Financial year 2023 a superlative one for Pilatus Aircraft

The 2023 financial year was marked by major successes for Pilatus. Thanks to high, unbroken demand, 148 aircraft were delivered despite the ongoing challenges of the operating environment. With total sales of 1.478 billion Swiss francs, operating income of 240 million Swiss francs and new orders worth 1.513 billion Swiss francs, Pilatus closed the past year with record results.

Hansueli Loosli, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pilatus,commented:  “We invested a lot in 2023: in products, staff, growth, infrastructure, digitalization – and always with unwavering focus on our customers’ needs.”

Markus Bucher, CEO of Pilatus, said: “These impressive results will provide the basis for a promising, successful, sustainable future.”

Compared to 2022, which was already a very successful year, Pilatus achieved a ten percent increase in sales and added six percent to its operating income. The total number of aircraft deliveries is impressive, too: all in all, 47 PC-24s and 101 PC-12s were handed over to customers last year.

High demand in both Business Units 

In Government Aviation, Pilatus successfully closed a follow-up deal with the Spanish Air Force, which went ahead with the purchase of another 16 PC-21s. In May, the 2,000th PC-12 was delivered to long-standing customer, PlaneSense – and in October, Pilatus celebrated the launch of the new PC-24, with its increased payload and range. Alongside these highlights of the past year, Pilatus also had to contend with some turbulence: ongoing supply chain problems and supply bottlenecks had a negative impact on production.

Motivated employees: the key to success 

Pilatus saw an increase not only in terms of sales, but also in the number of its employees: thanks to significant growth, Pilatus employed a workforce of 2848 by the end of last year. This speaks volumes for the company’s quality and reputation as an employer. The Pilatus terms of employment were brought up to date with substantial improvements regarding salary, vacation and pension provision.

In order to increase own production capacity, Pilatus decided early in the year to proceed with a phased takeover of all approximately 230 employees and the machinery of RUAG Aerostructures Schweiz AG at the site in Emmen. In December 2023, Pilatus also acquired the sales and maintenance services of Aero Center Epps, a previously independent sales center based in Atlanta. In this manner, Pilatus will continue to ensure first-class support for its customers on the east coast of the USA.

A sustainable future 

Besides focusing on opening up new sales markets, ongoing product development and fully meeting the needs of customers, Pilatus will continue to invest in infrastructure through 2024 – always with sustainability in mind. In addition to the planned extension of the logistics building, the new maintenance hangar currently under construction is particularly noteworthy. With its full-surface photovoltaic system, use of groundwater for cooling, heating and process energy, and construction with Swiss timber, Pilatus continues to reduce its CO2-emissions while making a clear commitment to a strategy of sustainability and to Switzerland as a business location.