Pilatus PC-6 Porter

Pilatus PC-6 Porter
Paese	Svizzera
Ruolo	STOL passeggeri e aerei di pubblica utilità
Primo volo	4 maggio 1959
Costruito	600

Il Pilatus PC-6 Porter è un aereo utility STOL monomotore progettato dalla Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. Volato per la prima volta nel 1959, il PC-6 continua la produzione al Pilatus Flugzeugwerke di Stans, in Svizzera. È stato costruito sia in versione a pistoni che turboelica ed è stato prodotto su licenza per un certo periodo da Fairchild Hiller negli Stati Uniti. Dopo circa 600 consegne in sei decenni, Pilatus produrrà l'ultima all'inizio del 2019.

fonte: Pilatus PC-6 Porter su Wikipedia

Pilatus PC-6 Porter Walk Around
Fotografo	Vladimir Jakubov
Localizzazione	Gare aeree di Reno
Foto	107

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The Legendary Swiss STOL Bush Transport

Le Pilatus PC-6 Porter (and its turbine-powered counterpart, the PC-6/B Turbo-Porter) is a world-renowned single-engine Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) utility aircraft designed and built by the Swiss manufacturer Pilatus Aircraft. First flown in 1959 with a piston engine and later upgraded to turboprop power, the PC-6 was engineered to operate out of the world’s most extreme environments—from high-altitude Alpine glaciers to short, unpaved jungle airstrips. Featuring a high-wing configuration, long high-lift wings, a boxy cabin with large double doors, and a rugged taildragger landing gear system, the Porter earned an unmatched reputation as the ultimate bush plane. Over six decades of production, it served military forces, humanitarian agencies, skydiving centers, and covert intelligence operators around the globe.

Attribute	Technical Specification (Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 Turbo-Porter Standard)
Ruolo	Single-Engine Utility STOL Transport / Skydiving & Bush Aircraft
Crew / Capacity	1 Pilot + up to 10 Passengers (or 1,200 kg / 2,646 lbs cargo load)
Motopropulsore	1 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27 turboprop engine (680 shp, flat-rated to 550 shp)
Velocità massima	232 km/h (144 mph / 125 knots) max cruise \| ~96 km/h (60 mph / 52 knots) stall speed
Gross / Takeoff Weight	2,800 kg (6,173 lbs) maximum gross weight \| ~1,270 kg (2,800 lbs) empty weight
Service Ceiling / Operational Range	8,150 m (26,740 ft) ceiling \| ~1,612 km (1,002 miles) max range with external tanks
Takeoff / Landing Distance	Takeoff ground roll: ~197 m (646 ft) \| Landing ground roll: ~130 m (427 ft)
Wing Structure & Dimensions	Wingspan: 15.87 m (52 ft 1 in) \| High constant-chord wing with full-span trailing-edge flaps
Landing Gear & Tail Structure	Fixed heavy-duty taildragger gear with long-stroke oil/pneumatic shock absorbers; wheel, ski, or float options
Production Total	604 units produced in Switzerland by Pilatus (1959–2022) plus 92 licensed Fairchild Hiller units in the US

Design Engineering: Turboprop Integration, Beta Propeller Braking, and High-Lift Wings

High-Lift Unswept Constant-Chord Wing: The PC-6 incorporates a large, rectangular high-mounted wing utilizing a modified NACA 64-series airfoil. Combined with large electrically operated trailing-edge slotted flaps, the wing generates massive lift at low airspeeds, allowing the aircraft to maintain control at speeds down to 50 knots.
PT6A Turboprop Engine & Reversible Beta Pitch: Transitioning from early Lycoming piston engines to the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop transformed the airframe. The engine’s reversible-pitch propeller allows pilots to enter “Beta mode” immediately upon touchdown, providing reverse thrust that halts the aircraft on impossibly short landing strips or permits steep combat dive descents without exceeding speed limits.
High Ground Clearance Taildragger Gear: Built specifically for unprepared turf, mud, or snow, the long-legged main landing gear uses wide-track oleo-pneumatic shock absorbers. The gear layout raises the nose high off the ground, shielding the large propeller blades from debris damage during rough landings.
Modular Box Cabin & Sliding Cargo Doors: The rectangular, slab-sided fuselage maximizes interior volume. Featuring large sliding side doors and removable passenger seating, the cabin can be reconfigured in minutes from passenger transport to freight hauling, air ambulance evacuation, or skydiving jump runs.