✈️ Pilatus's European Two-Type Split Deepens: PC-24 Gains Strength, PC-12 Fleet Becomes Leaner
Per Avi-Go data, Q1 2026 European PC-24 movements rose to 5,574 from 5,055 in Q1 2025 (+10.3%), with utilization climbing from 66.5 to 72.4 movements per aircraft (+8.8%). Meanwhile, PC-12 movements fell from 10,910 to 10,358 (-5.1%), and the active fleet shrank by 28 aircraft to 244, though per-aircraft utilization moved higher to 42.5 movements (+5.9%) — suggesting lower-efficiency aircraft were the ones exiting. Combined, the two types declined by just 33 movements (-0.2%), with PC-24 growth nearly fully offsetting PC-12 losses.
Implications: Publicly available information shows Pilatus completed its acquisition of Germany-based Air Alliance in April 2026, reinforcing its service network in Europe, especially in Germany and Austria. Against that backdrop, stronger PC-24 activity and better utilization within the remaining PC-12 fleet suggest a clearer differentiation may be emerging within Pilatus's European product mix. Still, any claim of full-scale substitution should be understood primarily through the Avi-Go data lens rather than as a broadly confirmed public-market conclusion.
Recommendations: Operators should review PC-12 fleet utilization before Q2 2026 and decide on low-utilization aircraft in light of their own cost structure. Brokers quoting European short-to-medium routes can moderately raise PC-24's recommendation priority to reflect the recent shift in demand patterns.