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Pilatus has confirmed a contract to supply 19 PC-21 next-generation trainers to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) under the "Future Aircrew Training" (FAcT) program. The PC-21 is a turboprop-powered advanced trainer with a stepped tandem cockpit, and Pilatus has been producing single-engine turboprop aircraft for over eight decades.
The aircraft will be stationed at the Canadian Air Force base in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, starting in 2026. These trainers are intended to enhance training capabilities for aspiring military pilots as part of the FAcT program, which aims to modernize RCAF's training framework over 25 years. "The nineteen PC-21s will be stationed at the air force base in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, from 2026. They will primarily be used to provide advanced training for aspiring military pilots," Pilatus stated.
According to Pilatus, these trainers offer Canada an advanced yet cost-effective and environmentally friendly platform for military pilot training. It remains unclear whether Pilatus considered other platforms like Boeing and Saab's T-7 Red Hawk when claiming that the PC-21 is "the most technically advanced training system."
