Financial 2017 was an extremely busy
year for Pilatus, and an exceptionally successful one, too.
With sales of 986 million Swiss
francs, 115 aircraft deliveries, a full-time workforce of over 2000 and - the
absolute highlight - certification of the PC-24 at the end of the year, Pilatus
achieved its goals.
As a whole, financial 2017 turned
out better than the previous year. At 986 million Swiss francs, sales fell just
short of the one billion mark. After deduction of 107 million Swiss francs for
investment in Research & Development, the operating result amounts to a total of
135 million Swiss francs. The future looks good: at 2.17 billion Swiss francs,
the current order volume is equivalent to more than two years in sales revenue.
A historic year
Pilatus wrote Swiss aviation
history in 2017; with the PC-24 certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency
(EASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the first Swiss business
jet is now ready for delivery to customers. The first series-production PC-24
completed its maiden flight on 7 December 2017, just five days after
certification. The handover to PlaneSense, the very first PC-24 customer, went
ahead before the end of the year. In January of the new year, the PC-24 with
serial number 101 was flown to Pilatus Business Aircraft Ltd, the American
subsidiary, where handover to the future operator was marked by a big
celebration. Meanwhile, the first PC-24 has now completed over 250 hours in the
air.
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Pilatus PC-24 |
Across the Group as a whole, the
number of full-time employees exceeded 2000 for the first time ever in 2017. A
total of 152 new jobs were created over the past year. The Pilatus Group
employed 2113 employees as at the end of 2017, including 123 apprentices. 94
percent of the workforce is based in Switzerland, sending a very clear and
positive signal regarding the commitment to the current location.
Both business pillars report a successful
year
At 54 percent, Government
Aviation contributed even more to total turnover in 2017 than in the previous
year. 29 trainers were delivered, almost a third more than in 2016. Sales were
supplemented by revenue generated from support agreements. These products are
becoming increasingly important, both for customers and for Pilatus.
In General Aviation too, the
customer always comes first for Pilatus, and 2017 saw further expansion in the
after-sales service. PC-12 and PC-24 customers now enjoy 24-hour service -
wherever they are located around the world. All in all, the General Aviation
Business Unit delivered a total of 85 PC-12 NGs. This achievement is even more
remarkable given that many aircraft manufacturers worldwide reported a reduction
in sales revenues.
High investment in infrastructure
2017 was another year of high
investment in the future, with the focus on expanding the PC-24 series
production capacity. To that end, all production processes were optimised. The
production teams also moved into the new assembly hall – made from local timber,
as was the case in past projects. Pilatus also commissioned the new Surface
Treatment Centre: designed to meet the latest environmental standards, this is
where almost two million individual parts will be primed and painted in the
future.
Oscar J. Schwenk,
Chairman of the Board of Pilatus, commented on the year-end results:
“2017 was an exceptionally
successful financial year for Pilatus. Our most important goal of the year was
certification for the PC-24, and that was achieved. Once again, all our
employees benefit from this success through our profit-sharing scheme. The order
books are full! The main goal for 2018 is to ensure a successful and
wide-reaching launch for the PC-24. Our other plans for the future also reveal
that things are going well for Pilatus: In Stans we are building a new
aerostructures hall, made from local timber, to be equipped with
state-of-the-art automation technology. Hence long-term investment in the future
of Pilatus continues, along with an enduring commitment to our Swiss location!”
Download the Pilatus Annual Report 2017 |