Private jet membership company OpenSky has become the first Japanese operator to take delivery of a Pilatus PC-12 NGX. The single-engine turboprop with its unique Asian-style design will carry passengers to destinations all over Japan.
The Japanese operator additionally took delivery of a PC-24 Super Versatile Jet this year, which it will also use to offer business flights. In addition, the company has placed an order for a second PC-24 which will be delivered in fall 2024.
OpenSky CEO Shigeto Honda said, “Our PC-12 NGX has gone viral since arriving in Japan. I’ve already flown several legs in the cabin of PC-12 NGX in Japan, and I’m very pleased. Our first customers to fly with the PC-12 told me they prefer it to the twin-engine turboprop which they used before. The propeller low-speed mode delivers a significant reduction in cabin noise for great passenger comfort.”
Ignaz Gretener, VP General Aviation at Pilatus, is pleased that the PC-12 NGX is now operating in Japan, adding “Business customers all over the world appreciate the unique capabilities of the PC-12 NGX and the PC-24. The dynamic team at OpenSky Inc. understands how to deliver the premium service that will go hand in hand with these aircraft. Thank you very much to this outstanding Japanese company for their confidence in Pilatus and we are proud that our aircraft now have an opportunity to prove themselves in this important market”.
The PC-12 NGX
The PC-12 NGX features an all-new interior by BMW Designworks, larger cabin windows inspired by the PC-24 and passenger seats which convert to a flat bed. The new PT6 E-Series engine by Pratt & Whitney Canada is equipped with an electronic propeller and engine control system. New avionics functions by Honeywell such as touchscreen control, tactile feedback and “propeller low speed” mode as well as fully integrated automatic thrust management (autothrottle) are just a few of the features in the new cockpit.
