Pilatus PC-6 Porter

PC-6 Porter/Turbo-Porter
	A PC-6 Turbo-Porter, B2-H4 PT6A-34 variant, used for skydiving in Spain
Role	STOL Passenger and utility aircraft
Manufacturer	Pilatus Aircraft
Built by	Fairchild Aircraft
First flight	Porter - 4 May 1959 ; Turbo-Porter - 1961.
Status	Active Service, In Production
Primary users	Civil aviation; Austrian Air Force, Myanmar Air Force, Swiss Air Force
Produced	1959- 2019
Number built	993 (as of March 2018)
Variants	Fairchild AU-23 Peacemaker

The Pilatus PC-6 Porter is a single-engined Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) utility aircraft designed by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. First flown in 1959, the PC-6 has been built in both piston engine and turboprop powered versions, and has been built both by Pilatus and by Fairchild Hiller in the United States. It remains in production as of August 2011.

Design and development[]

The first prototype made its maiden flight on 4 May 1959^[2] powered by a 254 kW (340-shp) piston engine. The first Turbo Porter, powered by a turboprop, flew in 1961. The Turbo Porter received an engine upgrade in 1963, which increased its power to its present value of 410 kW (550-shp). In the United States, the Porter was manufactured under license by Fairchild Hiller. In service with the U.S. Air Force, it received the designation AU-23A Peacemaker. In U.S. Army use, it was designated UV-20 Chiricahua.

Operational history[]

Au23-2 — A Fairchild AU-23 in a steep climb

The PC-6 is noted for its Short Take-off and Landing (STOL) performance on almost any type of terrain - it can take off within a distance of 640 feet (195 m) and land within a distance of 427 feet (130 m) while carrying a payload of 2,646 lbs (1,200 kg). Thanks to its STOL performance, the PC-6 holds the world record for highest landing by a fixed-wing aircraft, at 18,865 feet (5,750 m), on the Dhaulagiri glacier in Nepal. Due to these characteristics, they are frequently used to access short grass mountaintop airstrips in the highlands of Papua Province (Indonesia) and Papua New Guinea.

Variants[]

PC-6/340 Porter: Initial production version, powered by a 254-kW (340-hp) Lycoming GSO-480-B1A6 flat-six piston engine. Max take-off weight 1,960 kg (4,320 lb).^[2]

PC-6/340-H1 Porter As PC-6/340, but with modified landing gear and increased weight (2,016 kg (4,444 lb)).^[2] PC-6/340-H2 Porter As for H-2, but with maximum take-off weight increased to 2,200 kg (4,850 lb).^[2]

PC-6/350 Porter: As PC-6/340, but powered by a 261 kW (350 hp) Lycoming IGO-540-A1A piston engine.^[2]

PC-6/350-H1 Porter As for /340 H1 but with O-540 engine.^[2] PC-6/350-H2 Porter As for 340 H2 with O-540 engine.^[2]

PC-6/A Turbo-Porter: Initial turboprop powered version, fitted with a 390 kW (523 shp) Turboméca Astazou IIE or IIG turboprop engine.^[2]
PC-6/A1 Turbo-Porter: This 1968 version was powered by a 427-kW (573-shp) Turbomeca Astazou XII turboprop engine.
PC-6/A2 Turbo-Porter: This 1971 version was powered by a 427-kW (573-shp) Turbomeca Astazou XIVE turboprop engine.
PC-6/B Turbo-Porter: This version was powered by a 410-kW (550-shp) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-6A turboprop engine.
PC-6/B1 Turbo-Porter: Similar to the PC-6/B, but fitted with a 410-kW (550-shp) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-20 turboprop engine.
PC-6/B2-H2 Turbo-Porter: Fitted with a 507-kW (680-shp) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27 turboprop engine.

PC-6/B2-H4 Turbo-Porter: The B2-H4 has improved airframe structuring and extended, upturned wingtips.
PC-6/C Turbo-Porter: One prototype built by Fairchild Industries in the USA, powered by a 429-kW (575-shp) Garrett TPE331-25D turboprop engine.
PC-6/C1 Turbo-Porter: Similar to the PC-6/C, but fitted with a 429-kW (575-shp) Garrett TPE 331-1-100 turboprop engine.
PC-6/C2-H2 Porter: Developed by Fairchild Industries in the USA. It was powered by a 485-ekW (650-ehp) Garrett TPE 331-101F turboprop engine.
PC-6/D-H3 Porter: One prototype, fitted with a 373-kW (500-hp) avco Lycoming turbocharged piston engine.

AU-23A Peacemaker: Armed gunship, counter-insurgency, utility transport version for the U.S. Air Force. It was used during the Vietnam War in the early 1970s. 35 were built under licence in the USA by Fairchild Industries. All aircraft were sold to Royal Thai Air Force.
OV-12: Designation for U.S. version, cancelled 1979.
UV-20A Chiricahua: STOL utility transport version for the U.S. Army. Two UV-20As were based in West Berlin during the 1970s and 1980s.
PC-8D Twin Porter: Twin-engined version flown in 1967, but not subsequently developed.

Operators[]

Current military operators[]

Angola

National Air Force of Angola^{[citation needed]}

Argentina

Argentine Navy^[3]
Gendarmeria Nacional Argentina

Austria

Austrian Air Force^[4]

Burma (Myanmar)

Myanmar Air Force^[5]

Chad

Chad Air Force^[6]

Ecuador

Ecuadorian Army^[7]

Iran

Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force^[8]

Mexico

Mexican Air Force^[9]

Peru

Peruvian Air Force^[10]

Slovenia

Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence^[11]

Switzerland

Swiss Air Force^[12]

Thailand

Royal Thai Air Force^[12]
Bureau of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation

United States

United States Army^[13]

Former Military operators[]

Algeria
Australia

Australian Army Aviation - 19 Turbo-Porters were in service with Australian Army from 1968 to 1992.
- 6th Aviation Regiment (Australia)
  - 173rd Surveillance Squadron (Australia)
- No. 161 Independent Reconnaissance Flight
- No. 163 Independent Reconnaissance Flight
- No. 171 Air Cavalry Flight
- School Army Aviation

Bophuthatswana

Bophuthatswana Air Force - Later transferred to South African Air Force

Bolivia
Colombia

Colombian Air Force
- SATENA

France

French Army

Israel

Israeli Air Force
- 100 Squadron

Nepal
Oman

Royal Air Force of Oman

South Africa

South African Air Force

Thailand

Royal Thai Army

United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates Air Force

United States

Law Enforcement operators[]

Malaysia

Royal Malaysian Police

Oman

Royal Oman Police

South Africa

South African Police Service

Thailand

Royal Thai Police

Civil operators[]

Australia

Mission Aviation Fellowship

Indonesia

Yajasi Aviation
Susi Air

Mongolia

Thomas Air

Nepal

Yeti Airlines

New Zealand

Mount Cook Airlines

Papua New Guinea

Mission Aviation Fellowship

Thailand

Thai Ministry of Agriculture

United States

Air America
CASI

Former civil operators[]

Hungary

National Hidrological Service
National Ambulance Service

Accidents and incidents[]

26 December 1999 A Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 Turbo porter registration HB-FKJ^[14] crashed near Turin. Because of heavy turbulance a wing broke causing the plane to crash, the 2 people aboard died.
30 May 2008 A Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 Turbo porter registration EC-JXH^[15] crashed near Toledo. After going into a stall, the plane's left wing broke causing to open the door, and because of this 9 skydivers jumped out and survived. One skydiver and the pilot died in the crash.
19 October 2013: A Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 Turbo Porter registration OO-NAC^[16] carrying 10 skydivers (instructors and students) and a pilot, lost height and impacted terrain at Fernelmont some ten minutes after take-off from nearby Namur-Suarlée Airport (EBNM), Belgium, all aboard died. The aircraft (S/N 710) was built in 1969 and had been rebuilt in 2002 by Pilatus Flugzeugwerke following a take-off accident at Moorsele (EBMO) on 12 March 2000.^[17]

Specifications (PC-6 B2 Turbo-Porter)[]

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993–1994^[18]

General characteristics

Crew: one, pilot
Capacity: up to ten passengers
Payload: 1,130 kg (2,491 lb)
Length: 11.00 m (36 ft 1 in)
Wingspan: 15.87 m (52 ft 0¾ in)
Height: 3.20 m (10 ft 6 in)
Wing area: 30.15 m² (324.5 sq ft)
Airfoil: NACA 64-514
Aspect ratio: 8.4:1
Empty weight: 1,270 kg (2,800 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 2,800 kg (6,173 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27 turboprop, 410 kW (550 shp)(downrated from 507 kW (680 shp))

Performance

Never exceed speed: 280 km/h (151 knots, 174 mph)
Maximum speed: 232 km/h^[19] (125 knots, 144 mph)
Cruise speed: 213 km/h (115 knots, 132 mph) at 3,050 m (10,000 ft)
Stall speed: 96 km/h (52 knots, 60 mph) (flaps down, power off)
Range: 730 km (394 nmi, 453 mi)with maximum payload
Ferry range: 1,612 km(870 nmi, 1,002 mi)with maximum internal and underwing fuel
Service ceiling: 8,197 m (25,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 4.8 m/s (941 ft/min)

References[]

↑ Herzig, Marcus. "PC-6 Production List". PC-6.com. 27 August 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 ^2.5 ^2.6 ^2.7 Taylor 1965, pp. 126–127.
↑ Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 33.
↑ Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 34.
↑ Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 44.
↑ Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 36.
↑ Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 37.
↑ Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 40.
↑ Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 43.
↑ Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 45.
↑ Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 47.
↑ ^12.0 ^12.1 Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 49.
↑ Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 51.
↑ Aviaton Safety Network #30298
↑ Aviaton Safety Network #20232
↑ Pilatus PC-6 Porter S/N 710 history
↑ ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 161542
↑ Lambert 1993, pp. 358–359.
↑ Taylor 1999, p. 489.

Hoyle, Craig. "World Air Forces Directory". Flight International, Vol 180 No 5321, 13–19 December 2011. pp. 26–52. ISSN 0015-3710.
Lambert, Mark. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993–1994. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Data Division, 1993. ISBN 0-7106-1066-1.
Taylor, John W. R. Janes's All The World's Aircraft 1965–66. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1965.
Taylor, Michael J. H. Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1999/2000 Edition. London: Brassey's, 1999. ISBN 1-85753-245-7.
Aircraft-Safety.NET

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pilatus PC-6.

All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at Pilatus PC-6 Porter and the edit history here.

[1] Herzig, Marcus. "PC-6 Production List". PC-6.com. 27 August 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2011.

[JAWA65_p126-7-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 ^2.5 ^2.6 ^2.7 Taylor 1965, pp. 126–127.

[fiwaf11_p33-3] Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 33.

[fiwaf11_p34-4] Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 34.

[fiwaf11_p44-5] Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 44.

[fiwaf11_p36-6] Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 36.

[fiwaf11_p37-7] Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 37.

[fiwaf11_p40-8] Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 40.

[fiwaf11_p43-9] Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 43.

[fiwaf11_p45-10] Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 45.

[fiwaf11_p47-11] Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 47.

[fiwaf11_p49-12] 12.0 ^12.1 Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 49.

[fiwaf11_p51-13] Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 51.

[14] Aviaton Safety Network #30298

[15] Aviaton Safety Network #20232

[16] Pilatus PC-6 Porter S/N 710 history

[ASN#161542-17] ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 161542

[JAWA93_p358-9-18] Lambert 1993, pp. 358–359.

[Brasseys_99_p489-19] Taylor 1999, p. 489.

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