Pilatus has opened a new facility by the name of Pilatus Aircraft Industry (China) Co. in Chongqing, China as part of a joint venture with Beijing Tian Xing Jian Yu Science.

An initial contract to supply a total of 50 PC-12s/PC-6s has also been signed. The new joint venture allows Pilatus to grow into the Chinese market and the new company will provide a production facility for aircraft components for both the PC-6 and PC-12 (pictured above) civilian turboprop aircraft.

The Chinese company will not be involved in the production of components?for military training aircraft (PC-21, PC-9 M and PC-7 MkII).

Oscar Schwenk, chairman of the board of directors of Pilatus Aircraft, said: “The PC-12 and Pilatus Porter PC-6 are optimum aircraft for this booming market, and we are confident our products have great potential. China has many small airfields with short runways – our aircraft are ideal for operating in and out of them.”

Markus Bucher, CEO of Pilatus Aircraft said”We believe that a partnership with a local sales partner is the key to success. It also ties in with our strategy of ensuring optimum customer service through the closest possible geographic proximity. Assisted by our joint venture partner, TXJY ? Beijing Tian Xing Jian Yu Science Co., Ltd., we will achieve our goal of establishing the Pilatus brand in China.“