Following the reopening of Pilatus’ PC-24 order book at EBACE in May 2019, Oriens Aviation has secured three delivery positions for customers based in the British Isles. Oriens is an authorised Pilatus centre headquartered at London Biggin Hill Airport, and serves as the exclusive sales distributor in the UK and Ireland.
The first delivery position has already been sold to a private UK customer, an existing PC-12 operator. The others – for July 2020 and mid-2021 – are still available. “Customers interested in the other two are encouraged to commit with deposits and spec their interiors in good time,” said Edwin Brenninkmeyer, CEO at Oriens Aviation. “There is no shortage of interest in the PC-24 in the British Isles.”
Oriens became a Pilatus sales distributor and ambassador after 2014, when the initial order book for the jet had closed. Prior to Oriens’ engagement, Pilatus handled prospective British Isles PC-24 customers directly. “We have since taken on those in our region and duly inherited a sizeable base of interest from owners, from both the UK and Ireland,” said Brenninkmeyer.
Brenninkmeyer intends to learn to fly the aircraft. He already flies the Pilatus PC-12, regularly performing demo flights for prospective customers. Oriens has also recruited an experienced jet instructor and examiner for the type.
On the MRO side, Oriens Engineering has ramped up its tooling and has been sending engineers to Stans, Switzerland, in readiness to add the twin-engine jet to its Part 145 MRO approvals. It expects to complete this process by the end of the third quarter of 2019.
The PC-24 light jet features a large cargo door, 10 passenger seats and can operate from unpaved airfields.
Photo: Pilatus Aircraft
