Pilatus PC-12NG

I’m new to this forum and enjoy reading all there is to offer. I’m sure this may be a redundant topic, but has anyone flown the PC-12NG? I recently flew the PC-12 and found out that our company will be replacing it soon with a PC-12NG. I’ve read up on the new avionics suite but wanted a first-hand account if anyone had one. Thanks. 8)

I’m quite sure the NG deliveries just officially started on May 1st but I don’t think any have actually been handed over yet.
Alpha Flying will be one of the first customers to fly one, and they’re not expecting one on property for a few months.

Thanks for the info. I didn’t know it only hit the market on May 1.

I got to fly in the demo ship, very nice plane. It departed a 1700 foot gravel runway at at 6000’ density altitude with room to spare. The interior looked like any well appointed corporate aircraft. The new avionics suite is also well done, though glass panels are pretty common these days on planes from jets down to the new Cessna 172. All in, I would rather have a TBM850 for an owner flown plane, though the PC12 obviously has much more room if that fits your mission requirements.

I agree, and think that these turboprops really fit the mission profile that many VLJ owners are asking for better then the VLJ’S. Speed isn’t much less (except for the speedy javelin), and will beat many vlj’s on longer trips as the jets will have to stop to fuel up. And of course, all the inherit goods of turboprops (ie. fuel efficiency).

All I can say is that I am jealous of these turboprops.

Thanks everyone. I’m not sure when our company is taking delivery of the NG plane yet but I sure am looking forward to flying it. 8)

As well you should be. I’m pretty sure J’s posted this before, but it bears repeating.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3206/2472080696_8884dbdc7e_b.jpg

I know I’m old, but I don’t generally associate significant Mach speeds with prop aircraft, especially level in cruise.

Glad the flaps were up!

Flight Test: new avionics are at the heart of the updated Pilatus PC-12 NG (Flight International)

Start of article:

I had not flown the Pilatus PC-12 or -12 NG single turboprop; received no simulator training or computer-based training on the upgraded aircraft’s Honeywell Primus Apex avionics and had never seen the cockpit of the PC-12 NG up to the moment of the pre-flight briefing just before engine start.

So when Flight International was given one of the first opportunities to evaluate the PC-12 NG, the level of success with which I could manage the aircraft was bound to be a direct indicator of the quality of the avionics upgrade in particular and the aircraft’s suitability in general.

The author’s conclusion:

I left Stans hugely impressed. I believe that, with this NG upgrade, Pilatus has raised the bar in this class of commuter aircraft.

Overall, I found that the PC-12 NG had a “look right, feel right, fly right” type of aura and was stacked with good design from nose to tail for pilot and passenger. I found it so good in all of the assessed areas of flyability, useability and affordability.

When the long-overdue EASA regulations governing single-engine IFR commercial operations are agreed and the survivability aspects can be properly addressed by all owners/operators from an internationally defined position, I believe the PC-12 NG has the potential to become a world beater.

interactive walk around of the PC-12NG