Pilatus PC-24 evolves with more range, payload and premium cabin

Pilatus has enhanced the PC-24 executive jet with over 1,000 structural and technological modifications, raising the charge, reach and comfort of the cabin. Updates, which include weight reduction, new finishes and options such as rear galley and convertible bed divan, position the model as a reference between light jets, with top performance in short tracks and challenging operations.

The increase in numbers occurred after an improvement of structural wing and fuselage elements, allowing to reduce the weight of approximately 700 components, which were redesigned or had their constructive method perfected.

Thus, the PC-24, from the first 2024 deliveries, had a maximum range with six passengers expanded to 2,000 nautical miles (3,704 kilometers), a sensitive 200 miles (370 kilometers), which occurred after an increase of 600 pounds (272 pounds) in the total fuel load and paid load capacity.

Operations on short and unprepared clues

With improvements, the PC-24 now offers a total fuel load, in single-pilot operation, additional £ 1,315 (596 pounds) and has a maximum payroll capacity of 3,100 pounds (1,406 pounds). The improvements also allowed the PC-24 to maintain its operational capabilities on short or unsuccessful tracks, and may at the maximum takeoff weight, at sea level, require only 941 meters of track.

“Increased payload was achieved by refining the structural elements of the wing and fuselage to reduce the empty weight of the fuselage and, at the same time, increase the maximum boundary of gross takeoff weight,” said Bruno Cervia, vice president of engineering at Pilatus.

To validate the changes of nearly 1,000 items, Pilatus had to conduct an extensive flight testing and testing campaign to enable the new flight envelope considering larger operational weights and the reduction in the aircraft’s structural weight. Informally, Pilatus executives began to consider the PC-24 not like a light jet, but a very light jet, in a joke that weight reduction made the plane more capable.

For Brazil, the new generation especially serves operations in the interior, where most aerodromes are quite limited in terms of track length and support infrastructure. Not by chance, Synerjet, Pilatus representative in Brazil, performed in 2024 a tour with a PC-24 demonstrating the improvements in the project.

Diva

What draws the most attention is the new interior, which has received a number of improvements. Although weight and performance changes are important, for many operators, the new interior, which includes divan option, is an additional highlight, but not the main one.

Although the PC-24 already has the largest cabin volume in the category, Pilatus has achieved with some punctual adjustments to improve the interior layout, as well as offering new finishes. And here is an addendum, Pilatus since its robust monoturboolyices, such as the PC-6 Porter, which despite being designed as a robust and simple plane, has always stood out for its constructive quality and finishing, which is a Swiss tradition. The country is famous for its high quality industry and high quality products, ranging from watches, to chocolate, toasted coffee, to planes.

The plane presented by Synerjet had no couch, but the company itself highlighted its presence and, in a recent interview with American Aviation Week, Pilatus CEO Markus Bucher said that the demand for the accessory is a great success, and that the company did not expect “people to be so crazy about it.”

The justification is plausible, the large side sofa, 1.98 meters long, can be converted into bed during flight, and accommodate three people comfortably. The couch is usually a common item in medium jets or supermarkets, offering a higher level of comfort and a lighter onboard environment.

On longer trips, especially at the end of a day of meetings, the divan offers the passenger an opportunity to rest during the flight. For families, it is an option to increase the comfort of children, either in a wider space for distraction or to allow easier accommodation during sleep. And even in meetings on board the side sofa invites to a more intimate atmosphere, which can be a differential in certain conversations and agreements.

New Settings

Pilatus also offers six internal configuration options from the classic layout, passing by Club Seat to the couch. Another important change was the possibility of a rear galley, which, in fact, are two additional cabinets installed at the site of the two standard seats, called Commuter, at the end of the cabin.

One of the advantages is flexibility, allowing you to remove the last two seats, installing the galleys, or using the free area for additional cargo transportation. “Usually customers opt for Cabinets or Commuter Seats, however, it is possible to buy both and change them,” explained Priscila Belo, Synerjet sales consultant.

In addition, some Brazilian users choose to install executive seats throughout the plane, avoiding the two end -style endings. The contrary is that it is not possible to remove executive banks just by removing a lock, thus requiring workshop work and with longer stopping time. “Since most of these clients wears plane for executive transportation, they prefer everyone to have the same seat, avoiding a kind of ‘smaller prestige’ for those traveling in the last [assentos]”Poured Belo.

Low noise

Another highlight of the current project is the declared improvement in environmental noise levels by optimizing the passenger service unit pipelines, noise absorption panels and adjusted engine accessory inlet ducts. Although our team has not traveled on the new PC-24, the previous model, where we had an exclusive rehearsal, already had a very low inner noise.

Still, during our visit, the presentation of model 2024, we only asked to close the partition between Galley and the passenger cabin, which in itself presented a clear reduction of the external noise. The plane was in the Synerjet hangar and with some maintenance operations occurring next door, which were not noticeable even during the video recording about the plane, which can be accessed in Our YouTube Channel.

It is also noteworthy the improvements in the cabinet and furniture areas, which have gained a new finish and an additional refinement, optimizing the cabin space and even visual perception.

Pilatus has partnered with Lufthansa Technik to incorporate a new Integrated Cabin Management (ICMS) system with a 10 “touch screen controller with 3D mobile map, four high fidelity cabin speakers with subwoofer option, ambient lighting, USB ports and media storage.

In the cockpit, one of the most visible improvements is the introduction of touch sensitive FMS, making the operation simpler and following the trend adopted in larger aircraft, such as the top -the -tone models of Gulfstream and Dassault.

By the way, this is an increasingly present feature in business jets, the use of avionics with touch -sensitive screens that offer the elimination of various buttons, which in practice makes operation simpler and reduces weight. For less than one button weighs, the analog system all added adds a few pounds to the plane. In addition, the use of technologies such as smartphones has made usual and simple to absorb the idea of functions on the screen.

Predictive

Finally, according to Pilatus, all PC-24 from the 501 serial number will be equipped with a new feature to allow predictive services. The automated transmission of important aircraft data directly to Pilatus at the time of landing will be analyzed and, if necessary, a predictive recommendation will be made to the operator.

“More range, higher use load, greater comfort and greater operability were the main focus of this important PC-24 improvement program. The PC-24 update includes more than 1,000 modifications throughout the aircraft. Once again, we went to the limit of the possible, making maximum use of our engineering capabilities,” said Bucher.

Brazil is still one of the markets with the highest potential for the PC-24, which already operates on a shared property and also with private operators, especially serving short and medium duration flights, flying between urban centers and inland cities with short clues.