Austria-based executive aviation firm Pilart Air has taken delivery of a first PC-12 PRO. Chief operations officer Dominik Haas told ch-aviation that this is the first of three PC-12 PROs ordered to replace the company's two PC-12NGX turboprops.
The factory-new aircraft, OE-EJH (msn 3047), was ferried between Pilatus Aircraft's Buochs production facilities and Vienna, where it will be based, on February 4 and has already entered service. Like Pilart Air's two PC-12NGX aircraft, the PC-12 PRO will be operated under the air operator's certificate (AOC) of Skyside (SKV, Vienna).
“Pilart Air ordered three PC-12 PROs to replace the NGX fleet, meaning all aircraft will be equipped with autoland in the future,” Haas explained. While OE-EJH will replace 2021-built OE-EJK (msn 2073), the next PC-12 PRO, planned for delivery at the end of 2026, will replace 2022-built OE-EJJ (msn 2223). “The third PRO is planned for 2027,” he added.
Regarding the recent transfer of the two PC-12 NGX aircraft between the AOCs of Fly 7 Finland and Skyside, Haas cited operational flexibility as a key reason. “We had the possibility of launching the Single-Engined Turbine Instrument-Meteorological Conditions (SET-IMC) approval together with Skyside according to our needs.”
He added that closer offices and maintaining “an Austrian flag for an Austrian company” were also important factors in the move to Skyside.
Simultaneously, Pilart Air relocated operations from Wiener Neustadt to Vienna, mainly due to airport opening hours. “Wiener Neustadt is only open from 0830L (0730Z) until sunset, which during winter is already at 1600L (1500Z). You can extend operations to 2200L (2100Z), but it must be arranged the day before,” Haas explained.
Other contributing factors included fuel truck availability and only a partly IFR-capable (Instrument Flight Rules) approach on one of the runway sides at Wiener Neustadt, which occasionally resulted in diversions to Vienna.
