Inside the Archive: Pilatus PC-9

Over the last three decades, the Pilatus PC-9/A has trained thousands of aircrew across the Australian Army, Navy and Air Force. The PC-9 is a single-engine, low-wing tandem-seat turboprop training aircraft first introduced into the Royal Australian Air Force in 1987. Designed by Pilatus Switzerland, the PC-9 was the powerful successor of the Pilatus PC-7. The aircraft completed its first flight in May 1984 and received its official certification in September of the same year.

The RAAF ordered 67 of the training aircraft under Defence Minister Kim Beazley in July 1986, the first two of which – HB-HQA and HB-HQB – were built in Switzerland and ferried to Australia in December 1987. The remaining 65 aircraft were built in Bankstown, Sydney, under license by Hawker de Havilland.

This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.

Login

Become a Member

To continue reading the rest of this article, please login.

Username or Email

Password Forgot password?

Keep me signed in on this device.

If you check this box before you log in, you won’t have to log back into the website next time you return, even if you close your browser and come back later.

If you check the box above before you log in, you won’t have to log back into the website next time you return, even if you close your browser and come back later.

---

or

---

Login with a Passkey

To unlock all Australian Aviation magazine content and again unlimited access to our daily news and features, become a member today!
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.

PRINT

$49.95 for 1 year Become a Member

See benefits

• Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
• Access to In Focus reports every month on our website

MOST POPULAR

PRINT + DIGITAL

$99.95 for 1 year Become a Member

$179.95 for 2 years Become a Member

See benefits

• Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
• Access to the Australian Aviation app
• Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
• Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
• Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
• Daily news updates via our email bulletin

DIGITAL

$5.99 Monthly Become a Member

$59.95 Annual Become a Member

See benefits

• Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
• Access to the Australian Aviation app
• Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
• Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
• Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
• Daily news updates via our email bulletin

View more offers and details