I used to be reviewing the constraints part of the Pilatus PC-24 flight handbook earlier than my analysis flight for this pilot report. Most ramp weight: 18,400 kilos. Most takeoff weight: 18,300 kilos. Helpful load: 6,880 kilos. Most pothole depth 1.37 inches (35 mm) with a most diameter of 39 inches, and most grass top three inches. Potholes, grass top? When was the final time you needed to take into account the dimensions of potholes or grass top on runways when flying a jet? Except you’re flying a PC-24, it most likely by no means crossed your thoughts.
I used to be at Boise Air Terminal with Pilatus v-p Tom Aniello, Phil Winters, v-p of Western Plane, and Ashley Fredricks, Western’s chief pilot. Western Plane, the most important PC-12 and PC-24 supplier, had simply obtained its seventh PC-24, N194PJ, serial quantity 194, two weeks earlier. Earlier plane bought by Western have been delivered all through its gross sales area, together with Alaska the place the PC-24 enjoys being in its aspect, flying on and off unimproved airports in difficult situations.
Pilatus Plane, recognized for quite a lot of turboprop designs together with the PC-12, has been a privately held firm since inception. The PC-24 was an enormous leap for Pilatus, not solely a turbofan-powered twinjet however a very distinctive airplane, one that might resonate not solely with devoted PC-12 homeowners however with efficiency and cabin options that aren’t present in different mild jets. As with its different initiatives, Pilatus financed the PC-24 growth internally.
Pilatus developed the PC-12 to be a utilitarian plane to help the wants of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Royal Flying Physician Service in Australia, amongst others. Initially it wasn’t supposed to be an govt transport however now it’s well-known for that operate. The PC-24 must help all these makes use of from the beginning, simply quicker and better. That meant it needed to have a big cabin, a cargo door as massive because the PC-12, function on the identical runways—paved or not—and be licensed for single-pilot operations.
The primary manufacturing PC-24 was delivered to fractional operator PlaneSense in January 2018 and the second and third to Western Plane the next month.
Moist runways, or gravel or grass airstrips and even snow, are all choices for touchdown within the Pilatus PC-24, including many extra airports to the jet’s bag of methods.
The Tremendous Versatile Jet
N194PJ is typically-equipped with six govt passenger seats plus two lighter-weight commuter seats (simply eliminated for extra cargo area) and many of the accessible upgrades together with Gogo Avance L3 connectivity with a worth of $11.623 million.
I needed to discover as a lot of the jet’s working envelope as attainable. We deliberate a mission that might take us from Boise to Solar Valley Idaho, then to Pendleton, Oregon earlier than returning to Boise. Alongside the way in which I needed to judge the high-altitude dealing with, fly numerous approaches, together with single-engine, and finish with a short-field touchdown. Whereas the climate precluded unimproved runway operations, we might have the ability to consider short-field efficiency again in Boise.
The PC-24 sits tall on the ramp. The empennage rises 17.25 ft above the ramp, the wings span almost 56 ft and the jet is 55 ft lengthy. With a pointed nostril, barely swept wings (with 5 completely different airfoil shapes), giant home windows within the cabin and flight deck, it seems able to leap within the air.
The primary merchandise on the preflight is connecting the 2 44-amp/hour NiCad batteries. Battery #1 is within the nostril and battery #2 is aft. Lithium-ion batteries will quickly be an possibility on new PC-24s and retrofittable on plane after serial quantity 184. The airstair door is giant and this jet has the non-obligatory stair lighting, which is a helpful addition offering a welcoming entry, particularly at the hours of darkness.
Single-point refueling is the quickest solution to fill the PC-24 with a most load of 5,964 kilos of jet-A. (Photograph: Wealthy PIckett)
The low-pressure nostril tire (58 psi) has a pronounced chine design to deflect water or particles from the engine intakes. The tire’s beefy dimension makes it appear like it could be equally at house on an off-road car, by design. The nostril gear has tell-tale wedges to point whether or not the towing flip limits have been exceeded, inflicting potential injury, an ingenious thought.
Along with battery #1, the left nostril compartment homes a number of circuit breakers, whereas the fitting comprises the oxygen tank, distant avionics rack with cooling followers, digital circuit breaker management unit, and different tools. The cooling followers’ location cuts down on noise within the flight deck, eliminating the necessity for followers behind the instrument panel.
On either side of the nostril are sensors for airspeed, outdoors air temperature, angle-of-attack, and ice detection. Simply ahead of the fitting wing is the bathroom service panel. The PC-24 has a vacuum-operated rest room, distinctive in its class, which makes use of clear water because the wash fluid and is externally serviced.
The suitable wing is evident of any vortex mills and milled from a single piece of aluminum then chemically milled to varied thicknesses alongside its span. Likewise, the ribs and spar are additionally milled from aluminum billets. With 5 completely different airfoil shapes, Pilatus has designed a wing that may fly at 440 knots and stall at 82.
Inspection of the bleed-air-operated forefront deicing system reveals quite a few exhaust vents beneath. The PC-24 has pneumatic deice boots on the trimmable stabilizer, and no deicing is critical on the ventral fin. With ice detectors, the ice safety system usually operates in automated mode, and the related techniques are deployed as vital. That is one other characteristic that reduces pilot workload.
The PC-24 has two multifunction spoiler panels on every wing that function airbrakes and carry dump, in addition to roll help with flaps at eight levels or higher. When the airbrakes are lively, pitch trim compensates mechanically to some extent. The air brakes additionally deploy mechanically at Mach 0.751—above the Mmo of 0.74—to gradual the jet. Two extra floor spoilers support in carry dump. Raise dump is mechanically deployed upon touchdown and for rejected takeoffs.
The principle dual-wheel touchdown gear is substantial and clearly designed for unimproved fields with low-pressure tires (73 psi) and anti-skid metal brakes on every wheel. The twin-wheel trailing-link gear is about again pretty far in order that any particles is thrown freed from the substantial double–slotted flaps, lowering potential injury. An non-obligatory gravel package, required for gravel runways, with a nostril wheel skirt or underwing protecting movie can be accessible. Flaps, gear, and all lift-dump gadgets are electrical, solely the brakes are hydraulically operated, eliminating the burden and complexity of a redundant hydraulic system.
The PC-24 has single-point refueling, operating on the new battery bus, with a most gasoline capability of 5,964 kilos.
The following step was checking the Williams Worldwide FJ44-4A-QPM engines, every producing 3,420 kilos of thrust and mounted excessive to scale back FOD ingestion. The engines have a TBO of 5,000 hours. The Quiet Energy Mode (QPM) is obtainable on the fitting engine, permitting it to function an APU, with out the fee, weight, and upkeep of a separate unit. In QPM mode the engine idles decrease with concomitant decrease gasoline consumption to energy all techniques together with cabin cooling and heating. That is very best when flying the PC-24 in a distant space, with no GPU accessible, to maintain the airplane cool or heat.
Williams Worldwide designed an integral bleed air precooler for the engines, eliminating the necessity for a drag-inducing precooler inlet on the engine pylon.
Inspecting the exhaust nozzle, the engine designers got here up with a intelligent thought to extract extra downward thrust on the decrease speeds throughout preliminary climb, utilizing the Coanda impact. You observe the Coanda impact when pouring water slowly out of a glass. The fluid, on this case water, curves across the lip as an alternative of pouring out cleanly. The PC-24 has an prolonged prime edge on the exhaust nozzle—Williams calls this the Actual nozzle—that makes use of this impact to deflect the thrust two to 3 levels upward, thus offering extra down power after takeoff, which boosts the climb. That is particularly helpful for short-field efficiency. Because the PC-24 accelerates, the Coanda impact is now not relevant and all the thrust vector is straight aft.
On the left empennage is the signature cargo door, 4.25 by 4.08 ft and electrically-operated. I’ve used this quick access on my catastrophe aid flights within the PC-12 to load sufferers and a donated X-ray machine with a fork carry. The flexibleness to have this similar functionality in a jet is unimaginable, not to mention making on a regular basis cargo loading simpler. That is additionally a helpful characteristic to load, and unload as much as two sufferers head-first on the air ambulance model of this versatile jet.
The PC-24’s ahead galley permits for optimum flexibility in cabin configuration and straightforward inflight entry to the massive cargo compartment. (Images: Wealthy Pickett)
Cabin Options
The PC-24 entry, via the two.1- by 4.2- foot airstair door, is spectacular. Western Jet selected the non-obligatory granite-surface entryway, which is sensible for this high-wear space and good wanting as nicely. The entry can be the situation of the galley, bathroom, and sink. The rest room has two strong sliding doorways, with the bathroom deployed from the facet cupboard with the contact of a swap. One benefit of a ahead bathroom is the flexibleness it supplies the operator to pick out a number of passenger and cargo choices for the cabin. Pilatus is certifying an aft rest room as an possibility quickly.
Simply behind the pilot on the left is a storage cupboard and likewise the non-obligatory galley with a 115 VAC outlet, to energy your favourite brewing system. If you want to cook dinner on board, or make popcorn, an non-obligatory microwave is obtainable.
The 501-cu-ft flat-floor cabin, together with the 90-cu-ft cargo space accessible throughout flight, is 23 ft lengthy, 5.1 ft excessive, and 5.6 ft large. That is two inches taller and 6 inches wider than the Phenom 300E and Learjet 75, and 9 inches wider and three inches taller than the Cessna Quotation CJ4. The usual configuration contains six govt seats, with choices for as much as eight seats in numerous preparations. This PC-24 has eight govt seats, every with glorious legroom. Operators can select from a lot of seating choices, together with 10-seat commuter, air ambulance, particular missions, and at the very least 5 govt configurations.
Cabin atmosphere management is by way of Pilatus’s Built-in Cabin Administration System, utilizing an app to regulate lighting and temperature or serve media from the 800-GB laborious drive. Web connectivity choices embody both Gogo Avance L3 air-to-ground or low-speed Inmarsat satcom with BendixKing’s Aerowave 100.
The PC-24 flight deck incorporates a Honeywell Epic-based avionics suite, cursor-control system interface, and autothrottles. (Photograph: Wealthy Pickett)
Flight Deck
Each time I enter the PC-24 flight deck I’m impressed. With panel-mounted flight controls, the legroom is spacious. Pilatus named its avionics suite the Superior Cockpit Surroundings (ACE), a model of Honeywell’s Epic 2.0 avionics. It’s an apt description. {The electrical} techniques (mills, batteries, lighting) and engine begin controls are on the overhead console. The expansive entrance panel comprises three high-resolution 12-inch shows: two major flight shows (PFDs), and one multifunction show (MFD). The middle console has one other MFD in addition to the keyboard, cursor management system (CCD), anti-/deice controls, and the ability management levers, airbrakes, and controls for flaps and trim. The autopilot steering panel is on the glareshield.
The decrease MFD has a number of, dynamic home windows. One is devoted to the central advisory and warning system and the others change dynamically in dimension and content material based mostly upon the duty at hand. Utilizing the digital guidelines for example, when on the beginning engine activity, the higher MFD home windows that often show gear and flaps configuration modifications to show an engine synoptic. The gear and flaps standing strikes to a decrease window. As you begin the engine the synoptic reveals the standing of the batteries, generator (or GPU), and present stream. As soon as the engine begin is accomplished, the MFD reverts to the earlier configuration, till the subsequent step.
Beginning the engines is easy. With the ability management levers at idle, on the overhead console pull out the fitting engine begin swap, rotate from OFF to RUN then push the START button, and maintain for 2 seconds. After monitoring the engine parameters, with a peak ITT of 534 deg C, the engine idled at 53.4 % N2 and gasoline stream of 156 pph. I requested for the GPU to be disconnected and earlier than beginning the left engine, examined the QPM. After deciding on the Quiet Mode button on the PFD, the idle decreased to 45.4 % N2 with gasoline stream of 122 pph and the noise degree lowered appreciably. With the Quiet Mode disabled, I did the left engine begin sequence utilizing the fitting generator.
The avionics and techniques on the PC-24 are refined, no shock as a result of Honeywell avionics energy a lot bigger jets, together with fashionable Falcons and Gulfstreams. For PC-12 NG pilots, the transition to the PC-24 is comparatively straightforward. The avionics might take extra time to study for pilots acquainted with Garmin G1000/G3000/G5000 avionics, nevertheless, the ACE techniques integration and intuitive automation that facilitates single-pilot operation, are amazingly highly effective. Mastering these techniques is clearly inside the capability of a professional owner–operator or skilled pilot.
Pilatus affords a lot of avionics choices, together with ADS-B In visitors integrating with TCAS II, permitting the pilot to establish and monitor different plane.
Coming into the flight plan into the Honeywell FMS is easy, utilizing the CCD or wirelessly with the Honeywell Forge app. We had been working as a crew, and Fredricks set our V speeds, calculated utilizing the Pilatus-supplied Guru2 app, and loaded the flight plan for our preliminary leg from Boise to Solar Valley.
This model of FMS software program doesn’t generate the takeoff and touchdown information, which will probably be accessible together with different options in early 2021. A brand new touchscreen controller, which I’ve flown on the PC-12 NGX, will even be added to manufacturing plane at the moment and will be put in on plane beginning with serial quantity 185.
The PC-24 options Honeywell’s Runway Consciousness and Advisory System (RAAS) in addition to a high-quality 2D airport overlay on the MFD, reasonably than a easy geo-referenced airport chart. RAAS integrates with the Honeywell EGPWS, monitoring 26 situations, on the bottom or flying. A number of the situations embody appropriate runway, enough size for takeoff/touchdown, flaps monitoring, lengthy touchdown, and even lined as much as land on a taxiway. In low-visibility situations, which occurs at Boise within the winter, this device will be extraordinarily helpful.
We had been cleared for departure on Runway 28L and set TOGA. With brakes launched, I needed to check the autothrottle system so I merely moved the ability management levers to vertical and felt the autothrottle servos take over. Fredricks known as out V1 at 89 kias, then shortly Vr at 92 kias. I rotated the nostril as much as the command bars. The PC-24’s flight director is clever; the preliminary pitch for climb is six levels which progressively elevated over the subsequent 14 seconds to fifteen levels. Our preliminary climb fee was 3,200 fpm at 130 kias. Optimistic fee, gear up, then shortly flaps up. At these speeds, the Coanda impact because of the Williams Actual exhaust nozzle design leads to slight vectored thrust for the climb.
Choosing flight degree change (FLC) mode, the autothrottle decreased energy to most steady thrust and adjusted the FMS-based velocity to 170 kias, growing to 200 kias for a cruise climb. Shortly climbing via 8,000 ft and in extra of 4,200 fpm, we accelerated to our manually chosen velocity of 220 kias. We had been shortly at our preliminary altitude of 13,000 on our solution to Solar Valley. Hand flying the PC-24, the management really feel was comfy in all axes.
As we ready for Solar Valley, ATC suggested us that the airliners had been going missed at Solar Valley with ceilings of 300 ft agl and requested our intentions. With smiles, we mentioned we needed the RNAV X 31! Nothing is best throughout a check flight than to have actual climate to under minimums. Friedman Memorial Airport is in a mountainous valley and since this PC-24 is licensed for LP minimums, we may descend to the bottom MDA of 6,180 ft msl (900 agl), 740 ft decrease than the LNAV MDA. I let the autopilot fly the method with the autothrottle, with speeds adjusting mechanically. Our Vref was 99 kias with 33 levels of flaps.
At JUNOL (IAF) and eight,600 ft msl, I engaged the APR mode of the autopilot and set the missed method altitude. As we descended on the method a voice annunciation—“Ice”—came to visit our headsets. With the ice safety system in automated mode, it not solely prompts the anti- and deice system but in addition prompts an aural warning. That is one other activity I didn’t should be involved with flying in IMC. At GUNKS (FAF) our velocity was 135 kias, slowing to 105 kias, simply above our Vref of 99 kias. At MDA, with out the runway atmosphere in sight, I pressed the TOGA button and the autopilot transitioned to the FMS missed method and the autothrottle superior to takeoff thrust. I needed to do the standard cleanup of substances and flaps and monitor the autopilot. It was the bottom pilot workload method in IMC to minimums, with a missed, that I’ve flown. On the preliminary climb we had been exceeding 5,000 fpm, with a stabilized climb at 200 kias and 4,000 fpm transitioning to 215 kias/Mach 0.64 and a pair of,700 fpm at FL350 on our solution to FL450.
At FL450 I hand flew to judge the dealing with, together with steep turns. The PC-24 is extremely steady and I discovered the management pressures to be very affordable, with solely minor changes to trim wanted within the rarified air. On the primary 180-degree flip I deviated as much as 60 ft, after that I used to be in a position to hold my altitude simply inside lower than 30 ft. I want to say the soundness was resulting from my flying, nevertheless, the design of the jet made my job simpler.
The PC-24 has an emergency descent mode that’s activated when on autopilot, above FL300, and the cabin altitude exceeds 10,000 ft msl. The flight director/autopilot enters FLC and the heading strikes 90 levels to the left. The autothrottle units a velocity of Vmo or Mmo, even when the autothrottle is off, and the plane descends to fifteen,000 ft. At that altitude the autothrottle is about to 175 kias, awaiting the subsequent command.
With air work accomplished, it was time to fly to Pendleton, Oregon, for one more method, this time single-engine. As pilots know, the method section of a single-engine instrument method will not be a problem; use the guidelines, fly at the next Vref, and land. The problem is the single–engine missed method. That’s what I needed to judge.
We had been on the ILS 26 at Pendleton and hand-flying the method, very gratifying within the PC-24. Fredricks and I had reviewed the missed method process: full energy, and with one engine the great engine’s Fadec will have interaction the automated thrust reserve, growing the accessible thrust by 5 % on the working engine. The PC-24 has automated rudder help that gives additive rudder enter till reaching 1,200 ft agl. You should utilize the autopilot, however not the autothrottle, for a single–engine method and missed method.
At minimums, throttles full ahead, pitch up eight levels, flaps to fifteen levels, constructive fee, gear up, and maintain nearly full rudder. I saved the airplane on runway centerline and after a praise on the airplane by the tower controller, we had been off again to Boise. Later that night at dinner, Aniello advised me it was too unhealthy we didn’t get to do a single-engine missed method. I replied, “We did,” however he simply didn’t really feel it within the cabin!
I needed to discover the short-field capabilities of the PC-24 and deliberate for Runway 28. We calculated utilizing the Guru2 app a required dry runway distance of two,139 ft at our 14,000-pound touchdown weight. If it was moist it solely elevated to 2,479 ft. For touchdown on an unimproved runway, every situation (gravel, sand, filth, grass) has its personal requirement. For instance, if touchdown on gravel, most rock dimension is 1.97 inches. If there are ruts, none will be over 3.94 inches. Flaps have to be at the very least 15 levels.
On method, we picked taxiway Delta, 2,000 ft from the edge, for a possible turnoff. Stabilized at a Vref of 92 kias, we had been set. Over the runway threshold, energy management levers to idle, landing, and regular braking, we had been mainly at taxi velocity nicely earlier than the two,000-foot mark. The carry dump, comprised of air brakes and extra carry dump panels, mechanically deploys upon touchdown.
Shutdown is easy with the digital guidelines. The after-landing guidelines comprises gadgets particular to touchdown on unimproved runways. I suppose you search for grass stains when touchdown on the three-inch grass.
Pilatus’s flight documentation is extraordinarily thorough, with extra element on working the jet than I’ve seen earlier than, together with 26 pages of flight profiles alone. Every unimproved runway operation additionally has its personal doc with intensive floor descriptions.
Pilatus Help
Pilatus developed a sturdy help infrastructure to help its sellers, that are the first supply of proprietor and operator help. Western Plane, for instance, has technical help personnel accessible to supply help to clients 24/7.
Pilatus Enterprise Plane, a wholly–owned entity of Pilatus Plane, is positioned in Broomfield, Colorado at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport and oversees completion, supply, and supplier help for North and South America. As a result of 70 % of PC-12s and 50 % of the PC-24s are bought inside the Americas, the U.S facility’s help is integral to the success of operators. Pilatus maintains two different central supplier help services, one at firm headquarters in Stans, Switzerland, and the opposite in Adelaide, Australia.
The PC-24 comes with a seven-year airframe guarantee, three years on avionics, 5 years for engines, and two years on techniques, paint, and inside. Pilatus estimates direct working prices (labor, elements, engines) at just below $600/flight hour. Guarantee protection will be prolonged via Pilatus’s CrystalCare program, which incorporates scheduled and unscheduled upkeep, regular put on and tear, Williams’s Complete Assurance Plus Blue engine protection, service bulletins, the Guru2 app, in addition to delivery and a cellular AOG restoration service. The CrystalCare hourly fee varies by annual flight hours, starting from $828 to $1,300 per hour. Most homeowners select this program.
PC-24 Opponents
The PC-24’s closest worth competitors for brand new jets are the Cessna Quotation CJ4, Embraer Phenom 300E, and Learjet 75. The Learjet 75, licensed underneath Half 25, requires two pilots, whereas the others are Half 23 licensed and require just one pilot. The PC-24 will not be the quickest jet as compared, with a most velocity of Mach 0.74 whereas the Phenom 300E is Mach 0.80 and the Learjet 75 Mach 0.81. Most payload, together with pilot, of the PC-24 is 2,700 kilos, 47 kilos fewer than Phenom 300E at 2,747 kilos and about 500 kilos greater than the Learjet 75.
The PC-24 has a bigger cabin than these different fashions and might carry extra cargo, together with shorter runway necessities. Not one of the different jets have a big cargo door just like the PC-24’s. When cabin configuration flexibility, the flexibility to function on unimproved runways, or fly executives and cargo cargo with a forklift—on the identical flight—there are not any rivals. The Pilatus PC-24 is aptly named the Tremendous Versatile Jet.
Pilatus PC-24 Specs and Efficiency
Base Value: $10.7 million
As Flown: $11.623 million
Engines: (2) Williams Worldwide FJ44-4A, 3,420 lbs
Avionics: ACE (Honeywell Epic)
Passengers: (typical) 1 pilot + 9 pax
Vary: (NBAA reserves, 4 pax, 200-nm alternate) 2,000 nm at LRC
Excessive-speed cruise: 440 ktas/Mach 0.74
Lengthy-range cruise velocity: 375 ktas at 45,000 ft
Gasoline capability: 5,964 lbs
Max payload w/full gasoline: 751 lbs
Most altitude: 45,000 ft
Cabin altitude at max altitude: 8,000 ft
Max takeoff weight: 18,300 lbs
Balanced area size at mtow: (sea degree, normal) 2,930 ft
Touchdown distance: 2,375 ft
Size: 55.2 ft
Wingspan: 55.75 ft
Peak: 17.3 ft
Cabin:
Quantity: 501 cu ft
Width: 5.6 ft
Peak: 5.1 ft
Size: (seating space) 23 ft
Baggage capability: 90 cu ft/1,000 lbs
FAA certification: FAR Half 23, Dec. 7, 2017
Quantity constructed: 100 (Jan. 4, 2021)
