Pilatus has mated the fuselage and wings of the first production PC-24, the Swiss firm’s first jet-powered offering. The 17m wings were joined to the 16.8m fuselage on 12th July, clearing the way for cabin installation and commissioning and testing of aircraft systems.

The PC-24 is billed as the first business jet designed to take off and land on very short runways, or unpaved runways, and to come with a cargo door as standard. The cabin can be reconfigured for a variety of operations as a business jet, ambulance aircraft or for other special missions.

The company says series production is being accelerated continuously to ensure that prompt deliveries of first customer aircraft can go ahead immediately after certification. Three prototypes — including one aircraft representative of the production standard that made its first flight in March — are involved in the certification programme. As of May, the fleet had accumulated a total of 950 flights and 1,525 hours in the air.

The very first PC-24 will go to the American fractional aircraft ownership business PlaneSense immediately after certification, which is scheduled for the 4th quarter of 2017. PlaneSense, which currently operates 34 PC-12s, will deploy six PC-24s.