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| STANDARD DATA: (PC-6/132) Seats 10. Gross wt.4,850. Empty wt. 2,601. Fuel capacity 170. Engine 550-shp Pratt & Whitney turboprop. PERFORMANCE: Top mph 174. Cruise mph 161. Stall mph 52. Initial climb rate 1,580. Range 634. Ceiling 30,025. Takeoff distance (50′) 620. Landing distance (50′) 560. STANDARD DATA: (PC-6/C) Seats 10. Gross wt. 4,850. Empty wt. 2,612. Fuel capacity 170-270.Engine 575-shp AiResearch turboprop. |
Fairchild Hiller produced the first series of Pilatus Turbo-Porters under license from the Pilatus Flugzeugwerke AG of Switzerland. This single-engine utility STOL aircraft was originally called the Heli-Porter and was powered by a 575-shp Pratt & Whitney. Other models produced by both the Fairchild Hiller and Pilatus companies include the PC-6/131 Turbo-Porter and the PC-6/C Turbo-Porter. The PC-6/B I utilizes a 550-shp Pratt & Whitney. The PC-6/IC is the later version of the first Heli-Porters and is now powered by a 575-shp AiResearch turboprop engine. The Turbo-Porter’s STOL characteristics enable it to operate from small airfields.
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.
