Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. looks back on an extremely successful 2024 financial year. Despite ongoing challenges in the global economy, the company was able to report the delivery of 153 aircraft to its customers. This is impressive evidence of the high demand for the Swiss aircraft manufacturer's products. With sales of 1,633 billion Swiss francs, an operating result of 243 million Swiss francs and an impressive order intake of 2,193 billion Swiss francs, Pilatus closed the year with a very good result.
Compared to the already very successful 2023 financial year, Pilatus was able to increase sales by over ten percent. This considerable increase is due to the high demand in both government aviation and business aviation. A total of 96 PC-12 NGX, 51 PC-24 and 6 PC-21 aircraft were delivered.
Pilatus was able to secure important contracts in the area of government aviation. The Canadian Air Force ordered 19 PC-21 training aircraft and the associated simulators. The Netherlands also decided to purchase eight PC-7 MKXs, which underlines the importance of this advanced basic trainer.
In the area of business aviation, the improved PC-24 Super Versatile Jet with increased payload and range celebrated a successful market launch. The PC-24, which is called the "Super Versatile Jet", is very popular with customers looking for an aircraft for a variety of purposes. The PC-12, known as the "World's Greatest Single", convinced as the most flown business aircraft in the USA within a year. This award underlines the versatility and reliability of this single-engine turboprop aircraft.
Hansueli Loosli, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pilatus, was very positive about the past year: "Despite some challenges, we achieved important milestones in 2024 and successfully developed our portfolio. We are investing specifically in our infrastructure, in sustainability and in the continuous improvement of the working conditions of our employees - the most important resource for us."
Markus Bucher, CEO of Pilatus, added: "Innovation, quality and precision are the driving forces behind our actions: Pilatus is growing and has more than 3000 full-time employees worldwide for the first time. Employees from 63 nations contribute to the company's success. Never before have so many apprentices been offered permanent employment. Improved employment conditions and a study that named Pilatus the ninth best employer among 800 companies in Switzerland underline its attractiveness."
The newly founded Corporate Sustainability department developed the Sustainability Strategy 2.0 to create structures for innovation. Pilatus integrates sustainability into processes and focuses on new technologies, including the investment in Synhelion, an ETH spin-off that produces CO₂-neutral kerosene using solar energy. International sustainability standards are observed in new buildings and renovations - such as the new maintenance hall at Buochs airfield and the plastics and competence center currently under construction in Ennetbürgen.
Despite these successes, Pilatus continued to face supply bottlenecks and quality problems with suppliers, which affected production processes. Pilatus is increasingly focusing on vertical integration and has invested in the new Pilatus Aircraft Ibérica SA plant in Seville, which will begin operations in the first quarter. In addition, the maintenance and sales activities and 40 employees of the Aero Center Epps in Atlanta were taken over. The planned sales and service center in Bradenton, Florida, will strengthen the presence on the US east coast in order to be able to be directly on site with customers and to ensure the quality of services.
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