Editor

Ian Sheppard

Pilatus has developed a new PC-12 master maintenance plan that will reduce required maintenance labor by 20 to 40 percent, according to the Stans, Switzerland-based company. The range is from users flying their aircraft 300 hours per year up to those flying them more than 800 hours a year.

 


Under the new maintenance plan, operators can see scheduled maintenance tasks that have maximum intervals and package them. In addition, the new plan lists “pre-packaged” tasks falling under six intervals: 300 flight hours (FH); 300FH/12 months; 600FH; 600FH/12 months; 1,200FH/12 months; and 2,400FH/24 months—all on a “whichever comes first” basis.

 


The move follows a detailed analysis of the in-service fleet to date, which has now clocked up a total of more than 6.8 million flying hours. Based on this, Pilatus decided to extend the scheduled maintenance interval from 100/150 hours to 300. “We know that low direct operating costs are one of the more important reasons for purchasing a PC-12,” said Ignaz Gretener, v-p of the company’s general aviation business unit.

 


Pilatus is displaying a PC-12NG on its indoor display this week at EBACE 2018 (Booth L115). The eye-catching livery is by Swiss paper-cutting artist Esther Gerber. “It reflects two essential values embodied in the PC-12: Swiss craftsmanship and perfection,” the company said.

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.