A 1200 shp turbine engine, 30,000 foot ceiling, V_ne of 236 KIAS, a full fuel range of nearly 2000 nm, capable of operating from as little as 1800 feet of dirt (with an obstacle), seating for up to 9 passengers and/or capacity for almost anything you can get in the giant cargo door. The
Pilatus PC-12 is a lot of airplane! Even with all it's capabilities, the PC-12 it's for professional and private owners alike. Thanfully though, Pilatus requires some responsibility to go with the power of owning such an aircraft.

Pilatus realized that their aircraft would be attractive to all kinds of customers, and built it with a plan to make it safe. Aside from intuitive and straightforward onboard systems and emergency procedures, Pilatus requires that new cusomers attend a formal training program. (The first two years of the course are included in the purchase price of the aircraft.)

I recently had the opportunity to go throught the initial training program for the PC-12 at the SimCom training center in Scottsdale Airzona. It was my first experience with the civilian side of flying aircraft more complex than a C-182, and I was impressed.

Their program was similar to the Air Force style I'm used to in that they spent several hours discussing systems and procedures in addition to progressively more complex simulator flights. Thankfully though, they did it with a professional, yet casual envirnment in sharp contrast to the "Do it now and don't mess up!" attitude that trainees generally get at Air Force pilot training.

We did everything from emergency procedures including at least a dozen power-off approaches, to the most thorough instrument work-out I've had since pilot training, to short field operations on a 1900 foot dirt strip with a tree at one end. (We might have even turned the plane upside down one or twice--it is a sim after all.)

SimCom does a lot more than just PC-12 training. In fact, they have a training program for most of the privately owned twin-pistons, turboprops or jets I can name. So, whether you're buying any of these aircraft, new or used, consider sending yourself or your pilot to a formal training program. The cost is only a fraction of the purchase price of any aircraft in this class and you will see the dividends in increased safety and piece of mind (and potentially lower insurance premiums.) For those of us who can't quite afford toys this nice yet, take at least a little comfort in the fact that the people at the controls of these aircraft are living up to Uncle Ben's admonishment.