Successful 2016 for Pilatus

With sales revenue of 821 million Swiss francs, performance in financial 2016 was better than expected. Operating earnings totalled 89 million Swiss francs after deduction of Research and Development investment of 101 million Swiss francs. 56 additional jobs were created across the Group as a whole. 117 aircraft were delivered to customers and the PC-24 development programme is proceeding according to plan.

Notwithstanding a drop in sales revenue compared to the record years of 2014 and 2015, financial 2016 was a successful year for Pilatus, and exceeded expectations. Total sales amounted to 821 million Swiss francs, with operating earnings at 89 million Swiss francs. Orders in hand as of the end of the year under report are at a comfortable 1.7 billion Swiss francs – not including sales revenue from the PC-24!

In 2016, their General Aviation operations contributed 56 percent of total sales; this is the first time this business unit has accounted for the largest share since 2012. Sales of the PC-12 NG were up 30 percent on the previous year, with 91 aircraft compared to 70 in 2015 – this in an environment in which all the major business aircraft manufacturers have had to contend with stagnating or declining sales figures.

The French Air Force opted for the PC-21 Training System towards the end of 2016. The 17 PC-21s on order will be used for pilot training in preparation for stepping up to the Rafale fighter. The Royal Jordanian Air Force also ordered a further two PC-21s, as did QinetiQ, the British firm behind the Empire Test Pilots’ School. These three orders for Government Aviation, the other business pillar, represented a total value of over 300 million Swiss francs.

The three PC-24 prototypes have flown 1,500 hours to date. Finalisation of the PC-24’s aerodynamic design and systems was the final step in selecting the definitive PC-24 configuration for certification. This was then used as the basis for the P03, the first representative prototype, and for the start of series production, which is already underway.