Pilatus PC-12NG Flight Review

With a cruise speed of around 270 knots and a price tag of nearly $5 million, the 2013 Pilatus PC-12NG isn't the fastest or the least expensive single-engine turboprop on the market. It is, however, arguably in a class of its own. That's because it has a cabin that can carry 1,200 lbs. of payload while carrying over 400 gallons of fuel, the ability to operate from unpaved runways, and a huge 53x52-inch cargo door. In this video, Aviation Consumer's Larry Anglisano takes a look at the airplane.

[@MrSuzuki1187]

I am a retired airline pilot who was forced into retirement a7 years ago by the age 65 rule. I was fortunate to find a job flying the awesome PC-12NG, s/n 1054, for a wealthy family and feel like I have died and gone to aviation heaven. I have flown about 70 different airplanes in my 55 plus years as a pilot and feel the Pilatus is one of the best I have ever flown. It is a very well designed airplane where the Swiss had done their homework before the plane was built.

[@ATLOffroad]

Excellent walk through of the PC12. If I win the lottery I'll buy one to fly around in.

[@davecrupel2817]

Trust me when i say buying it is the cheap part. Haha

[@chucknorris-pw4jc]

for sure i was thinking the same thing,could not get a better flyer than this

[@MrSuzuki1187]

Never let the step crash down like that. The pads the contact are very expensive to replace. Otherwise,an excellent tutorial, this from a highly experienced PC-12NG pilot. Well done!

[@PastorRichardAllenFarmer]

Jed Johnson is one of the friendliest, least pushy aircraft salespersons I have ever met!!

[@747-pilot]

True! But then again, when you’ve got a phenomenal product, you don’t really have to “push” anything. The product pretty much “speaks for itself”

[@MikeKobb]

What a fantastic airplane. Wish I could afford one.

[@cellokid5104]

My favorite aircraft ever

[@TheStrayEagle]

Most single engine Turboprops just use a fuel additive called Prist. It lowers the freezing point of the Jet-A1.

[@theafricanflyer]

Amazing airplane. And nice review

[@Only1Deltaco]

Can't wait to be able to fly that thing!!!

[@Catbat]

nice review, awesome plane!!

[@davecrupel2817]

What a brilliantly designed bird. :)

[@747-pilot]

Daniel Cannata Yes!! Couldn’t agree with you more!!!

[@tazzie165]

My father has been flying these things for 10 years 7 in Australia and 3 in India

[@alexandradorn8658]

Good information. Counterweighted * cantilevered. You have information alpha

[@MultiCappie]

I can't help wonder who on Earth the people are that would thumbs down a video like this. King Air fanboys? Seriously? Bigots against this excellent journalist's background??? Seriously, what kind of attention seeking weirdo does it take?

[@kanan360]

Amazing aircraft

[@zonavelhalpma]

very cool video :)

[@brndn2208]

Nice Aircraft!!

[@Flightsworldwidevideos]

Great video!!

[@farfetch7]

Thanks for you information.

[@RK831]

Well, I am approaching my first million. When I get to $10M I may consider buying one.

[@marley4142]

Really think 10M is enough at a cost of $15-1600 US /hr

[@janreznak881]

@@marley4142 You can charter them for that so the actual cost is a fair bit lower.

[@747-pilot]

The purchase price of these things is the LEAST of the overall cost to own one of these. For turbine powered aircraft in general (both turboprop and turbojet/turbofan), most of the expense is in the overall operating costs, which can be prohibitively expensive, in terms of fuel burn, maintenance costs, insurance, pilot etc. I would say to comfortably afford something like this, one has to have a net worth of at least $25 million+ (unless you want to only have the plane, and live the rest of your life like a homeless person 😂 )

[@Brakballe]

I have a concern. Isn't it still very noisy for the passengers? Pilots as well compared to a wing mounted engine or a rear? And it's a turboprop so you have the whine of the turbine compared to the drone of a piston..

[@jrsx1129]

Awesome......

[@allorangeallthetime5]

What is the distance that this plane will travel or, better yet, is there a place in the US that you could leave from and fly the plane to Hawaii???

[@juniosilva6305]

o que este cilindro na ponta da asa direita do Pilatos???

[@hopeofthewicked]

i wonder if you can reverse the prop in flight? just think how fast you could descend...

[@kriticfilms7262]

You will be dead......if you reverse props in Flight

[@michaelrice500]

Used to do that with the PC-6 after dumping skydivers all the time; follow them down!

[@punchthedog]

How tall is Jed Johnson (he looks very tall) and how well does he fit in the PC-12? I would think quite well given he is the chief pilot. Basically I want to know how is the PC-12 for tall pilots. (6'4" and up).

[@mikestone9129]

Love this plane. Better then the TBM 850

[@Kaipeternicolas]

But quite a bit more expensive too I believe.

[@mikestone9129]

I'll stick with my C-210 for now. It's paid for:)

[@janreznak881]

@@Kaipeternicolas Not as much as you'd think. I like the TBM too, but IMHO they're ovverpriced, even for a hot ship.

[@Al-ud8qi]

:41 Way to go chief pilot, just let the stairs slam down. When will Pilatus design stairs that gently ease down? How hard would that be?

[@davidspencer4632]

One way to find people who want to b*tch about anything and everything is to come to youtube. Thank you for today's b*tch session!

[@Al-ud8qi]

Obviously you have no professional opinion on this matter or you're one of the stair slammers. Come back after you've been flying this airplane day after day and the crew can't figure out how to let the steps down. It wears out parts and it's just obnoxious.

[@davidspencer4632]

***** Flying the Pilatus around the Midwest, in 633.3 hours, I've never heard any passengers complain about slamming stairs. The problem really is your skin is very thin.

[@Al-ud8qi]

David Spencer You must be very proud of your hours to give it in tenths. Like a kid saying he's 7 and a half. You also can't seem to read or comprehend or both. It's not my skin that is being bothered, it's harsh on the equipment. Pilatus could have designed stairs that let down softly.

[@davidspencer4632]

***** I look at my logbook every single day. I fly 3 jets and 4 turboprops. I update hours every day. I noticed the current hours on the Pilatus. Letting the stairs "down softly" would have added weight, by use of hydraulics. 10 lbs for that; 10 lbs less fuel. Shorter flying days. Elementary stuff really.

[@jakobeng1303]

how does it compare to the TBM 90/1/30?

[@stevedrake604]

Others can attest to performance and engineering comparisons better than I but my first take is that the Pilatus is just a bigger, roomier plane with a more comfortable cabin.

[@gerardhaubert8210]

I have read that turbos are “difficult “ to fly in that they require more of the pilot’s attention? Is there any truth to this?

[@Smokeyr67]

Generally they’re more complex aircraft (retracts, pressurisation, higher speeds, more complex systems) but as far as engine management they’re easier than pistons.

[@farfetch7]

My question is for the fuel lines...Being in high and cold alt. Could they freeze and what is there to prevent them from freezing.

[@SnappMichael]

When you add fuel to this plane you add "prist" to the fuel, it's an additive that prevents freezing (and buildup of bio contaminants).

[@fs2004Emirates11]

which g shock Is the guy wearing ?? :P

[@comander402]

hola de lo mejor saludos

[@eugenemcilhargie1042]

I want all up grande ,spd ,range,climb rate,-range important-? FF at310 fl

[@Flay4443]

Несбыточная мечта😒. Классный самолёт 👍👍👍

[@peterbox1]

Made in Portugal.

[@Jolinator]

+peterbox1 made in Switzerland?

[@LawsForever]

+Jolinator Yup, made in Switzerland. Proud of being Swiss :-)

[@fp5940]

peterbox1 Switzerland

[@jacknisen]

Poor video. Does it have a trimmable tail? Dual electric trim motors with/without manual capability? I don't really care about the interior. Cables and pulleys or push/pull tubes?

[@Milan74]

what a big nose

[@HumeAndBean]

Camera aand lighting = shit

[@esathegreat]

Ugly plane. Looks like a target drone.

[@aeromagnumtv1581]

It don't look like no stinkin' drone....it just looks like every other airplane in it's class, with better features though.

[@dennisg6963]

says the blind man...

[@cwehbe]

Unless they make it a FADEC, it's just adding lipstick on a pig and unfair for an aircraft that will soon be competing with the Cessna Denali which has a very new and advanced engine with FADEC which decreases pilot workload. Pilatus is either going to have to spend some money on this plane or loose a lot.

[@janreznak881]

You know this was 6 years ago, right?

[@superchargedpetrolhead]

pilatus recently announced PC 12 ngx, it has FADEC, digital Autothrottle and touch screen controller and also has higher cruise speed and range than the pc 12ng and cessna just announced that the Denali is going to be even more delayed.

[@superchargedpetrolhead]

@Flinty94 it really is an awesome improvement from the NG and congrats for your new aircraft.