New Year, Good-As-New Pilatus

PC-12 cosmetics

Refurbishing a PC-12 is a project aspect that Brokerville often overlooks. After all, it only costs more time and money, plus these aircraft hold their value so well, why would we want to take more time to earn less?  Because, ladies and gentlemen, a true sign of character is what you do when now one is looking. At JetSwiss, we have a very high standard for what a Pilatus should look like cosmetically. It is one of our most rewarding project aspects, and it is our largest yearly cost ledger! We engage this aspect for several reasons, but simply put: it’s like renovating your home. Refurbishing the interior and exterior of your aircraft could add value if done properly, and, we think our clientele want and expect this from JetSwiss. So let’s do it!

Refurbishing a PC-12 – exterior

exterior paint

Years of exhaust will dull the exterior paint of your aircraft. Two or three days of detailing, possible some painting/touchup, and a good ceramic coat will have your PC-12 looking as good as new! Hillaero has been painting aircraft since 1976. Jon Kennedy, Director of Operations at the company says, “The PC-12 aircraft are really well built machines. If a PC-12 is prepped and painted properly with quality materials the average operator should get many many years of great service out of the paint.”

Wing root fairings, wing tips and bullet fairing

These places on the PC-12 always take a little abuse from flying. The wing root fairing where the wing connects to the fuselage of the aircraft, the tips of the wing, and the bullet fairing (front and center of the tail). All these areas can be removed and reconditioned to look brand new without a huge expense. In some instances, you can remove them in your own local shop and then transport them to a paint facility, thereby eliminating the cost and hassle of flying the aircraft!

Light covers

Years of use and temperature change can cloud aircraft light covers. Removing and cleaning or buffing out the fog can make a big difference in both the look and safety of your aircraft. Worst case scenario, we replace these items with new parts.

Bright work items

It’s just a burden of the beast, any exterior chrome needs polishing over time. The inlet, prop spinner, and exhaust stacks can be brought back with a little elbow grease from the right team with the right products and process!

Refurbishing a PC-12 – Interior

carpet

As one of the biggest components of the cabin taking up the most surface area, this is one of the most impactful updates you can make to the interior of your Pilatus. We’ve seen some absolutely awful carpet—blood stains from a hunting trips, grease from the motorbike…you name it! Addressing this large item in an older aircraft, or in an aircraft that is heavily trafficked is a “cost/benefit” no-brainer for replacement.

wood

We’ve noticed a trend in the 2013 to 2014 model years, where the wood finish is cracking and buckling. This can be addressed by removing and refinishing. This is not cheap. It also takes approximately three weeks to refinish all the wood correctly.  Best to address this issue during an annual inspection, as the net time difference may be inconsequential when refurbishing a PC-12.

sidewalls

With an older aircraft of 10 years or more, we see a lot of cosmetic deterioration. After time, the sidewalls become discolored or damaged from pen marks, coffee stains and condensation.

seats

Like an old recliner, years of wear can show significantly on your Pilatus seats. Occasionally, they can be cleaned and brought back to life. We can also go through a complete re-conditioning process that eliminates all new leather but provides the same or very similar results. However, if cushions are warped beyond repair, we will completely reupholster them for a total refresh.

overhead light trim and air gaspers

Occasionally we will see some corrosion around the metal trim surrounding overhead lights. Especially on aircraft that have been stored and operated in humid climates.

This is just a quick overview of some of the details, at a range of budgets we tend to when looking at the cosmetics of the aircraft and refurbishing a PC-12. If you’d like a deeper dive, check out our “TO LIFT” Learning Center at JetSwiss.com or our YouTube Channel. If you’d like more specific pricing on some of these replacements, or would like us to chaperone the process, give us a call!