PC-7: 12 April 1966; 58 years ago (1966-04-12) (prototype)[1] 18 August 1978; 45 years ago (1978-08-18) (production)[1] PC-7 Mk.II M: 28 September 1992; 31 years ago (1992-09-28)[1]
The PC-7 was developed from the preceding
piston-powered
Pilatus P-3,[1] largely differing by the adoption of a
turboprop engine, a
bubble canopy, and a new one-piece
wing. Introduced during the 1970s, it has since developed a sizable presence of the global trainer market.[2] The type has been adopted by in excess of twenty
air forces as their
ab initio trainer, as well as multiple civilian operators. Over one million hours have reportedly been flown by PC-7s worldwide.[citation needed] In addition to training operations, some aircraft are armed and have been used for
combat missions by several customers, including
Chad,
Iran, and
Mexico, often in violation of the relevant
export agreement between the customer and the
Swiss government.
An improved model of the aircraft, the PC-7 Mk.II M, was developed during the 1990s, by combining the newer
airframe and
avionics from the
PC-9 with the PC-7's smaller turbine engine. Reportedly, in excess of 600[needs update] PC-7s have been sold to various operators, the majority of which still being in service. In Pilatus' range of aircraft, the PC-7 has been succeeded by the newer
PC-9 and
PC-21 trainers.[3]
Development
Origins
Work on what would become the PC-7 commenced during the 1960s. It was based on the earlier
piston-powered
Pilatus P-3, the initial
prototype being produced from the existing prototype P-3, principally differing by the substitution of its
Lycoming O-435 engine with a
Pratt & Whitney PT6A-20turboprop power-plant.[1][4] On 12 April 1966; 58 years ago (1966-04-12), the modified prototype performed its
maiden flight.[1] However, the PC-7 programme was abruptly shelved following an accident involving the aircraft.[5] The termination of work was reportedly driven by a lack of market interest.[4]
During
1973, it was decided to restart work on the programme; factors for its revival had included the
1973 oil crisis, the launch of the rival
Beechcraft T-34C Turbo-Mentor, and the increasing age of existing trainer aircraft.[4] To support the relaunch, another P-3 was obtained from the
Swiss Air Force. After modifications, this aircraft first flew on 12 May 1975; 49 years ago (1975-05-12). Further extensive modifications followed later in the programme, including the adoption of a new one-piece wing complete with
integral fuel tanks, along with an altered
tail fin and a
bubble canopy.[citation needed] The flight test programme came to a close during Autumn 1977.[4]
On 18 August 1978; 45 years ago (1978-08-18), the first production aircraft made its first flight.[1] On 5 December of that year, Switzerland's
Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) issued
civil certification for the PC-7;[4] immediately thereafter, initial deliveries of production aircraft commenced to customers
Burma and
Bolivia.[6] Over time, sales of the PC-7 generated considerable profits, allowing the company to finance the development of further types of aircraft.[7]
Further development
The PC-7 Mk.II M is a development of the
PC-9's airframe and avionics, which was powered by the PC-7's smaller turbine engine, which reportedly achieved lower operating and maintenance costs.[citation needed] This variant was developed at the behest of the
South African Air Force (SAAF), who later adopted the type.[8] A batch of 60 PC-7 Mk.II Ms were locally assembled in
South Africa using
kits supplied by Pilatus for the SAAF; due to political considerations, these aircraft were not fitted with the armament
hardpoints. Deliveries to the SAAF took place between late
1994 and
1996.[4]
In addition to Pilatus' own improvement programmes, several third-party companies have independently developed their own upgrades for customer's PC-7. During the late 1990s,
Israeli engineering firm Radom began offering a kit of new avionics for the type, which included a new mission computer, a wide-angle
head-up display, along with various replacement communications and weapons-delivery systems.[9]
During July
1998, Pilatus announced that it has come to an agreement with
American company
Western Aircraft, for the latter to act as a
distributor for the PC-7 across the
North American civil aviation market.[10] At this time, there were already five civil-registered PC-7s in operation in North America; Pilatus believed that the region could be a viable market for both remanufactured and newly built examples of the type, which would be priced between
$1 million and $2 million respectively. It was recognised that this market was limited, Western Aircraft expected to sell only a few aircraft per year.[10]
Operational history
General use
All
export sales of the PC-7 are subject to
approval by the
Swiss Government, whose authorisation is required prior to any delivery taking place.[11] The sale of
combat-capable aircraft has been a controversial matter at times, and political pressure has been applied for PC-7s to be shipped without the fittings for armaments being installed. The Swiss government has occasionally held up or outright refused to issue export licences for some nations, a move which has reportedly led to the loss of several potential sales, such as to
South Korea and
Mexico.[11]
During June
2011, the
Indian Air Force (IAF) selected the PC-7 Mk.II M as its new basic trainer, signing a contract for an initial batch of 75 aircraft, with an option for buying an additional 38 PC-7 Mk.II Ms; the Indian military had a total requirement of 181 trainers.[14] The fast-tracked decision to procure a foreign aircraft over a domestically developed alternative proposed by
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was a controversial one; retired
Air MarshalAnil Chopra argued that HAL had no viable design for the role, and that the IAF could not have reasonably afforded the delay involved in the development of such an aircraft.[15] The procurement of an additional 106 trainers under the 'Make & Buy' (Indian) category was repeatedly deferred. In
2017, the maintenance agreement with Pilatus lapsed, resulting in the IAF becoming solely responsible for performing these activities.[16] During
2018, India announced that it had chosen to exercise the option of buying a batch of 38 trainers.[17]
During the lengthy
Iran–Iraq War of the 1980s, amid tensions between
Iran and the
United States, it is alleged that Iranian officials threatened to arm its PC-7 fleet with explosives and use them to launch
suicide attacks against
United States Navy (USN) vessels present in the
Persian Gulf.[19] Iran reportedly trained a number of suicide pilots and flew some operational missions, training was performed at
Bushehr Air Base in Iran and overseas in
North Korea.[20][21] In early
1984, an Iranian attack helicopter
AH-1J Sea Cobra was shot down by an Iraqi PC-7 during Operation Khyber (Iranian pilots Reza Moghadam and Mohammad Yazdi were rescued).[22]
In
1994, the
Mexican Air Force used several armed PC-7s to attack units of the
Zapatista Army of National Liberation during the
Chiapas conflict in
Mexico. This action was considered illegal by the Swiss government because the aeroplanes were sold for training purposes only, and as result, Switzerland issued a ban on the sale of additional units to Mexico.[23] At the time, the Mexican Air Force was the largest single export operator of the type, and had been seeking to acquire further PC-7s, thus the sales ban was viewed as an economic blow to Pilatus.[11]
During the late 2000s, the
Chadian Air Force reportedly used its small fleet of PC-7s to bomb rebel positions both in their own territory and in neighbouring
Sudan.[26] The Swiss government summoned the
Chad's ambassador to request an explanation for these reports, as these actions breached the export agreements previously struck for the sale of the type to Chad.[27]
Variants
PC-7 : two-seat basic trainer aircraft, powered by PT6A-25A engine rated at 410
kilowatts (550
shaft horsepower).[28]
PC-7 Mk.II M : a development of the PC-9's airframe and avionics, retaining the PC-7's wing to mount external stores. Powered by PT6A-25C of 522 kilowatts (700 shaft horsepower) rather than more powerful PT6A-62 of PC-9.[29] Developed for the
South African Air Force (SAAF), and known as the 'Astra'; the aircraft is a hybrid PC-7 and PC-9, either a PC-7 'Heavy' or a PC-9 'Lite', depending on point of configuration.[1]
NCPC-7 : upgraded version of the standard PC-7 with fully
IFRglass cockpit avionics, developed for the Swiss Air Force. The designation NCPC-7 has been provisionally used in the Swiss Air Force to differentiate modernized PC-7s (NC for New Cockpit) from those which were not yet done. It was removed after the improvement of the last of the 28 aircraft in 2009. Consequently, all the Turbo-Trainer took again the designation PC-7.[30]
Botswana Defence Force Air Wing: seven PC-7 (delivered from 1990) aircraft in service as of October 2008,[1] to be replaced by five PC-7 Mk.II M in 2013;[34] five PC-7 Mk.II M aircraft formally accepted into service on 8 February 2013, removing six original PC-7s from service.[35]
Royal Malaysian Air Force: 30 PC-7 Turbo Trainers out of a first order of 44 (delivered from 1983), 45 PC-7 aircraft in service as of October 2008;[1] 17 PC-7 Mk.II M out of a second order of 19 (delivered in two batches, nine from 2001 and ten from 2007); total of 47 currently in service; the type is also used by the Taming Sariaerobatic display team.
Myanmar Air Force: first customer of the PC-7, deliveries in early 1979, 17 PC-7 aircraft in service as of October 2008,[1] 16 aircraft remain in service as of December 2021.[45]
South African Air Force: first customer of the PC-7 Mk.II M delivered 30 November 1994, 60 PC-7 Mk.II M aircraft in service as of October 2008,[1] the type is also used by the
Silver Falconsaerobatic display team.
Swiss Air Force: 40 (delivered from 1979) PC-7 aircraft in service as of October 2008,[1] 28 PC-7 upgraded with new cockpit in service in 2011;[47] the type is also used by their
aerobatic display team
PC-7 Team.
The
South African Air Force (SAAF) grounded their fleet of PC-7 Mk.II M aircraft after a crash on 15 January 2008. The aircraft went down shortly after takeoff from
Overberg Air Force Base in the
Western Cape Province. SAAF Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Meiring, 58, died shortly after the crash. The aircraft was flying to
Langebaanweg Air Force Base for maintenance but shortly after takeoff it rolled and flew into the ground. The cause is believed[by whom?] to have been a structural problem.
In March 2010, a pilot was killed when his
Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) aircraft exploded and caught fire in midair during a solo airshow. This is the fifth accident involving Royal Malaysian Air Force PC-7 aircraft.[50]
In June 2010, two Mexican pilots were killed when their
Mexican Air Force PC-7 crashed after taking off from Pie de la Cuesta, a district in the resort city of
Acapulco, Mexico. The PC-7 crashed into the sea near Acapulco.[51][52]
On 20 October 2011, two PC-7s of the Botswana Defence Force were involved in a mid-air collision over Letlhakeng 100
kilometres (62
miles) west of Gaborone. Two of the four aircrew involved were killed in the accident.[53]
On 4 December 2023, a PC-7 of the Indian Air Force crashed in
Medak,
Telangana, India. Both pilots died in the crash. The aircraft had taken off on a training flight from Hyderabad. The crash is currently under investigation.[55]
Fuel capacity: 474 L (104 imp gal; 125 US gal) usable internal fuel, 2x 240 L (53 imp gal; 63 US gal) external fuel
drop tanks • Max landing weight: 2,565 kg
Range: 1,200 km (750 mi, 650 nmi) standard range without external drop tanks, ferry range with external drop tanks, (cruise power, at 5,000 m (16,000 ft) - 20 min reserves)
Ferry range: 2,630 km (1,630 mi, 1,420 nmi)
Endurance: 4 hr 22 min
Service ceiling: 10,060 m (33,010 ft)
g limits: -3 / +6
Rate of climb: 10.9 m/s (2,150 ft/min) climb to 5,000 m in 9 min 0 sec take-off run 780 m at max take-off weight, landing run 505 m at max landing weight
Armament
Hardpoints: 6 × underwing hardpoints for bombs and rockets with a capacity of 1,040 kg (2,294 lb)[57]
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