Skydive Pilot: Introduction to the Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter

This is part 2 of a growing series about flying skydivers. Here we take a closer look at the aircraft, a Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter.
If you are interested to learn more about the Pilatus Porter and flying skydivers, please check out the other videos in the "Skydive Pilot" series:
• Skydive Pilot
In this video I try to give a bit of an introduction to the legendary Pilatus Porter. We do a quick walkaround of D-FROH, the current jumpship of the Fallschirmsportclub Mannheim e.V. (Skydiving Club Mannheim) at Herrenteich Airfield (ICAO code: EDEH) in southern Germany. In the process we have a look at all the defining features of this iconic workhorse.
D-FROH, in full type designation, is a Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4. This means she has a Pratt&Whitney PT6A-27 engine and a maximum takeoff weight of 2800kg.
Disclaimer: I am not an expert on the Pilatus Porter. Some things may be plain wrong. Let me know ;-).
For more information on the Porter:
www.pc-6.com

[@jegoussonorbert5062]

Pilatus is the best

[@aerocap]

Finally someone presenting properly and accurately a plane. And I appreciate that it was about the awesome PC6. Subscribed.

[@espolete]

What a nice and well explained walk-around. I would love to fly one on of these. Thanks for the video!

[@wimm1392]

This plane would be my first choice if I could afford $2 Million, it's nearly as good as the Swiss Army Knife. Fantastic video. Thanks

[@LiberTY7416]

Glad you liked it! In a way it is the airplane equivalent to a Swiss Army Knife. Made in Switzerland, very versatile and long-lasting.

[@aerocap]

@@LiberTY7416 I agree

[@frankbrown9618]

The Porter is my favourite bush / mountain plane. It is a real gem of the sky and that functional design is so lovely! It's a shame that Pilatus ceased its production in 2019 and hope it will be resumed sooner or later. Excellent presentation overall. Thank you!

[@grahamthebaronhesketh.]

That is a cool plane dude, I had one but the engine kept stopping.

[@ПавелХатылов]

Этот парашютист довольно неплохо знает матчасть PILATUS PC6 B2H4 TURBO PORTER .

[@timberskypilot]

I loved flying the Porter! Always fun and challenging! I wish there were more in the U.S.! Sorry to see production shut down!

[@LiberTY7416]

Indeed a joy to fly. Very capable aircraft if you know how to treat her. Lets hope that many will soldier on for a long time, even after the end of production!

[@herryrachmad6597]

I built the PC 6 ( RC plane version ) nitro engine OS 120 and also the electrict one with lipo and brushless 2212 1400KV ( mini park flyer ) and i do thanks for your details info about PC-6 mate

[@LiberTY7416]

You are welcome. Have fun with your RC planes!

[@RomanKozlov007]

Great video - thank you 🙏

[@philipmartin708]

I came here to hopefully find out what control the pilot is dealing with when he reaches down with his left hand shortly after touchdown. Now I know. It's to unlock the tailwheel and allow it to steer. Thanks.

[@LiberTY7416]

Glad it helped. Normal procedure is to slow down to walking speed and then unlock the tail and reset the rudder trim for takeoff.

[@coleshvar]

Thank you so much fr this exhaustive presentation. What happened to the third episode? We want some more!

[@LiberTY7416]

I am glad you liked it. If the link to the third episode from the description does not work: that is because I received a copyright claim for music I used in the intro. Hopefully I will find the time during the current forced break in operations to redo the video and upload. I have also two more videos planned. Thanks again!

[@coleshvar]

@@LiberTY7416 Vielen dank. I usually fly Jodels but I took the opportunity of the lockdown to go back to simulation to learn both about complex engines and mountain flying. Thus, I chosed a PC-6 and your video was a wonderful introduction. I wonder if in the 3d episode you details engine and flaps settings during different parts of the flight.

[@LiberTY7416]

@@coleshvar Kudos. Mountain flying is very rewarding and a lot of fun. In the video I indeed run through a full skydive flight with all the settings. Flaps is pretty straight forward with 28° for takeoff and normal landing and 38° for STOL landings. Engine needs a bit more care during steep descents due to the beta mode of the prop. Will try to fix the video over the weekend or during next week.

[@LiberTY7416]

Now reuploaded the third episode with the music fixed: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f3axmaNrib6af5Y

[@coleshvar]

@@LiberTY7416 Thanks so much. I'll look at it very soon.

[@martinbieler]

Hallo, sehr schöne Videos. Danke nochmals für die Antwoten (Porter / Flugsimulator / Milviz) :)

[@jimenote5924]

Comprehensive! Thank you!

[@pats.4225]

Nice Video! Keep it up!

[@efrenreyes-c3y]

Prima Video, danke sehr!

[@lanceboyett9034]

My absolute favorite planes. Living in Alaska, I would love to be able to afford one. It would be an absolute beast.

[@LiberTY7416]

Absolutely. I would love to have the opportunity to fly a Porter (or any bush plane really) in your neck of the woods. Someday 🙂.

[@bobsdogtag]

so no start and no flying what the fuck

[@LiberTY7416]

There is another video where I take you up for a full flight plus more in this playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLjF_DdHGwVwDv7O1oLWUDQmi5z230TUPU

[@bobsdogtag]

I'll watch

[@Cambone13]

22:44 i would like to know more

[@LiberTY7416]

@@Cambone13 If you are talking about the trim: the control forces are so heavy when mistrimmed that you can hardly overcome them by muscle power alone. Typical issue is that without skydivers for landing you need to trim quite far back and for takeoff with skydivers quite far forward. If you forget to reset the trim after landing, you will get a sudden pitch up, stall and crash on takeoff. This is why most Porters have been retrofitted with a pitch trim warning that alerts you if you are outside a safe takeoff range.

[@Cambone13]

@@LiberTY7416 very cool, thanks for info!

[@martywells3523]

Was that porter ever stationed at Forhen near trier? I was there in 1988-1992 and jumped out of one until they replaced it with a Cessna Caravan. Love both but the Porter is just so awesome on take offs and landings. Door is huge!

[@LiberTY7416]

Unfortunately no. This example previously was F-BSTF stationed at Strasbourg and later at Péronne in France. Only arrived in Germany in 2003 as D-FROH at Breitscheid and then to Herrenteich/Calw in 2012. Couldn't immediately find out which Porter was operated at Trier in those years. But you can check www.pc-6.com for info.

[@FSResearch-cj5wf]

Thank you very much!!! At 24:48 All lights!!!

[@matthiashanel3038]

Sehr cooles Video! Zwei Fragen.. Wofür ist der Button neben dem Kompass? Den scheinen nicht alle Porter zu haben. Und zu den Digitalanzeigen des Triebwerks: Blinken diese, wenn man über die Redline geht? Ich meine das im dritten Teil kurz gesehen zu haben..?

[@LiberTY7416]

Danke dir ;-). Das Ding neben dem Kompass ist eigentlich gar kein Knopf. Es ist die Warnleuchte der Trim Warning. Stellt man nach der Landung die Trimmung nicht wieder in den Takeoff-Bereich geht die Lampe an und eine ziemlich laute Klingel macht sich bemerkbar. Durch drücken der Warnleuchte kann man sie testen, inklusive Klingel. Das nehme ich gerne für den 2-Minuten-Call an die Springer. Muss man nicht so schreien um sich bemerkbar zu machen :-). Die Triebwerksanzeigen blinken tatsächlich bei Exceedances. Ich habe jetzt aber das komplette dritte Video nochmal geschaut und keine feststellen können. Hast du, nur aus persönlichem Interesse, mal einen Zeitstempel im Video für mich? Würde mich nämlich selber mal interessieren ob ich da was übersehen habe...

[@matthiashanel3038]

@@LiberTY7416 ja, im dritten Video 6:07 bis 6:10 bist du sehr kurz auf 48 PSI ;) Hintergrund warum ich frage ist zum Teil persönliches Interesse, zum anderen bin ich zurzeit in einem kleinen Projekt involviert. Wärst du ggf bereit noch ein bisschen spezifisches Wissen zur Porter zu teilen? Dann würde ich dir mal meine Email zukommen lassen.

[@LiberTY7416]

Matthias Hanel Da hast du recht. Zu dem Zeitpunkt war die Reibsperre am PCL etwas hakelig. Aber Transient ist das zum Glück kein Problem für das Triebwerk. Helfe gerne weiter wenn Interesse besteht. Deswegen habe ich ja unter anderem auch die Videos produziert. Einfach irgendwie melden.

[@matthiash9487]

@@LiberTY7416 Da meine letzte Antwort warum auch immer gelöscht wurde, neuer Versuch.. kannst Du mir kurz eine Mail auf maha2345(at)gmx.de schicken? Ist nur eine temporäre Email, ich würde dann mit meiner richtigen antworten..

[@LiberTY7416]

Matthias H Du hast Post 🙂.