On 21 June, Pilatus completed delivery of two PC-21 aircraft to the Spanish Air Force, the company has confirmed in a LinkedIn post. In total, the Spanish Air Force based in San Javier ordered 24 planes from the Nidwalden-based aircraft manufacturer, further details of which can be found in a press release. These have now all been delivered.
The single-engine turboprop aircraft are to be used to train Spain's future military pilots. According to Pilatus, these models consume less fuel than comparable training aircraft, which can reduce training costs by up to 50 percent. The PC-21 training system also includes simulators, computer-aided training options and virtual reality offerings.
Pilatus was founded in 1939 and is headquartered in Stans in the canton of Nidwalden, where it employs around 2,000 members of staff. The company sells its internally developed and built aircraft on four different continents. Its latest model is the PC-24, the world’s first business jet capable of landing on short, natural runways.