Pilatus PC-7
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| PC-7 | |
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| A Pilatus PC-7 of Swissair at Basle Airport in 1983 | |
| Role | Light Trainer aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Pilatus Aircraft |
| First flight | 12 April 1966 (prototype) 18 August 1978 (production) |
| Introduced | 1978 |
| Primary users | Swiss Air Force South African 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.
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-7. 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:[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] Specifications (PC-7 Turbo Trainer)
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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] Incidents
In November 2009, a civilian passenger in the back seat of a South African Air Force Pilatus PC-7 MK II ejected from the aircraft while in flight. The civilian accidentally pulled the yellow and black ejection lever while trying to brace himself. The passenger is thought to be a friend of the pilot, Captain Gerhard Lourens of the Silver Falcons. Civilians are not usually allowed in the turboprop aircraft, and an air force spokesman confirmed that officials had launched an investigation into the accident. The passenger survived the incident.[3]
The South African Airforce grounded their fleet of C7s after a crash on 15 January 2008. The Pilatus Astra PC-7 MK II went down shortly after takeoff at Bredasdorp in the Cape Province - South Africa. SAAF Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Meiring, 50, died shortly after the crash. The plane was flying to Langebaanweg air force base for maintenance but shortly after take-off the plane rolled and flew into the ground. The cause is believed to be a structural problem.
[edit] See also
Related development
Comparable aircraft
- Atlas ACE
- Socata TB-31 Omega
- T-6 Texan II
- KAI KT-1
- Fuji T-3
- Fuji T-7
- PZL-130 Orlik
- Embraer EMB 312 Tucano
- T-34 Mentor
- T-35 Pillán
- Utva Lasta
[edit] References
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