http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ ... ling-pc-24

These guys have already sold through the 1st two years of production. Holy cow! I guess it's fair to say they found an excellent niche. They appear to have hit a home run with everything except the avionics suite. Hopefully it does all they say it will do.

I'm very curious to see how Cessna plans to respond...

I want one. Wish it wasn't going to take til 2017.

That said, I kinda don't see why Pilatus is getting into this already very saturated market.

The market has lots of examples above and below this offering but nothing with the huge cabin door, STOL, unimproved runway capability and utility.

I applaud them for a truly commendable job of years of market research, talking to their customers and other potential clients about their needs and quietly working on a solution for years with a product that meets the needs and does not yet exist. This approach of identifying a problem, talking to customers at length about what they want and then offering a direct solution is Business 101 stuff but very seldom is executed this well. One can learn a lot about business success from their approach.

It's hard to imagine there are niches that still exist in business jets but they've clearly found one.

Very impressive for a top speed of 425ktas

Another key factor is its ability to operate from short and unprepared runways (2,690-foot balanced field length at max takeoff weight). Intended for Part 23 certification, the mainly-aluminum PC-24 can be flown by one pilot.

The PC 24 will be a game changer in many the same ways as the PC 12 did. The benefits of this new bird has been mentioned in this thread so I won't rehash them again but I do want to say the following.

Jason, please don't dog my new to me PC 12NG, keep up the maintenance and by all means keep the upholstery cleaned. I'm willing to let you keep flying it until your PC 24 arrives.

BTW, there is one benefit that no one has mentioned yet.

CHICKS DIG PLANES THAT DON'T HAVE PROPS!

Really? Doesn't seem to have been a problem for Jason up to this point...

- Martin

I agree. They did make changes. I am curious how much "unimproved runway" jet demand there is. Maybe there's a bunch in Europe. Like the Europe thread said...... Not many GA airports in Europe.

On the Popa forum there's a thread going on about unimproved strips and a lot of the guys are too chicken %#$@ to take their PC12 on grass.

I use my cargo door every flight. Make loading so easy. That said, most jets have a baggage compartment that's probably also easy to access. PC12 has no baggage compartment. Baggage goes in the cargo door.

I get %#$@ all the time. There is nothing cool about a propeller airplane. Everyone assumes it cost me $50K and a "pilots license". "Oh, you got your pilots license"?

An old $200K Lear would get me a lot more respect. It's true.

I hope Jason doesn't notice it has 2 engines....that would be a deal breaker

People love the Mits. Perhaps it's the two propellers?

People love the Mits. Perhaps it's the two propellers?

Then why are we, Rick Ott included, flying Bonanzas? Maybe I'll buy a glider.

Because they're going to a place that isn't saturated. Lots of parts of the world with wiiiide open spaces and not many improved strips. I could imagine Africa, Australia and South America taking quite a few. Utility turboprop speeds are great for US/EU distances. A jet makes a lot of sense for other continents. The cargo (i.e. kayak, moose, ATV) door is a winner as well.

I get %#$@ all the time. There is nothing cool about a propeller airplane. Everyone assumes it cost me $50K and a "pilots license". "Oh, you got your pilots license"?

An old $200K Lear would get me a lot more respect. It's true.

Nice plane.