Pilatus PC-12 Tries to Crack
Non-Traditional Markets

A new marketing approach at Pilatus has resulted in the sale of seven or eight $2.95 million PC-12 single-engined turboprops in the last six months to customers who have never owned an aircraft before.

"We are seeing a whole new interest in business aircraft since the events of September 11," Pilatus spokesman Tony Aiello told Show News. He believes a new market is emerging, but tapping it isn't easy .

Pilatus is exploring ways to take on the fractionals, which offer customers use of an airplane without the trouble of running a flight department and taking care of maintenance.

"You can own and operate a full PC-12 for less than a one quarter share in a Citation Bravo," Aiello pointed out. "We showed one customer that for less than the cost of the hourly and monthly fees on a Bravo he could buy a PC-12-and he did!"

But there remains the problem of the pilot and maintenance. Pilatus is working on ways to offer the aircraft with those aspects taken care of on a turnkey basis with established operators in the industry. This approach has generated an encouraging 200 inquiries in the last five weeks, he said.

Aiello noted that of the 350 PC-12s sold to date, some 70-80% are in the Americas-and of those, 75% have gone to owner/pilots. "It's a way to get into business aviation in a relatively low key manner," he said.
Pilatus is here at Booth 7307 and in the static park.