Pilatus PC-7
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| PC-7 | |
|---|---|
 A Pilatus PC-7 of Swissair at Basle Airport in 1983 |
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| Type | Light Trainer aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Pilatus Aircraft |
| Maiden flight | 12 April 1966 (prototype) 18 August 1978 (production) |
| Introduced | 1978 |
| Primary users | Swiss Air Force Mexican Air Force |
| Produced | 1979 |
| Number built | >450 |
| Developed from | Pilatus P-3 |
| Variants | Pilatus PC-9 |
The Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer is a low-wing tandem-seat training aircraft, manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. The aircraft is capable of all basic training functions including aerobatics, instrument, tactical and night flying. It has been selected by more than twenty air forces as their ab initio trainer — since the aircraft's introduction in 1978 close to 500 have been sold, with the majority still in service.
Well over one million hours have been flown by PC-7s worldwide.
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[edit] Development
The PC-7 is based on the earlier piston-powered Pilatus P-3. The first prototype (manufactured from a modified P-3) flew on 12 April 1966, but after a crash the PC-7 programme was shelved.
In 1973 the programme was restarted and another P-3 was obtained from the Swiss Air Force. After modification, this aircraft flew on 12 May 1975. Further extensive modifications followed later in the programme, including a new one-piece wing with integral fuel tanks, an altered tailfin and a bubble canopy.
The first production aircraft flew on 18 August 1978. Swiss civil certification followed on 5 December of the same year, with deliveries starting immediately thereafter.
The PC-7 Mk II is a development of the PC-9's airframe and avionics, fitted with the PC-7's smaller turbine to lower operating and maintenance costs. It is used by the South African Air Force, with sixty examples having been manufactured. The aircraft were assembled in South Africa from kits supplied by Pilatus. The value of the contract was estimated to be USD 175 million in 1993. Due to political considerations, the aircraft were not fitted with the armament hardpoints. Four PC-7 Mk II aircraft are used by the air force of Brunei.
The aircraft is also used by private customers and is both FAA and FOCA civil certified in order to comply to the general aviation regulations in Europe and the USA.
[edit] Variants
- PC-7 : Two-seat basic trainer aircraft.
- PC-7 Mk II is a development of the PC-9's airframe and avionics, retaining the PC-7's wing in order to mount external stores. Engines are carried over from the PC-9. In many ways this aircraft is a hybrid PC-7 and PC-9, either a PC-7 'Heavy' or a PC-9 'Lite' depending on point of view. Developed for the SAAF, and known as the 'Astra'.[1]
- NCPC-7 : Upgraded version of the standard PC-7 with fully IFR glass cockpit avionics, developed for the Swiss Air Force.
[edit] Operators
[edit] Military Operators
An incomplete list of the users of the PC-7 are:[2]
United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi): 31 (delivered from 1982)
Angola: 25 (delivered from 1982)
Austria: 16 (delivered from 1983)
Bolivia: 24 (delivered from 1979)
Bophuthatswana: 2 (delivered from 1989, later transferred to South Africa and subsequently returned to Pilatus)
Botswana: 7 (delivered from 1990)
Brunei: Royal Brunei Air Force has 4 (PC-7 Mk 2)
Chad: Chad Air Force has 2 (delivered from 1985)
Chile: 10 (delivered from 1980)
France: 5 (delivered 1991)
Guatemala: 12 (delivered from 1980)
Iran: 35 (delivered from 1983)
Iraq: 52 (delivered from 1980)
Malaysia: 46 (delivered from 1983)
Mexico: 88 (delivered from 1979)
Myanmar: 17 (delivered from 1979)
Netherlands: 13 (delivered from 1989)
South Africa: 60
Suriname: 3 (delivered from 1986)
Switzerland: 40 (delivered from 1979)
Uruguay: 6 (delivered from 1992)
[edit] Civil Operators
Civilian users: 7+
[edit] Specifications (PC-7 Turbo Trainer)
This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.General characteristics
- Crew: Two, student and instructor
- Length: 10.13 m (33 ft 3 in)
- Wingspan: 10.12 m (33 ft 2 in)
- Height: 3.30 m (10 ft 10 in)
- Wing area: 16.3 m² (175 ft²)
- Empty weight: 1,670 kg (3,680 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 2,700 kg (5,940 lb)
- Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-25C turboprop, 522 kW (700 shp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 460 km/h (250 kt, 290 mph)
- Range: 1,950 km (1,050 nm, 1,210 mi)
- Service ceiling 9,150 m (25,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 865 m/min (2,840 ft/min)
Armament
- 6 × hardpoints for bombs and rockets
[edit] See also
Related development
Comparable aircraft
[edit] References
- ^ Military Aviation article
- ^ List of users:[1]
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