Pilatus PC-6 Porter

PC-6 Porter/Turbo-Porter
A PC-6 Turbo-Porter, B2-H4 PT6A-34 variant, used for skydiving in Spain
Role	STOL Passenger and utility aircraft
Manufacturer	Pilatus Aircraft
Built by	Fairchild Aircraft
First flight	Porter - 4 May 1959 Turbo-Porter - 1961.
Primary users	Civil aviation United States Air Force United States Army
Number built	562 (as of August 2011)[1]
Variants	Fairchild AU-23 Peacemaker

The Pilatus PC-6 Porter is a single-engined Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) utility aircraft designed by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. First flown in 1959, the PC-6 has been built in both piston engine and turboprop powered versions, and has been built both by Pilatus and by Fairchild Hiller in the United States. It remains in production as of August 2011.

Design and development

The first prototype made its maiden flight on 4 May 1959 powered by a 254 kW (340-shp) piston engine. The first Turbo Porter, powered by a turboprop, flew in 1961. The Turbo Porter received an engine upgrade in 1963, which increased its power to its present value of 410 kW (550-shp).

In the United States, the Porter was manufactured under license by Fairchild Hiller. In service with the U.S. Air Force, it received the designation AU-23A Peacemaker. In U.S. Army use, it was designated UV-20 Chiricahua.

Operational history

A Fairchild Porter, a licensed version of the Turbo Porter

The PC-6 is noted for its Short Take-off and Landing (STOL) performance on almost any type of terrain - it can take off within a distance of 640 feet (195 m) and land within a distance of 427 feet (130 m) while carrying a payload of 2,646 lbs (1,500 kg) (The length of a soccer field is enough, Pilatus test pilots were able to land on not much more than 164 feet (50 m) of space). Thanks to its STOL performance, the PC-6 holds the world record for highest landing by a fixed wing aircraft, at 18,865 feet (5,750 m), on the Dhaulagiri glacier in Nepal.

Due to these characteristics, they are frequently used to access short grass mountaintop airstrips in the highlands of Papua Province (Indonesia) and Papua New Guinea.

Variants

PC-6/340 Porter

Initial production version, powered by a 254-kW (340-hp) Lycoming GSO-480-B1A6 flat-six piston engine. Max take-off weight 1,070 kg (2,360 lb).^[2]

PC-6/340-H1 Porter

As PC-6/340, but with modified landing gear and increased weight (2,016 kg (4,444 lb)).^[2]

PC-6/340-H2 Porter

As for H-2, but with maximum take-off weight increased to 2,200 kg (4,850 lb).^[2]

PC-6/350

As PC-6/340, but powered by a 261 kW (350 hp) Lycoming IGO-540-A1A piston engine.^[2]

PC-6/350-H1

As for /340 H1 but with O-540 engine.^[2]

PC-6/350-H2

As for 340 H2 with O-540 engine.^[2]

PC-6/A Turbo-Porter

Initial turboprop powered version, fitted with a 390 kW (523 shp) Turboméca Astazou IIE or IIG turboprop engine.^[2]

PC-6/A1 Turbo-Porter

This 1968 version was powered by a 427-kW (573-shp) Turbomeca Astazou XII turboprop engine.

PC-6/A2 Turbo-Porter

This 1971 version was powered by a 427-kW (573-shp) Turbomeca Astazou XIVE turboprop engine.

PC-6/B Turbo-Porter

This version was powered by a 410-kW (550-shp) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-6A turboprop engine.

PC-6/B1 Turbo-Porter

Similar to the PC-6/B, but fitted with a 410-kW (550-shp) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-20 turboprop engine.

PC-6B2-H2 Turbo-Porter

Fitted with a 507-kW (680-shp) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27 turboprop engine.

PC-6/C Turbo-Porter

One prototype built by Fairchild Industries in the USA, powered by a 429-kW (575-shp) Garrett TPE331-25D turboprop engine.

PC-6/C1 Turbo-Porter

Similar to the PC-6/C, but fitted with a 429-kW (575-shp) Garrett TPE 331-1-100 turboprop engine.

PC-6/C2-H2 Porter

Developed by Fairchild Industries in the USA. It was powered by a 485-ekW (650-ehp) Garrett TPE 331-101F turboprop engine.

PC-6/D-H3 Porter

One prototype, fitted with a 373-kW (500-hp) avco Lycoming turbocharged piston engine.

AU-23A Peacemaker

Armed gunship, counter-insurgency, utility transport version for the U.S. Air Force. It was used during the Vietnam War in the early 1970s. 35 were built under licence in the USA by Fairchild Industries. All aircraft were sold to Royal Thai Air Force.

OV-12

Designation for U.S. version, cancelled 1979.

UV-20A Chiricahua

STOL utility transport version for the U.S. Army. Two UV-20As were based in West Berlin during the 1970s and 1980s.

PC-8 Twin Porter

Twin-engined version flown in 1967, but not subsequently developed.

Operators

Military operators

 Algeria

 Angola

 Argentina

• Gendarmeria Nacional Argentina

 Austria

• Austrian Air Force

 Australia

• Australian Army Aviation - 19 Turbo-Porters were in service with Australian Army from 1968 to 1992.
  • 6th Aviation Regiment (Australia)
    • 173rd Surveillance Squadron (Australia)
  • No. 161 Independent Reconnaissance Flight
  • No. 163 Independent Reconnaissance Flight
  • No. 171 Air Cavalry Flight
  • School Army Aviation

Bophuthatswana

Later transferred to South African Air Force

 Bolivia

 Burma (Myanmar)

• Myanmar Air Force

 Chad

• Chad Air Force

 Colombia

• Colombian Air Force
  • SATENA

 Ecuador

• Ecuadorian Army

 France

 Iran

 Israel

• Israeli Air Force
  • 100 Squadron

 Mexico

 Nepal

 Oman

 Peru

 Slovenia

• Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence

 Switzerland

• Swiss Air Force

 Thailand

• Royal Thai Air Force
• Bureau of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation

 United Arab Emirates

• United Arab Emirates Air Force

 United States

• United States Army

Law Enforcement operators

 Malaysia

• Royal Malaysian Police

 South Africa

• South African Police Service

Civil operators

Continental Air Services PC-6 Porter in Laos, ca. 1970

 Australia

• Mission Aviation Fellowship

 Indonesia

• JAARS
• Mission Aviation Fellowship
• Susi Air

 Mongolia

• Thomas Air

 Nepal

• Yeti Airlines

 New Zealand

• Mount Cook Airlines

 Papua New Guinea

• Mission Aviation Fellowship

 United States

• Air America
• CASI

Specifications (PC-6 B2 Turbo-Porter)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993–1994^[3]

General characteristics

• Crew: one, pilot
• Capacity: up to ten passengers
• Payload: 1,130 kg (2,491 lb)
• Length: 11.00 m (36 ft 1 in)
• Wingspan: 15.87 m (52 ft 0¾ in)
• Height: 3.20 m (10 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: 30.15 m² (324.5 sq ft)
• Airfoil: NACA 64-514
• Aspect ratio: 8.4:1
• Empty weight: 1,270 kg (2,800 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 2,800 kg (6,173 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27 turboprop, 410 kW (550 shp)(downrated from 507 kW (680 shp))

Performance

• Never exceed speed: 280 km/h (151 knots, 174 mph)
• Maximum speed: 232 km/h^[4] (125 knots, 144 mph)
• Cruise speed: 213 km/h (115 knots, 132 mph) at 3,050 m (10,000 ft)
• Stall speed: 96 km/h (52 knots, 60 mph) (flaps down, power off)
• Range: 730 km (394 nmi, 453 mi) with maximum payload
• Ferry range: 1,612 km (870 nmi, 1,002 mi) with maximum internal and underwing fuel
• Service ceiling: 8,197 m (25,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 4.8 m/d (941 ft/min)

See also

Related development

• Fairchild AU-23 Peacemaker
  

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Antonov An-2
• de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter
  

References

1. ^ Herzig, Marcus. "PC-6 Production List". PC-6.com. 27 August 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Taylor 1965, pp. 126–127.
3. ^ Lambert 1993, pp. 358–359.
4. ^ Taylor 1999, p. 489.

• Lambert, Mark. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993–1994. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Data Division, 1993. ISBN 0 7106 1066 1.
• Taylor, John W. R. Janes's All The World's Aircraft 1965–66. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1965.
• Taylor, Michael J. H. Brassey's World Aircraft& Systems Directory 1999/2000 Edition. London: Brassey's, 1999. ISBN 1 85753 246 7.

External links

• Pilatus PC-6 Porter webpage
• The PILATUS PORTER World by Markus Herzig
• PC-8 pic scroll down
• PC-8pic