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The Pilatus PC6 Porter |
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| The Pilatus Aircraft Limited was
founded in 1939 in a small town called Stans in central
Switzerland where the Porter was introduced in 1959.
The PC 6 Porter made its maiden flight
on May 4 1959 powered by a 340 hp piston engine. During
1961 the first Turbo Porter was tested with a further
engine upgrade in 1963 to the present specifications of
550 hp.
The
Pilatus Porter is of a sturdy high-wing flying
configuration, and is designed for a wide range of uses:
- Passenger
- Cargo
- Aerial survey
- Search and rescue
- Supply dropping
- Sky diving
- Glider towing
This aircraft is more commonly known
for its Short Take Off and Landing (STOL) performance on
almost any terrain . It can takeoff within a distance of
640 feet and land within a distance of 450 feet with a
payload of nearly 2,000 lbs.
At lower
weights using less conservative pilot
techniques, take-off distances are reduced dramatically.
The Pilatus PC 6 is
currently operating in more than 50 countries, while
halving the cost of operating and almost double the
payload of helicopters used for a similar role.
The PC-6 can be converted quickly and in
line with customer needs for a wide variety of different
tasks. With its large sliding doors on both sides, the
Porter is perfect for skydiving, ambulance transport and
cargo/passenger flights. A configuration knob in the
Porter's Virtual Cockpit allows changes that reflect
these varied uses. |
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Features |
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Custom models built individually
for Flight Simulator X and Flight Simulator 2004.
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Takes advantage of all animation
and texturing effects available to each version of
the simulator.
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Ultra-realistic flight modeling,
with user selectable realism.
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Full 2D panel/virtual cockpit
systems and switch integration - VC fully
functional.
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Realistic panel lighting
features.
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Full system modeling.
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Configurable cabin for passenger,
skydiving or cargo.
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12 additional paint schemes available
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Complete documentation and
checklists.
Cabin Configurations
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Versatility
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Bush flying is something at which the
Porter excels. Although bush planes come in all sizes
and shapes, a good bush plane will be very rugged and
able to take-off and land in short distances, and the
Porter fits this bill perfectly. The Porter is a
well-proven bush plane. It has operated in some of the
rougher environments on the planet - from the jungles of
New Guinea to the Sahara desert and to lesser wilds,
such as shuffling sky jumpers about in the continental
United States.
The Porter can carry 12 people (more when
flying skydivers) and, for its size, has phenomenal STOL
performance. The Porter holds a world record for highest
landing of a fixed wing aircraft when it was landed on
the Dhaulagiri glacier in Nepal. The Pilatus Porter
landed at an altitude just shy of 19,000 feet (an
altitude that many fixed-wing planes cannot even
attain).
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Specifications
| Aircraft Dimensions |
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| Wing span |
49' 10" |
| Length |
35' 9" |
| Height |
10' 6" |
| Track |
9' 10" |
| Wing area |
306.77 sq. ft. |
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Weight and Balance |
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| Empty weight |
2,800 lb. |
| Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW) |
4,850 lb. |
| Maximum Landing Weight |
4,850 lb. |
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Engine |
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| Pratt & Whitney Canada
PT6A-27 free turbine turboprop corresponding to manufacturer
specification No. 583 |
| Normal Speed - Gas Generator |
38,100 RPM |
| Normal Speed - Power Turbine |
33,000 RPM |
| Normal Speed - Propeller
Shaft |
2,200 RPM |
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Propeller |
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| Manufacturer |
Hartzell Propeller, Inc. |
| Hub Model |
HC-B3TN-3D |
| Blade Model |
T-10178 C |
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Altitude Limits |
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| Maximum Operating Altitude |
25,000 ft. |
| Service Ceiling |
28,000 ft. |
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Airspeed Limitations |
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| VA-Maneuvering Speed (4,850
lbs) |
112 KIAS |
| VA-Maneuvering Speed (4,000
lbs) |
107 KIAS |
| VA-Maneuvering Speed (3,300
lbs) |
151 KIAS |
| VMO-Maximum Operating Speed |
151 KIAS |
| VNO-Max Structural Cruising
Speed |
122 KIAS |
| VNE-Never Exceed Speed |
144 KIAS |
| VS-Stalling Speed - flaps up |
54 KIAS |
| VSO-Stalling Speed-Landing
Config. |
47 KIAS |
| VX-Best Angle-of-Climb Speed |
72 KIAS |
| VY-Best Rate-of-Climb Speed |
77 KIAS |
| Maximum Glide Speed (4,850
lbs) |
85 KIAS |
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