Aircraft
Pilatus Makes Breakthrough in European SEIFR
At least one manufacturer of turbine singles believes it has waited long enough for Europe’s Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) to adopt proposed rules (NPA-

At least one manufacturer of turbine singles believes it has waited long enough for Europe’s Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) to adopt proposed rules (NPA-29) setting out the requirements for JAA-member states to approve commercial operations in singles in IFR conditions (SEIFR). In fact, Switzerland-based Pilatus Aircraft decided to take the matter into its own hands.

By working with PC-12 operator Lions Air and the Swiss aviation authority (FOCA), Pilatus expects to receive SEIFR authority by FOCA before the end of the month. Pilatus PC-12 engineering manager Dominik Waser described how the airframer and FOCA used NPA-29 as the basis for obtaining this approval. The process involved Pilatus and Lions Air demonstrating–through actual flight tests and documentation–that PC-12 performance, maintenance and training meet NPA-29 requirements.