Pilatus PC-21

PC-21
The PC-21 demonstrator lands at RIAT 2008, England.
Role	Basic & Advanced Trainer aircraft
Manufacturer	Pilatus Aircraft
Designer	Pilatus Aircraft
First flight	1 July 2002
Introduction	April 2008
Status	Active service
Primary users	Swiss Air Force Republic of Singapore Air Force United Arab Emirates Air Force
Number built	+26

The Pilatus PC-21 is a single-turboprop, low wing swept monoplane advanced trainer with a stepped tandem cockpit manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland.

Development

In November 1997 Pilatus flew a modified PC-7 Mk.II in order to test improvements for a next generation turboprop trainer. As a result of these tests, Pilatus funded the development of a new training system in November 1998. Development of the PC-21 started in January 1999. Roll-out of the PC-21 prototype was on 30 April 2002 at Pilatus' factory in Stans, Switzerland, with the first flight taking place on 1 July of the same year. The second PC-21 prototype flew on 7 June 2004. One of the prototypes, HB-HZB, crashed on 13 January 2005, in Buochs, Switzerland on an aerobatic training flight, killing the pilot and injuring another person on the ground. The other prototypes: HB-HZA, HB-HZC and HB-HZD, are still flying.

Design

The PC-21 is a completely new aircraft design.^[1] The aircraft features a tandem-seating arrangement (student in-front/instructor behind) in a bird strike resistant glass canopy with all round vision, glass cockpit with three large colour liquid crystal displays (LCD), head-up displays (HUD), Hands on Throttle and Stick (HOTAS) controls and Zero-zero ejection seats for student and instructor.

Operational history

Six PC-21 have been delivered to the Swiss Air Force, the first four being delivered in April 2008.^[2] In December 2010, the Swiss air force ordered another two.^[3]

On 21 January 2008, the first PC-21 for the Republic of Singapore Air Force completed its flight test prior to being accepted into service.^[4] On 13 July 2008, the type began to provide the RSAF with basic flying training.^[5] A further six aircraft have now been delivered with the remaining seven expected to be delivered in August 2008.^[5]

During the 2009 Dubai Airshow, UAE announced an order of 25 PC-21 for the United Arab Emirates Air Force to replace their aging fleet of Pilatus PC-7s.^[6] UAEAF's first PC-21 made its maiden on 22 November 2010, deliveries expected to commence from first quarter of 2011.^[7]

The PC-21 has been offered to the Royal Australian Air Force as part of project AIR 5428 to replace its Pilatus PC-9s.^[8] Moreover, the PC-21 has been evaluated by the Spanish Air Force, along the T-6 Texan II and the PZL-130 Orlik III, as a possible sustitute for its ENAER T-35 Pillan and CASA C-101 Aviojet trainer aircraft.^[9]

Operators

 Singapore

• Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)
  • RAAF Base Pearce in Australia.^[10] The squadron has transitioned from the SIAI-Marchetti S.211 (in service with the RSAF since 1984) beginning June 2008.^[4]

 Switzerland

• Swiss Air Force operates six PC-21s for advanced training with a further two on order.^[11] They replaced the Hawk which had been retired from 2003.

 United Arab Emirates

• United Arab Emirates Air Force: 25× PC-21 on order,^[6] first flight made on 22 November 2010 with delivery expected to commence from first quarter of 2011.^[7]

Specifications (PC-21)

The Pilatus PC-21; note the stepped tandem cockpit

Data from Pilatus Aircraft^[12]

General characteristics

• Crew: Two (student & instructor)
• Length: 11.233 m (36 ft 11 in)
• Wingspan: 9.108 m (29 ft 11 in)
• Height: 3.749 m (12 ft 4 in)
• Wing area: 15.221 m² (163.848 ft²)
• Empty weight: 2,270 kg (5,005 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 3,100 kg (aerobatic) / 4,250 kg (utility) (6,834 lb (aerobatic) / 9,370 lb (utility))
• Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68B Turboprop engine, 1,200 kW (1,600 shp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 685 km/h (370 knots, 428 mph)
• Stall speed: 170 km/h (92 knots, 106.25 mph) gear and flaps up (20 km/h less with flaps and gear down)
• Range: 1,333 km (720 nm, 828 miles)
• Service ceiling: 11,580 m (38,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 1,219 m/min (4,000 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 208 kg/m² (42.7 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 0.39 kW/kg (0.23 hp/lb)

Armament

• Hardpoints: Provisions provided for 4× under-wing and 1× centerline external store stations, capable of mounting up to 1,150 kg (2,500 lb) of payload of air-to-ground weapons to operate in the Counter-insurgency role.

See also

Related development

• Pilatus PC-7
• Pilatus PC-9
  

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano
• KAI KT-1
• TAI Hürkuş
  

References

Notes

1. ^ "PC-21: Aircraft Data". Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. http://www.pilatus-aircraft.com/. Retrieved 29 April 2010. 
2. ^ "Acceptance of the first four Pilatus PC-21 by armasuisse" (Press release). Swiss Federation. http://www.news.admin.ch/message/index.html?lang=en&msg-id=18550. Retrieved 29 April 2010. 
3. ^ "defence.professionals". 2010-12-18. http://www.defpro.com/news/details/20711/. Retrieved 2010-12-18. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "RSAF Pilatus PC-21 Makes its Maiden Flight" (Press release). Ministry of Defence (MINDEF). 15 February 2008. http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/news_and_events/nr/2008/feb/15feb08_nr2.html. Retrieved 29 April 2010. 
5. ^ ^{a b} "Basic Flying Training on the Pilatus PC-21 Aircraft Trainer Commences" (Press release). MINDEF. 13 July 2008. http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/news_and_events/nr/2008/jul/13jul08_nr.html. Retrieved 29 April 2010. 
6. ^ ^{a b} Hoyle, Craig (17 November 2009). "Dubai 09: UAE signs deal for 25 PC-21 trainers". http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/11/17/335112/dubai-09-uae-signs-deal-for-25-pc-21-trainers.html. Retrieved 29 April 2010. 
7. ^ ^{a b} "UAE's first PC-21 flown". Air Forces Monthly (Key Publishing Ltd) (274): page 26. February 2011. ISSN 09557091. 
8. ^ Pittaway 2010, p. 20.
9. ^ "Evaluación del PC-21 Pilatus como entrenador Elemental/Básico/Avanzado", Ejército del Aire de España (Revista de Aeronáutica y Astronáutica) (778), noviembre de 2008 
10. ^ Airforces Monthly June 2008
11. ^ "Swiss military aviation OrBat". MilAviaPress.com. http://www.milaviapress.com/orbat/switzerland/index.php. Retrieved 29 April 2010. 
12. ^ "Pilatus: PC-21 fact sheet" (PDF). Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. http://www.pilatus-aircraft.com/00-def/main/scripts/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Downloads/Brochures/Pilatus%20Aircraft%20Ltd%20-%20PC-21%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf. Retrieved 29 April 2010. 

Bibliography

• Pittaway, Nigel (March 2010). "ADF pilot training under contract". Defence Today (Amberley: Strike Publications) 8 (2): 20–21. ISSN 14470446. 

External links

• http://www.pilatus-aircraft.com
• http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/pc_21
• Republic of Singapore Air Force factsheet: Pilatus PC-21
• Cyberpioneer, Singapore Armed Forces web publication on Pilatus PC-21