Pilatus PC-12

The Pilatus PC-12 is a Swiss single-engine turboprop with a pressurised cabin, a cargo door 1.35 m wide behind the wing and a take-off run short enough for La Môle near Saint-Tropez or, with a qualified crew, the Courchevel altiport. Pilatus has delivered more than 2,000 of them, and many European operators have the type on their AOC. We ask for offers from the ones with an aircraft close to your departure.

From European hubs the PC-12 makes most sense on legs up to about two and a half hours: Milan Linate to Samedan takes 0:46 h, Hamburg to Sylt 0:52 h, Vienna to Split 1:32 h. The main limitation is speed: at up to 537 km/h, Geneva to Lisbon takes 3:33 h, about an hour more than in a light jet. One engine also means that flights at night or in cloud need a special approval held by the operator.

Cabin: six seats, a flat floor and a toilet that varies

The PC-12 cabin is 5.16 m long from the cockpit divider to the rear pressure bulkhead, 1.52 m wide and 1.47 m high, with a flat floor all the way. You cannot stand upright and have to stoop slightly when moving about, but seated there is good headroom.

• Executive layout: six single seats, four of them facing each other in a club arrangement
• 6+2 layout: the operator fits two lighter extra seats when more people travel
• No bed, although seats in later aircraft recline
• No galley: some aircraft carry a cabinet with drinks and snacks, so catering is ordered cold
• No flight attendant, the crew is one or two pilots

The propeller is audible, and the cabin is louder than in a jet. On the NGX Pilatus reduced the noise with a low-speed propeller mode, and the windows are about 10 % larger than on the NG.

Baggage, skis, golf bags and pets

Because the hold is part of the pressurised cabin, bags stay warm and you can reach them during the flight. Skis, golf bags, bicycles and a travel crate for a large dog go in through the cargo door. With fewer passengers the operator can take seats out to make more room for luggage.

A dog or cat flies in the cabin next to you once the operator has approved it in advance, so tell us the breed, weight and carrier size. Within the EU the animal needs:

• a microchip
• a rabies vaccination, the first one given at least 21 days before travel
• an EU pet passport
• tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before arrival in Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway or the UK

For a flight into the UK the animal has to arrive on an approved route at an airport that accepts pets, which can narrow the choice of arrival airfield.

Engine, versions and short runways

Charter operators fly several generations of the PC-12, and the cabin dimensions are the same in all of them.

Pilatus quotes the PC-12 range at economy cruise with IFR reserves and one pilot, and the runway figures at sea level. The aircraft is approved for flight in icing conditions, and the manufacturer also allows take-off and landing on grass, gravel and compacted snow. At a high airfield on a warm day the take-off run grows, so the operator may reduce fuel or load.

Flying a single-engine turboprop in Europe

EU air operations rules allow commercial passenger flights in a single-engine turbine aircraft at night or in cloud (IMC) only when the operator holds a SET-IMC approval. It requires engine trend monitoring, two independent electrical systems, weather radar and procedures for a forced landing.

• Single pilot: the PC-12 is certified for one pilot, who then needs at least 700 flight hours on aeroplanes under EU rules; some operators send two
• Domestic legs: any EU operator may fly Hamburg - Sylt, but an operator from outside the EU normally cannot, and London - Edinburgh needs a UK operator, because UK domestic legs are closed to EU operators
• Peak days: Nice and Geneva are slot-coordinated, so on summer weekends and winter Saturdays book early
• Schengen: no passport control between member states, but the operator needs passport or ID details for each passenger; EU citizens flying to the UK need an ETA

PC-12 routes from European hubs

Thirty one-way legs from all thirteen hubs, from Milan Linate - Samedan at 130 km to Geneva - Lisbon at 1,496 km, all without a fuel stop. Prices are for the whole aircraft with crew, without airport fees and passenger taxes. Flight time is calculated on the great-circle distance plus taxi, climb and approach.

Up to two hours: islands, lakes and Alpine strips

Two to four hours: non-stop, but a jet is quicker

• Up to about 1:30 h, as on London - Jersey (1:01 h) or Madrid - Ibiza (1:26 h), a jet saves only minutes and the PC-12 costs less
• Munich - Olbia (2:14 h) and Zurich - Palma (2:32 h) are non-stop, but noticeably slower than in a light jet
• London - Palma (3:13 h) and Geneva - Lisbon (3:33 h) are near the practical limit: with six passengers, bags and a headwind the operator may plan a fuel stop, and a light jet is about an hour quicker
• Legs over four hours, such as Paris - Mykonos or flights to the Canary Islands from northern Europe, call for a jet

The calculator gives an indicative price for the PC-12 and other aircraft classes on your own route, including smaller airfields close to your destination.

PC-12 charter prices and what they include

The indicative rate is EUR 2,000 per flight hour for the whole aircraft with crew and fuel. On short legs the full price is well above the rate multiplied by the flight time: Milan Linate - Samedan takes 0:46 h and costs from EUR 6,500, because the operator adds positioning from the aircraft's base and a minimum charge per flight.

On longer legs the gap narrows. Zurich - Olbia (2:00 h) is from EUR 9,000, Zurich - Palma (2:32 h) from EUR 10,000 and Geneva - Lisbon (3:33 h) from EUR 12,000, so the hour costs less the further you fly. The price stays the same whether two or eight people are on board.

The quote is for the whole aircraft; split between the passengers, Madrid - Ibiza comes to:

Ways to pay less on a single-engine turboprop

For two or three people on a leg under 1:30 h, a smaller single-engine turboprop such as the TBM 940 can cost less. Shared flights are rare on this type, so we do not promise them.

Empty Legs: how often they come up

Because many operators fly the type, empty PC-12 legs appear regularly, mostly in summer between northern Italy, Sardinia, Corsica and Switzerland. They can be 30-60% cheaper than a normal charter, but these figures are examples, not guaranteed.

PC-12 compared with similar aircraft

Clients usually weigh the PC-12 against a twin turboprop, a jet from the same factory, a smaller and faster single-engine turboprop and a twin turboprop with near-jet speed.

What to include in your request

For a quote we need:

• route, date and preferred departure time
• number of passengers and a rough idea of the baggage
• skis, golf bags, bicycles or other long items
• pets with breed, weight and carrier size
• the small airfield you would like to use, so we can check fuel and handling there

Questions about the Pilatus PC-12

• • How much does a PC-12 charter cost?

  • Madrid to Ibiza (1:26 h) costs from EUR 7,500 for the whole aircraft one way according to the table, and Vienna to Split from EUR 8,000. The flight-hour rate starts at EUR 2,000; airport fees and passenger taxes are added in the quote.

• • What is included in the price and what comes on top?

  • The table price covers the aircraft, the pilot or pilots and fuel. Airport and handling fees, passenger taxes, catering, winter de-icing, positioning from a distant base and the pilot's hotel on a return after several days come on top. All of it is listed in the quote.

• • Why does a one-hour flight cost more than the hourly rate?

  • Because the operator charges positioning from its base and a minimum per flight. London to Jersey takes 1:01 h and costs from EUR 7,000, while the rate is EUR 2,000 per hour. On London to Palma (3:13 h, from EUR 11,000) the difference is much smaller.

• • How can I fly a PC-12 more cheaply?

  • Return the same day, choose a departure airport where an operator keeps its aircraft, stay flexible on the time and ask for Empty Legs. For two or three people a smaller turboprop can also be cheaper.

• • Are there Empty Legs on the PC-12?

  • Yes, fairly often, as many European operators fly the type. Summer legs between northern Italy, Sardinia, Corsica and Switzerland are common, and the discount can reach 30-60%. The date and route are fixed, and the leg can be cancelled if the aircraft gets a full charter.

• • Is it safe to fly with one engine?

  • The aircraft is certified for instrument flight, night and icing conditions. EU rules allow commercial flights in a single-engine turbine aircraft at night and in cloud only for operators with a SET-IMC approval, which requires engine monitoring, extra equipment and emergency procedures. We check the approval with every offer.

• • Is there a toilet on board?

  • It depends on the aircraft: from an enclosed toilet with a door, which Pilatus offers on the NGX, to a basic emergency toilet or none. For legs over two hours we choose an aircraft with a toilet if you ask for it.

• • How far can it fly without a stop?

  • Pilatus quotes 2,903 km with six passengers. Geneva to Lisbon is non-stop in 3:33 h, but with a full cabin and a headwind the operator may plan a fuel stop. The type makes most sense on legs up to about two and a half hours.

• • Can we take skis, golf bags and the dog?

  • Yes. The cargo door is 1.35 m wide and the 1.13 m³ hold is reachable in flight. Weight sets the limit: with full tanks there are 448 kg for people and bags. A dog flies in the cabin or in a crate, once the operator has approved it.

• • Can the PC-12 land in Courchevel?

  • Yes, it is one of the few types that can fly charter to the 537 m altiport. It needs an operator with approval and pilots qualified for the airfield, and landings take place only in good visibility. In bad weather the flight usually goes to Chambéry instead.