Story ID: 480
Strong Deliveries Boost Pilatus' Financial Results
By: Charles Alcock
Caption: The Swiss manufacturer delivered growing numbers of PC-12s and PC-24s in 2023
Word Count: 289
Pilatus Aircraft on Tuesday reported 10 percent growth in sales for 2023, with revenues climbing to 1.48 billion Swiss Francs ($1.68 billion) and earnings up by 6 percent at 240 million Swiss Francs. Last year, the company delivered 148 aircraft, including 101 examples of its PC-12 single-engine turboprop (up by 26 percent over 2022) and 47 PC-24 twinjets (an increase of 18 percent).
However, new aircraft orders received in 2023 were 7 percent down in value at 1.51 billion Swiss Francs. The value of the Pilatus order book closed the year 3 percent down at 2.33 billion Swiss Francs.
Among the highlights last year for Pilatus was the launch in October of the new version of the PC-24, which will offer increased payload and range. When available by the end of 2024, the new model will be able to fly up to 2,000 nm, and customers will have multiple new cabin interior options to choose from.
In May, the Swiss company delivered its 2,000th PC-12 to U.S. private aviation group PlaneSense. Pilatus also achieved growth in its government business, logging a Swiss Air Force contract for a further 16 of its PC-21 training aircraft.
In the face of ongoing industry supply chain challenges, Pilatus increased its workforce to 2,848 employees last year. The company said that to support staff recruitment and retention, it has increased salaries and improved vacation and pension benefits. “We invested a lot in 2023: in products, staff, growth, infrastructure, and digitalization, and always with unwavering focus on our customer needs,” commented Pilatus chairman Hansueli Loosli.
To boost its support for business aviation clients, in December Pilatus acquired sales and service group Aero Center Epps in Atlanta. It also completed the takeover of Ruag Aerostructures in Emmen, Switzerland, to boost its in-house production capacity.