French Air Force PC-7 MKX Trainer Makes First Flight

Pilatus has started the flight test campaign of the first PC-7 MKX trainer destined for the French air force. The milestone was announced by the manufacturer on October 14, which published a video of the aircraft taking off from its production site in Stans, Switzerland. 

In January 2025, the French defense procurement agency announced it had selected the turboprop as the air force’s next basic trainer: replacing the existing Cirrus SR20 and Grob 120A fleet in the ab initio role. In 2027, Pilatus is due to deliver 22 PC-7 MKXs to the Armée de l'Air, along with ground-based training tools. Training will be provided by contractor Babcock France, which was awarded a 17 year contract under the ‘Mentor 2’ tender in 2025.

With the introduction of the PC-7 MKX, France is intending to simplify its military pilot training pathway: transitioning to a single-site, single-type process. It has been teaching advanced military training on the PC-21 since 2018, with 26 aircraft acquired in two batches. 

“With the introduction of the PC-7 MKX for basic training, France will now make exclusive use of Pilatus trainers for all phases of military pilot training,” the OEM said in a statement. Both types will operate from Salon-de-Provence Air Base in the south of France.

In September, Pilatus also made the first flight of the Royal Netherlands Air Force’s inaugural PC-7 MKX. The Dutch military became the type’s launch customer in February 2025 when it signed for a fleet of eight. These are also set to be delivered in the first half of 2027. Meanwhile, in November 2025, Belgium also announced a deal for 18 units to replace its ageing SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 trainers.