JetSwiss Pilatus PULSE - November 2025 by JetSwissAviation

EXPERT INSIGHTS: PILATUS TAKES THE MAIN COURSE

JETSWISS CLIENTS HAVE ACQUIRED FOUR NGX’S IN THE LAST SIXTY DAYS!

THIS MONTH’S FEATURE: FLY BY THE RULES WITH RICHARD WHITTEMORE

PILATUS TAKES THE MAIN COURSE

As Thanksgiving approaches, we wanted to take a moment to acknowledge how thankful we are to be in this business. We’re fortunate to help customers take the exciting step into Pilatus ownership. For some, it’s a major leap in equipment. For others, it’s a natural progression after years or even decades of flying turbine-powered aircraft. In both cases, we often find that these clients have long viewed the Pilatus as their dream airplane. What a privilege it is to be entrusted with helping make that dream a reality.

The Most Common Upgrade Paths

I recently spoke with our insurance broker about who’s most likely to move into a PC-12 and where we should be focusing our efforts. I offered what seemed like the obvious answers: M-series Piper owners, Caravan owners, and Vision Jet owners.

He stopped me and said, “Anyone who’s paying over $1 million for a four-seat piston-powered aircraft is someone you should take very seriously.” Of course, he was referring to Cirrus SR owners.

In the past year alone, we’ve helped three Cirrus owners make the jump to Pilatus! In addition, we’ve assisted three Cessna 206 owners and one Bonanza owner in purchasing a PC-12.

From a broader market perspective, it’s tough to track the transition from single-engine piston aircraft to turbines, but there’s no question that more piston owners are graduating to Pilatus every year.

Just for fun, let’s look at who’s been buying PC-12s over the past five years, with a focus on those who previously owned twin pistons, turboprops, or jets:

Top 5 Upgrade Paths:

5). Piper Mirage – 9 upgrades

4). Beechcraft Baron – 14 upgrades

3). Cessna Caravan – 26 upgrades

2). Piper Meridian – 43 upgrades

And the #1 spot…

1). Pilatus PC-12 – 339 owners upgraded to a newer PC-12!

That’s a powerful testament to the aircraft itself. In the last five years, 32% of all new and pre-owned PC-12s were sold to existing Pilatus owners. The ownership community has spoken for itself. Once you fly a Pilatus, it’s hard to look back.

How to Upgrade

There are several ways to make the move into a Pilatus.

1). Own Both Aircraft Temporarily

The simplest approach is to keep your current airplane and add the Pilatus to your fleet. This provides maximum flexibility. Allowing you to acquire your new aircraft without being tied to the sale of your existing one.

2). Trade-In Your Aircraft

You can trade your current airplane to a dealer as part of your Pilatus purchase. This method can make for a seamless transition: you take delivery of your Pilatus and hand over your trade-in on the same day. However, as with trading in a car, you’ll likely receive less than the retail value. The dealer assumes holding costs, market risk, and must earn a return. There may also be tax implications worth considering.

3). Sell on the Retail Market

Selling privately can help you maximize the value of your current aircraft, provided the process is managed well. The challenge lies in timing and market volatility. You may be without an airplane for a period, and the longer the sale takes, the more exposed you are to market shifts. Ideally, you can align the sale and purchase to minimize downtime and capture the best of both markets.

JetSwiss Summit Solutions Program

Moving into a Pilatus is a milestone moment for any owner. Whether you’re upgrading from a piston, a turboprop, or another Pilatus, the experience is second to none. We’re honored to help make that transition as smooth and rewarding as possible.

Our team has spent the last several years developing our Summit Solutions Program, a process designed to ensure every aspect of ownership is set up for long-term success. From controllable deliverables and productionlevel testing, to custom cosmetics and ongoing support, JetSwiss remains the only dealer in the world dedicated exclusively to Pilatus Pre-Owned projects. If you have questions about the Summit Solutions Program, we’d be delighted to walk you through it.

From our JetSwiss family to yours, we wish you a safe and joyful Thanksgiving. Thank you for being part of this incredible community of Pilatus owners and enthusiasts.

Fly safe, The JetSwiss Team

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TIME ON MARKET

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AIRCRAFT CONDITION EVALUATION

So, you’ve found the perfect Pilatus. Fantastic! At JetSwiss, we take it one step further—making sure it’s fully inspected and truly move-in ready. That’s where our Aircraft Condition Evaluation (ACE), comes in.

JetSwiss’ expert technicians and flight crews evaluate each specific aircraft, examining the logbooks and records, conducting visual inspections, multiple test flights, engine exams, calculating future maintenance cost projections, etc. This summary or ‘ACE’ report provides our clients with a detailed look at every rivet, component, and record for a subject aircraft.

Test Flights

As a part of our internal protocol, every aircraft undergoes test flights with our experts on duty.

Logbook Research

Our Maintenance Director, who brings over 20 years of Pilatus-specific experience, reviews all aircraft records in detail.

Walkaround Inspection

We take pictures and video of every scratch, divot, and rivet to document the condition of the aircraft.

Borescope Inspection

Using advanced equipment, we conduct an in-house borescope inspection to evaluate the heart of the aircraft—the engine.

Documented Loose Equipment

We document all loose equipment, such as aircraft covers and software install kits to ensure your move is as smooth as possible.

Maintenance Analysis Examination

This provides you with a detailed maintenance status for the aircraft, as well as cost projections for up to three years in the future.

In conclusion, you aren’t just buying a Pilatus with JetSwiss, you’re stepping into ownership with complete confidence.

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AIRCRAFT ASKING

PRICE VS. TOTAL TIME

Similar to the Asking Price vs Model Year chart, this information helps our clients determine “the mileage on the car” for their specific budget. Want to own a low time aircraft? This chart will give you an indication on what you will spend. Note: aircraft under 1,000 hours total time historically yield much higher prices.

AIRCRAFT

ASKING PRICE VS. MODEL YEAR

This chart reflects the current market for Pilatus PC-12 aircraft that are on the retail market. Want to know how much your Pilatus dollars will buy? This is a great place to start! As you can see, the aircraft model year plays a key factor in pricing of the aircraft–thus generates a commensurate trend curve. This data provides a baseline for our aircraft evaluations.

This information helps our clients determine “the mileage on the car” for their specific budget. “Want to own a low time aircraft?” This chart will give you an indication on what you will spend. Note: aircraft under 1,000 hours total time historically yield much higher prices.

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PC-24 BY THE NUMBERS

AIRCRAFT ASKING PRICE VS. MODEL YEAR

This chart reflects the current market for Pilatus PC-24 aircraft that are on the retail market. Want to know how much your Pilatus dollars will buy? This is a great place to start! As you can see, the aircraft model year plays a key factor in pricing of the aircraft–thus generates a commensurate trend curve. This data provides a baseline for our aircraft evaluations.

FLY BY THE RULES

WITH RICHARD WHITTEMORE

We first got to know Richard through his work managing a Citation M2 which we acquired for a Pilatus client of ours. More recently, Richard helped acquire a Pilatus from us for a client living in Tennessee, but that’s just one of his many hats. At just 16 years old, Richard set his sights on becoming a missionary pilot, operating in a foreign country. This led him to the Amazon, where he resided for several years. After returning to the U.S., he expanded his aviation experience across multiple sectors—from corporate aviation and EMS helicopter operations to flight instruction. Today, Richard is the owner of CMA Aviation (short for Cimeria, the Portuguese word for

RICHARD WHITTEMORE Founder of CMA Aviation

“summit”)—a management, operations, and acquisition company.

In addition to running CMA, Richard is a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE), a National Insurance Instructor for the 525 Series (CJ), a three-time Master Flight Instructor with the National Association of Flight Instructors, and most recently, he was recognized as the 2025 Flight Instructor of the Year by the National FSDO!

Needless to say, Richard was the perfect person for us to speak to regarding the topic of aircraft regulations and compliance. Let’s dive in!

JS: What are some of the most common regulations pilots unintentionally violate during operations?

“Adequate weather planning and adequate weight and balance are just things that I unfortunately see on the intro level, and also really in the professional world.”

In the professional setting, airspeed and airspace violations have also become increasingly common. According to Richard, it’s 90% on pilots and 10% on controllers.

“I’ve been put in some really bad situations with controllers–not speaking badly about them at all, we are all humans. But one of my mottos is that when the pilot messes up, the pilot dies, and when the controller messes up, the pilot dies.”

His advice: stay situationally aware and never let complacency replace good airmanship.

JS: If a pilot realizes they may have violated a regulation, what is the best course of action to address it?

Richard suggests a three-step process.

1. File a NASA report immediately.

“As soon as I land, I’m going to file a NASA report and explain what happened and why it happened.”

2. Stay current with the FAA Safety Team.

“I am going to make sure that I’m current and I’m active in the FAA Safety Team–just as kind of a good cover for yourself…”

3. Get to know the FAA.

“Find somebody that you like in the FAA and have them on the phone… They really moved away from the enforcement action to remedial training action.”

JS: What is a common thing that people forget to do when flying?

“In my opinion, it starts on the ground… Let’s take the proper 10 or 15 minutes before hopping in the airplane and going.”

There is a lot of great technology like Foreflight and Garmin Pilot that gives you everything you need today. He also stressed the importance of checklists.

“The reality is, somebody’s got 2,000 hours in, you name it aircraft, they probably don’t need a checklist… until they do.”

Use it to verify. And he says to practice! Richard also stresses the importance of briefing approach plates and checking NOTAMs carefully.

“I’ve had to go missed three times in the past 12 months and every single one of them were due to a decision height that was higher on the NOTAM, which I checked and knew about. That’s why I had to go missed. It was 400 feet higher than normal, but the guy in front of me somehow made it… That’s the kind of stuff that trickles down to the FAA and becomes a problem.”

JS: As an operator of now a PC-12, what are the key differences in compliance regulations for Part 91 operators versus Part 135 operators of Pilatus aircraft?

For the pilots, there are training requirements–initial, upgrade, line check, and you have to have your 6-month IFR checks.

For the airplane itself, you must ensure it meets all your maintenance requirements. There is also a lot of additional paperwork that needs to be kept, such as trip sheets and the weight-andbalance for 30 days. When Richard was a chief pilot for a Part 135 operation, the FAA would show up to his office for something called “No Knocks.”

“You have to show them the last 30 days’ worth of flights. The helicopter base I was at, every now and then would get dinged because that’s on the PIC and he didn’t put the paperwork in like he was supposed to… For Part 91 operations, we don’t have to keep the weight and balance records long term. Maybe that is why it is easy to be more complacent.”

BONUS STORY: We couldn’t fit it all here!

Catch the full conversation with Richard Whittemore–online at JetSwiss.com

TAIL FOR SALE

We have some tail for sale! The aircraft have completed our full diligence process and are ready for immediate delivery. As year- end approaches, opportunities like these move quickly—don’t wait any longer!