FAIRCHILD HILLER TURBO-PORTER (PILATUS PORTER)

Its easily removable seats allow it to be rapidly changed from a passenger carrier to a cargo carrier. Other jobs performed by the Pilatus are ambulance duties, aerial photography, supply dropping, parachute training, and agricultural dusting. Current models of the Turbo-Porter have forward-opening doors on both sides of the cockpit, a large sliding door on the starboard side of the fuselage, and a double door on the portside. Currently, Fairchild continues to produce the Porter utility aircraft for agencies of the United States government. This version is powered by a Pratt & Whitney turboprop flat rated at 550-shp with 680-shp available for takeoff. Also under production is the Peacemaker, housing a 650-shp Garrett turboprop and used primarily for counter-insurgency operations. Fairchild Hiller discontinued building and marketing the Turbo-Porter in the United States; however, the airplane continues to be produced by its parent company in Switzerland.