KAI KT -1 " Ungbi "
  • PZL Warszawa PZL -130 " Orlik "
  • List of aircraft types
Pilatus PC-9 Martin-Baker Qatar Air Force SIAI-Marchetti S.211 BAE Systems Hawk Drop tank Beechcraft T-6 Texan II Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano KAI KT-1 Woongbi PZL-130 Orlik Pilatus P-1 Pilatus SB-2 Pilatus P-2 Pilatus P-3 Pilatus P-4 Pilatus P-5 Pilatus PC-8D Twin Porter Pilatus PC-10 Pilatus PC-24
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