8 August 2016 © David Eyre
Following the inaugural flight by the first RAAF PC-21 A54-001/ HB-HWA on 21 July 2016, the RAAF’s second PC-21, A54-002/HB-HWB (MSN 235) made its first flight on 8 August 2016 at the Pilatus manufacturing facility in Stans, Switzerland.
42 of the PC-21 aircraft will be used as trainers at RAAF Base East Sale in Victoria and RAAF Base Pearce in Western Australia, replacing Pilatus PC-9/A aircraft. Three PC-21s are being acquired for the Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU) based at RAAF Edinburgh, South Australia, and four Forward Air Control variants for 4 Squadron, which currently operates the PC-9/A Forward Air Control variant from RAAF Base Williamtown in New South Wales.
The first aircraft is due to be handed over to the RAAF at East Sale, Victoria in June 2017, and the first pilots course scheduled to start in early-2019.
(Photos courtesy & copyright Stephan Widmer)