A Pilatus test pilot and the aircraft’s new owner recently completed a historic seven-day journey, delivering the first PC-12 PRO from its factory in Stans, Switzerland, to Adelaide, Australia. The ferry flight served as the ultimate real-world validation for the aircraft after an intensive two-and-a-half-year development program.
For test pilot Patrick Willcock, who led the flight test effort, the delivery was a chance to see every design decision tested across continents. Alongside owner and fellow pilot Dion Weisler, he navigated a 41-hour route over seven days, facing monsoons, thunderstorms, and complex airspace from Europe through Asia. “This was the chance to see how all our systems held up flying across the world,” Patrick said. He praised Dion’s deep technical curiosity, which turned the long legs into detailed discussions about the aircraft’s capabilities.
The journey capped a meticulous development process for the new model, which features the Garmin G3000 avionics suite. Patrick, whose role bridged engineering and flight testing, emphasized the team’s careful collaboration with Garmin to create an intuitive yet uniquely Pilatus cockpit. “We had to push back in some cases to make the product Pilatus class,” he noted, acknowledging Garmin’s openness to customization. Countless hours were spent refining even the smallest details, like symbol colors and indicator sizes, decisions that are locked in for the life of the aircraft.
The team’s persistence was celebrated upon arrival in Adelaide with a traditional water-cannon salute. For Patrick, the successful delivery was a testament to a philosophy of precision and partnership, transforming thousands of engineering choices into an aircraft ready for a new life in Australia.
