Data as of Tuesday, 26 May 2026
Platform Intelligence on the Pilatus PC-24 Super-Versatile Jet
Freestream Aircraft provides independent advisory services across the Pilatus PC-24 platform. Built in Stans, Switzerland, and in service since 2018, the PC-24 is Pilatus's sole jet offering: a twin-engine light jet certificated to operate from unimproved runways including gravel, grass, and compacted dirt. This operational envelope, together with a large aft cargo door and modular interior, positions the PC-24 in a sub-category of the light-jet market that conventional light jets cannot address.
The following overview presents performance, cabin, field-length, and operating-cost data for the PC-24, together with a comparison against its nearest light-jet peers, the Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen 2 and the Embraer Phenom 300E. The data supports fleet evaluation, pre-purchase assessment, and acquisition analysis.
The PC-24 is produced at the Pilatus Aircraft factory in Stans, Switzerland, and entered service in 2018. It is powered by twin Williams FJ44-4A engines producing 3,621 lb thrust each, and is equipped with the Honeywell Advanced Cockpit Environment (ACE) avionics suite. The aircraft is certified for unimproved-runway operations (gravel, grass, compacted dirt), supported by a trailing-link main undercarriage and high-mounted aft engine inlets that reduce foreign-object ingestion risk. Balanced field length is 2,930 ft, shorter than any other current-production jet in the light class. A large aft cargo door (4.25 ft tall, 4.16 ft wide) enables roll-on freight pallets or modular medical configurations alongside conventional executive layouts. Range is 1,525 nautical miles seats-full and 1,950 nm ferry. The cabin at 23.0 ft in length is the longest of the in-service light-jet class.
| Production | 2015 – Present |
| Entry Into Service | 2018 |
| Long-Range Cruise Speed | 375 kts |
| Normal Cruise Speed | 446 kts |
| Maximum Cruise Speed | 440 kts |
| Range, Seats-Full | 1,525 nm |
| Ferry Range | 1,950 nm |
| Rate of Climb | 3,960 ft/min |
| Engine-Out Ceiling | 30,000 ft |
| Balanced Field Length | 2,930 ft |
| Cabin Dimensions (L × W × H) | 23.0 × 5.7 × 5.1 ft |
| Baggage Volume | 90 cu ft (external) |
| Max Takeoff Weight | 18,300 lb |
| Basic Operating Weight | 11,720 lb |
| Usable Fuel | 5,964 lb |
| Wingspan | 55.75 ft |
| Avionics | Honeywell Advanced Cockpit Environment |
| Variable Cost / Hour | $2,243 |
| Annual Fixed Cost | $562,396 |
Key metrics across the in-service light-jet class. The PC-24's trade-offs against the CJ4 Gen 2 and Phenom 300E are visible in full: it concedes range, speed, and passenger capacity against the conventional platforms; it leads on field performance, cargo access, runway versatility, and operating cost. Hover a column header to highlight; best values in each row are accented. Acquisition cost excluded by design.
| Pilatus PC-24 | Citation CJ4 Gen 2 | Phenom 300E | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Range, Seats-Full | 1,525 nm | 1,667 nm | 1,811 nm |
| Max Cruise Speed | 440 kts | 450 kts | 464 kts |
| Passengers (max) | 6 | 8 | 8 |
| Cabin Length | 23.0 ft | 17.3 ft | 17.2 ft |
| Cabin Width | 5.7 ft | 4.8 ft | 5.1 ft |
| Cabin Height | 5.1 ft | 4.75 ft | 4.9 ft |
| Balanced Field Length | 2,930 ft | 3,350 ft | 3,643 ft |
| Max Takeoff Weight | 18,300 lb | 17,110 lb | 18,387 lb |
| Cargo Door | Yes (4.25 × 4.16 ft aft) | No | No |
| Unimproved Runway | Yes (gravel, grass) | No | No |
| Variable Cost / Hour | $2,243 | $2,396 | $2,576 |
| Annual Fixed Cost | $562,396 | $569,661 | $565,761 |
Pilatus Aircraft Ltd was founded in 1939 and is headquartered in Stans, in the canton of Nidwalden, Switzerland. The company is best known for the PC-12 single-engine turboprop, which remains one of the best-selling pressurised single-engine aircraft in production. The PC-24, introduced in 2018, is Pilatus's first and only jet-powered aircraft. It shares the short-field and rough-field design philosophy of the PC-12, extended to a twin-engine jet platform.
The PC-24's certification for operations from unimproved surfaces (gravel, grass, compacted dirt) is the result of specific structural and systems design choices: a trailing-link main undercarriage absorbs runway roughness and reduces gear-transmitted loads; engine inlets are positioned high on the rear fuselage to minimise foreign-object ingestion from loose surface material. The result is a balanced field length of 2,930 ft against 3,350 ft for the CJ4 Gen 2 and 3,643 ft for the Phenom 300E, and access to runway environments that are categorically unavailable to competing platforms. This is operationally material for operators whose destinations include smaller airfields, private strips, or remote sites without paved infrastructure.
The aft cargo door measures 4.25 ft tall by 4.16 ft wide, sufficient for standard freight pallets and stretcher systems. This enables the PC-24 to operate as a medical evacuation platform with a reconfigurable interior (patient bay, attendant seating, medical equipment rails) or as a dedicated freight aircraft, switching back to executive configuration as required. No other current-production aircraft in the light-jet class offers this door geometry or the associated certification for freight operations.
Pilatus operates a global network of authorised service centres and provides OEM-direct maintenance support. Engine maintenance for the Williams FJ44-4A is available through Williams International-approved shops and the JSSI engine programme. The relatively compact fleet size, compared with Cessna or Embraer programmes, means that service network density is lower in some regions; buyers in markets outside Europe and North America should verify service coverage at their primary bases of operation.
Variable and fixed cost figures are sourced from current fleet operating data at 250 hours annual utilisation, $5.00/USG fuel, and US-based crew rates. Figures represent a modelled baseline; actual costs will vary by operator, region, and programme structure. All figures are in US dollars.
Freestream Aircraft operates as an independent advisory firm, representing principals in the acquisition, sale, and management of business aircraft worldwide. With direct knowledge of the PC-24's operational capabilities and pre-owned market, Freestream provides: