2010 proved to be another year of new records for Pilatus Aircraft Ltd, with the company generating its highest ever sales revenue and operating income.  Pilatus also delivered its 1000th PC-12 mid-year – an event that will go down in the Pilatus history books.

2010 saw Pilatus achieve two new records: the highest sales result yet (CHF 688 million), and the best operating income of all times (CHF 88 million). Both figures are up by more than eleven percent on 2009. Pilatus also invested CHF 49 million in research and development. In contrast, both incoming orders and orders in hand have fallen substantially over the past two years. Orders received totalled CHF 355 million by the end of 2010, and orders in hand amounted to CHF 689 million.

Follow-up order from the Swiss Air Force
The growth in sales was driven by an exceptionally large order placed by the United Arab Emirates Air Force & Air Defence. Signed on 22 November 2009, this was the biggest order ever accepted in the history of Pilatus. The official maiden flight of the PC-21 took place exactly one year later to the day. Deliveries will go ahead in 2011.

The Swiss Air Force, which already operates six PC-21s with great success, signed a follow-up order for two further PC-21s and associated training systems. The first Swiss Air Force military pilots have already completed the training which takes them direct from the PC-21 to the F/A-18 Hornet, proving the efficacy of the revolutionary PC-21 training concept.

Delivery of the 1000th PC-12 
The past year has been very difficult for the business aviation sector. The economy has not yet recovered fully in the USA, which is the main market for the PC-12 NG. In spite of all, Pilatus delivered seventy-nine PC-12s, and crossed the magical boundary of 1000 PC-12 deliveries in June 2010.

Two of our very first PC-12 customers bought new PC-12 NGs in 2010. The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia took delivery of its 33rd PC-12 during the year under review and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police added three new PC-12s to its fleet.

The workforce grows
Employees again received the maximum individual profit-sharing bonus of approximately 150 percent of monthly salary. The number of full-time equivalents rose by just under five percent during the past year, to 1395. Further workforce growth is planned during the current year to meet the development requirements for a new aircraft to be launched in the general aviation sector, the PC-24. More information about this aircraft will be revealed to the public in 2012.

Source and photo: Pilatus