Groundbreaking ceremony for Pilatus’ new flagship U.S. facility in Sarasota, Florida

Already since 2022, Pilatus has been planning to expand its presence in the United States in order to supplement capacity in Switzerland, which is now close to maximum. At a groundbreaking ceremony held at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (KSRQ), Pilatus executives as well as representatives of regional authorities and organizations marked the official construction start of a new, state-of-the-art sales, service and production facility.

This groundbreaking event ushers in the first phase of Pilatus’ long -term development in Sarasota and is a significant milestone in the company’s continu ing investment and growth at the airport. Future phases will build on this foundation and expand into aircraft assembly. The facility will serve as a flagship Sales, Service and Production Center, taking quality, expertise and customer experience to a new level. 

Markus Bucher, CEO of Pilatus, comented: “Today marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Pilatus in the United States. We are bringing aircraft production to the United States. This flagship facility will be our fifth location in the USA, and will set new standards for quality, expertise, and technology in the southeastern United States. In America, we will build airplanes for Americans! We are establishing Sarasota as a major production site, serving our customers right where they are.” 

The project is a reflection of the solid partnership between Pilatus, the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority, the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corporation, and numerous other local, regional, and state organizations.

Effective January 1, 2026, Pilatus integrated all US subsidiaries into a single company, Pilatus Aircraft USA Ltd, creating a unified organization of around 400 employees and harmonized systems across all US operations. The company comprises the headquarters in Broomfield, Colorado (KBJC), plus additional locations in Westminster, Maryland (KDMW), Rock Hill, South Carolina (KUZA), and Atlanta, Georgia (KPDK). Pilatus already operates a PC-12 and PC-24 completion facility at its US headquarters in Broomfield, Colorado. In Florida alone, Pilatus will create approximately 200 new jobs over the next five years. Pilatus also plans to expand its existing US apprenticeship programs at various locations. 

Today, there is a growing fleet of over 2,300 Pilatus aircraft in operation across North and South America. The additional site in Florida will not affect existing employment at the company's Swiss headquarters. Instead, it will support overall growth and ensure a timely response to strong global demand for the PC-12 and PC-24.