General Aviation

Pilatus Aircraft Pc-6/B2-H4

Manufacturer: Pilatus Aircraft

The Pilatus PC‑6 Porter is a single‑engined STOL utility aircraft designed by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland.

Aircraft Facts

Type Key
pilatus-aircraft-pc-6-b2-h4
Class
General Aviation
Registry Count
12
Example Registration
N100UU

Specifications

Wingspan
15.87 m / 52 ft
Length
11 m / 36 ft
Height
3.2 m / 10 ft
Max Speed
232 km/h / 144 mph
Cruise Speed
213 km/h / 132 mph
Range
730 km / 390 nmi
Ceiling
8197 m / 26893 ft
First Flight
1959-05-04
Production Start
1959
Production End
2022
Total Built
604

Aircraft Overview

History

First flown in 1959, the PC‑6 was produced in Stans, Switzerland, and later under licence by Fairchild Hiller in the U.S. It saw 604 deliveries over 63 years, with production ending in 2022. Manufacturing later moved to the Czech Republic and China to reduce costs.

Design

The PC‑6 is a STOL utility aircraft powered by a single Pratt & Whitney PT6A turboprop that drives a reversible, constant‑speed propeller. It features high wing and propeller clearance, rugged aluminium construction, and optional floats or skis for water or snow landings. The cockpit can be fitted with a Garmin G950 glass cockpit, and the aircraft can carry up to ten passengers or 2,200 lb of payload.

Variants

Variants include the piston‑powered PC‑6/340, the early Turbo‑Porter PC‑6/A, the PT6A‑powered PC‑6/B and PC‑6/B2‑H4, the Fairchild‑built PC‑6/C and PC‑6/C1, the AU‑23A Peacemaker, and the UV‑20A for the U.S. Army.

Operations

The PC‑6 is prized for its STOL performance, able to take off in 640 ft and land in 427 ft. It has served helicopter operators, Air America in Vietnam, the Austrian Air Force, and skydivers worldwide, and can be fitted with floats or skis for diverse missions.

Notable Facts

  • First flight on 4 May 1959.
  • 604 PC‑6 aircraft were produced, last delivered in December 2022.
  • Holds world record for highest landing at 18,865 ft on Dhaulagiri glacier.
  • Air America operated up to 23 PC‑6s during the Vietnam War.
  • Since 1976, the Austrian Air Force has operated 12 PC‑6s.
  • Takes off in 640 ft and lands in 427 ft with a 2,646 lb payload.
  • Can be fitted with floats or skis for water or snow landings.
  • Equipped with a Garmin G950 glass cockpit in later models.
  • Carries up to ten passengers or 2,200 lb payload.

Variants

  • PC-6/B2-H4- 12 registrations - Example N100UU

Machine-Readable Resources

Sources