Jim Roche, Deputy CEO, Pilatus Aircraft
: In 2013, it was stated that Pilatus was exploring the aspect of setting up a facility in India for PC-12 support. What is the status of this proposal at the moment? Do you foresee expansion of such a facility into a full- fledged production line? JR : The Pilatus philosophy for any venture is based on the concept “think big, start small”. With regard to the Indian market, we currently have an appointed PC- 12 distributor Air Charter Services Pvt. Ltd in New Delhi who deals with the General Aviation ( GA) market. The distributor function also addresses support for those PC- 12 aircraft in a general aviation/ private operator environment and while the business is small by comparison to our worldwide fleet of almost 1300 PC- 12 aircraft, it is promising.
For Government Aviation products, all management and support is primarily directed from our HQ in Stans, Switzerland and, where appropriate, a local presence is established when the fleet is of a size warranting such an operation. As we do not yet have PC-12 aircraft operating with any GOI entity, there is no immediate need to establish such direct in-country support infrastructure. However, as we progress our discussions with HAL on manufacturing the airframe (fuselage & wing) for the PC-12, to meet our off-set obligation in part, we also expect that at some time in the future PC-12 airframes can also be built in India to support the GA market. The availability of other competent entities already established in India in this field & also the supply chain sector, has not escaped our attention and we have started looking at such companies to support our long-term development.
: The PC-24 business jet was announced in 2013, and a prototype is expected to fly in late 2014. What has been the market response to this aircraft and what sets it apart from other offerings from earlier established players in the business jet space?
JR : The market response following the introduction of the PC- 24 at EBACE in Geneva in May 2013 was simply overwhelming. Operators from various segments such as corporate flight departments, charter, air ambulance and the private sector have shown great interest in the PC- 24. They were all extremely excited about the aircraft’s super- versatile capabilities combining the runway performance of a turboprop with a spacious, flat floor cabin and jet performance. No other business jet offers the possibility to operate from runways as short as 2,690 feet, no other business jet allows operation from unpaved surfaces like grass or gravel and no other business jet features a separate cargo door making loading of cargo a simple thing. In a nutshell, the PC-24 doesn’t fit in any of the existing business jet categories but creates a class for itself: The Crystal Class.
: The first batch of IAF cadets trained on the PC-7 Mk II graduated in December 2013 and flight training with the PC-7 appears to be progressing smoothly. What work, if any, remains to fulfil your contract obligations, and what does the future hold for your involvement in the Indian military arena?
JR : Indeed, induction of the new Basic Trainer Aircraft into the Indian Air Force inventory proceeded smoothly and due to Pilatus’ unwavering commitment to match the performance of PC-7 Mk.II with timely deliveries, the first training course was successfully completed by mid-December last year. Summarising the first training course on the new aircraft, the instructors and flight cadets at the Air Force Academy ( AFA) at Dundigal expressed immense satisfaction with the excellent, highly conducive teaching environment afforded by the new Pilatus PC-7 Mk.II trainer, which dramatically boosted the quality of instruction.
The deliveries of aircraft will continue as planned and a steady stream of additional aircraft is being added on a monthly basis. Under the accelerated delivery schedule, all 75 basic trainer aircraft are expected to be handed over to the Indian Air Force by mid-2015.
On the Ground Based Training System (GBTS) side, the delivery is on schedule as well. The first simulator along with Ground Mission Debriefing System (GMDS) is planned to be inducted as per the timeline in the first quarter of this year and will certainly significantly enhance the quality of instruction. The remaining GBTS equipment such as the additional simulator, cockpit procedure trainers, avionics part task trainers and computer aided learning system will be delivered during the course of this year.
With regard to the future market in the government sector, we see a significant future growth potential not only in the trainer aircraft segment but also in other areas such as transport, air ambulance, special missions and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).
: So far, Pilatus appears to have made little headway into the civilian market in the Indian Subcontinent. Are you hoping that will change with the PC12 and PC-24 ? What are your plans in the civil aviation market in India?
JR : Compared with the number of almost 1300 PC- 12s that Pilatus Aircraft Ltd delivered worldwide, since the first PC-12 delivery in 1994, the twelve PC-12s in India may look small at the moment. However, the number is constantly rising and Pilatus is very positive that the general aviation sector will prove to be a successful market segment for the Pilatus PC-12.
The PC- 12 has a track record of reliability and flexibility in operation around the globe. The PC-12 has found tremendous popularity in a various number of roles – executive transport, cargo, air ambulance, airline, and government special mission applications. In India with its large number of airports and landing strips, we consider the PC-12 with its outstanding versatility and short take-off and landing capability as the ideal aircraft for the growing Indian aviation market. With the development of our latest aircraft, the PC-24, we would expect to further expand our presence in the general aviation market combined with the proven capabilities of our PC-12 and PC-6 types. These aircraft types can also respond to the ever growing need of other government agencies such as paramilitary, agriculture, infrastructure support and airambulance response services.
: Following on from the previous question: Medanta, a leading Indian healthcare group, recently ordered a number of PC- 12 aircraft equipped as air ambulances. Could you share details regarding a typical air ambulance configuration on the PC- 12? If the air ambulance market expands further, what means will Pilatus employ to support these aircraft, for which serviceability is crucial?
JR : I have to admit that Pilatus is proud that the well-respected Medanta is relying on the outstanding safety, dispatch reliability and mission flexibility of our PC-12 aircraft.
In a typical air ambulance configuration, the PC-12 allows for safe, comfortable, and fast transport for one or two patients on stretchers and medical crews and their life-saving gear (Intensive Care Unit or ICU). Its standard, large 53”x52” (1.35m x 1.32m) cargo door allows easy loading of the patients on stretchers. The PC-12 has proven itself to be a flexible and costeffective air medical transport solution throughout the world and in some of the most extreme environments. In India, Pilatus has appointed ACS (Air Charter Services) as the official Pilatus Centre for the sales and service of the PC- 12. ACS is one of the leading maintenance organisations in India and approved by DGCA ( Director General of Civil Aviation) India as a CAR 145 Certified Company. ACS runs a 24 hours/7 days service facility with capabilities from line maintenance to heavy maintenance. Medanta also relies on ACS’ services to save lives with the PC-12.