Farnborough 2008 Show News - July 16, 2008 - (Page 56)

BUSINESS AVIATION FA R N B O R O U G H 2 0 0 8 PC-12NG Has New Honeywell Cockpit Walk around the PC-12/47E NextGeneration in the static display at Farnborough, and you’ll be hardpressed to tell the difference from the Series 10 PC-12 it replaced in the production line earlier this year. The best of the plane spotters will point to the small generator vent outlet on the engine cowl and the LED position lights, subtle differences that identify the aircraft as a next-generation model. Step into the cockpit, as we did late last week, and you’ll notice large-scale differences between the NG and older-generation PC-12s. The cockpit has been completely redesigned, as indicated by the presence of four 10.4-inch Honeywell Primus Apex flat-panel displays in the instrument panel. Power up Apex and you’ll find that the PC-12 configuration reflects the Gulfstream PlaneView design philosophy for the PFDs and Dassault EASy-like protocols for the MFDs. It takes a few flights to get comfortable with the graphic user interface, but before long, we became easy with EASy. Last Friday, accompanied by Theddy Spichtig, PC-12/47E flight test development and production flight pilot, we strapped into the left seat of HB-FVC [S/N 1002] at Pilatus’ plant at the Buochs airport near Stans for a series of short flights to Saanen, then Grenchen, back to Buochs and finally to Zurich, a trip intended to show off a wide range of the aircraft’s capabilities. Spichtig said that PC-12/47E has six main design improvements: Primus Apex, a Thales Electronic Standby Instrument System, dualredundant electrical system, higher output engine, digital pressurization control system and digital environmental control system. It also has newly fitted Ipeco crew seats and upgraded passenger chairs, standard dual-side pitot static system and under-floor electric heaters, plus dual zone temperature control. The demonstrator aircraft also was equipped with many popular options, including a six-seat “executive platinum” interior, vapor-cycle air conditioning and cold-weather kit, among others, resulting in a single-pilot BOW of 6,809 lb. The tanks-full payload was 982 lb, so the aircraft essentially could have carried five passengers 1,537 nmi and landed with NBAA IFR reserves. But last Friday, the demonstrator only had Spichtig and me aboard, plus 2,000 lb of fuel and 50 lb of baggage. Primus Apex’s weight computer tallied a taxi weight of 8,829 lb, but it provided no CG, V speed or runway performance data. Spichtig said, though, that Pilatus can supply a full performWhile PC-12/47E’s engine has a conventional engine fuel controller, its automatic torque limiter prevents exceeding 1,200 hp on takeoff, under most conditions, if the power lever is advanced to the forward stops. On takeoff, we used the torque limiter to reduce workload. With 1,200 hp, there was a need for plenty of right rudder pressure to keep the aircraft on centerline. Control forces were very pleasant, especially with the 2/3 reduction in roll control effort made possible by the addition of aileron servo tabs in the Series 10. We settled into a 2,450 fpm rate of climb. With Apex’s yaw damper engaged, rudder trim is automatic, also reducing workload. We leveled off at 8,500 ft for the short flight southwest up the valley. Had we continued the climb, the upgraded PWC PT6-67P engine would have provided 1,200 hp up to 18,000 ft, a 5,000-ft gain over the previous model. The -67P also enables the aircraft to cruise up to 13 kts faster from 20,000 to 30,000 ft. We used the point-and-click graphic flight-planning mode on the moving map display to insert several VFR waypoints into the flight plan from Buochs to Saanen. Apex also provides a conventional FMS field entry method for programming waypoints. We used that method for programming Show News chief pilot Fred George. ance computation software package for a PDA or laptop. That’s a worthwhile upgrade because plugging the performance graphs in the AFM requires a sharp eye and fine-point pencil. The reward for doing your homework is near-STOL takeoff performance. After engine start, both 300A generators came on line automatically, thereby powering up all busses. The vapor-cycle air-conditioner automatically started to operate, quickly cooling the cockpit and cabin to a comfortable temperature. Primus Apex has an airport elevation database that automatically pre-sets landing field elevation in the digital pressurization controller, also minimizing pilot workload because all other pressurization functions are automatic. Not visible in the new interior are under-floor electric heaters, while the cockpit boasts a Honeywell Primus Apex suite with Thales standby instrument system. 56 July 16, 2008 www.aviationweek.com/shownews http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews

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Bombardier, Shenyang $5 Billion for Composites 787 and Seven V-22s for Export Sale? Saving Fuel at SFO Raytheon Roars Into UAVs Bell Eyes ARH-70A Costs All According to Plan We Fly the PC-12NG Russia’s T-50 PAK-FA Optimistic in Israel ICAO Sim Classifications Pratt to Power New Drone Russian Conglomerate

Farnborough 2008 Show News - July 16, 2008

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