{"id":32921916,"date":"2026-11-15T15:13:35","date_gmt":"2026-11-15T14:13:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/pilatus-pc-9-swiss-turboprop-trainer-history-raaf-t-6-texan-ii\/"},"modified":"2026-11-15T15:13:51","modified_gmt":"2026-11-15T14:13:51","slug":"pilatus-pc-9-swiss-turboprop-trainer-history-raaf-t-6-texan-ii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/de\/pilatus-pc-9-swiss-turboprop-trainer-history-raaf-t-6-texan-ii\/","title":{"rendered":"Pilatus PC-9: The Swiss Trainer Behind the T-6"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\r\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\r\n\r\n<style>\r\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid 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By the end of that year the whole Australian fleet had been retired, after more than three decades and more than 1,400 military pilots.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>It was a fitting send-off for an aeroplane that rarely makes headlines. The <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/pc-9\/\">Pilatus PC-9<\/a> is a modest Swiss turboprop with two seats and one propeller. Yet it trained pilots on five continents, won a place in Australian aviation folklore and, in its American guise, became one of the most widely flown military trainers in the world.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f4f6f9;border:1px solid #e2e7ee;padding:18px 22px;margin:22px 0 26px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:700;color:#0d1117\">Quick Facts<\/p><ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:18px\"><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Type:<\/strong> Two-seat tandem turboprop military trainer<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Manufacturer:<\/strong> Pilatus Aircraft, Switzerland<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>First flight:<\/strong> 7 May 1984 (Swiss certification September 1985)<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Engine:<\/strong> Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada PT6A-62, flat-rated to 950 shp<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Top speed:<\/strong> About 320 knots (593 km\/h), PC-9M<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>First order:<\/strong> 30 aircraft for the Royal Saudi Air Force<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Australia:<\/strong> 67 PC-9\/A, in RAAF service 1987 to 2019<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Offspring:<\/strong> Beechcraft T-6 Texan II, JPATS winner in 1995<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">A Swiss answer to a changing market<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>Pilatus already had a hit with the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/pc-7-turbo-trainer\/\">PC-7 Turbo Trainer<\/a> of the 1970s. But air forces were rewriting their syllabuses. They wanted fewer stages and fewer aircraft types between a student&rsquo;s first lesson and a fast jet, to save time and money.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The PC-9 programme was officially launched in 1982 with that goal: one aircraft able to take a pilot from ab initio flying through to advanced training, aerobatics and weapons work, without an intermediate type. The prototype first flew on 7 May 1984, a second followed on 20 July, and Swiss type certification came in September 1985.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/11\/pilatus-pc-9-swiss-air-force-c-410-pods.jpg\" alt=\"A yellow Swiss Air Force Pilatus PC-9, serial C-410, taking off with two underwing pods\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">Swiss Air Force PC-9 C-410, carrying underwing pods, photographed in 2008. Switzerland flies the type at home as well as exporting it. Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:PC-9_34.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hermann Keist \/ Wikimedia Commons, copyrighted free use<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>It looked like a PC-7, but it was largely a new aeroplane, almost 300 kg heavier, with a longer nose and canopy. The two Martin-Baker ejection seats were stepped so that the instructor in the back could see over the student, and a ventral airbrake was added. Up front, a Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada PT6A-62 was flat-rated to 950 shaft horsepower, good for a top speed of about 320 knots.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Losing the RAF, winning the Gulf<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>The first big test was political. In 1984 Pilatus teamed with British Aerospace to offer the PC-9 as the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/bac-jet-provost\/\">Jet Provost<\/a> replacement for the Royal Air Force. By the time the type was certified, the RAF had chosen the Short Tucano instead.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The partnership was not wasted. The marketing links built with British Aerospace reportedly helped bring in the PC-9&rsquo;s first production order: 30 aircraft for the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/air-forces\/royal-saudi-air-force\/\">Royal Saudi Air Force<\/a>. Quantity production began in 1985.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 8px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/z5jJOwdsnZM\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;font-style:italic;margin:0 0 24px\">The Irish Defence Forces&rsquo; own film of the Air Corps PC-9M, the trainer at the heart of Irish military pilot training since 2004.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Australia&rsquo;s PC-9\/A<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>In December 1985 Australia ordered 67 aircraft, designated PC-9\/A. Two were built in Switzerland, 17 were assembled from kits and the remaining 48 were built under licence by Hawker de Havilland, with a large share of Australian-sourced materials and parts. The first, A23-001, flew on 19 May 1987, and the type entered RAAF service that year.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>From 1989 the PC-9\/A was the backbone of Air Force and Navy pilot training. When the RAAF said farewell at RAAF Base Pearce on 12 December 2019, it had supported 103 pilot courses and graduated more than 1,400 Navy and Air Force pilots. The PC-21 took over.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #1565c0;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7\"><div><em>&ldquo;The PC-9 aircraft has provided fantastic service to the Australian Defence Force over the past three decades.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Air Commodore Guy Wilson<\/strong> &mdash; Deputy Air Commander Australia, at the RAAF farewell, December 2019<\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The PC-9\/A also became the mount of the Roulettes, the RAAF&rsquo;s aerobatic team, and its displays are fondly remembered at air shows across Australia. Many retired aircraft went to heritage centres; others were sold, and some now fly in civilian hands.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/11\/pilatus-pc-9a-raaf-roulettes-formation-2016.jpg\" alt=\"Six red and white RAAF Roulettes Pilatus PC-9\/A aircraft trailing smoke in a display formation under grey sky\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">The RAAF Roulettes display their PC-9\/As in April 2016. The team flew its final PC-9\/A display at Avalon in 2019. Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Pilatus_PC-9_RAAF_Roulettes_(26465394753).jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FotoSleuth \/ Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">The PC-9M and its European customers<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>In 1997 Pilatus introduced the improved PC-9M, with an enlarged dorsal fin for better stability, revised wing-root fairings, stall strips on the wing leading edges and new engine and propeller controls. It found a ready market among smaller European air forces.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Croatia bought 17 in 1997, Slovenia ordered nine that December, Oman ordered 12 in 1999 and Bulgaria 12 in 2004. In January 2003 Ireland signed a &euro;60 million contract for eight PC-9Ms to replace the SIAI-Marchetti trainers that had taught <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/air-forces\/irish-air-corps\/\">Irish Air Corps<\/a> pilots, with deliveries in 2004. According to The Irish Times, four tenders were received and Pilatus beat Raytheon and Embraer, with negotiations taking less than a month.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #2e7d32;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7\"><div><em>&ldquo;Training is the life-blood of the Air Corps.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Michael Smith<\/strong> &mdash; Irish Minister for Defence, signing the PC-9M contract, January 2003 (via The Irish Times)<\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The Irish aircraft remain the Air Corps&rsquo; main pilot trainers, and a team of them displays as the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/display-teams\/silver-swallows\/\">Silver Swallows<\/a>. Ireland also placed the very last PC-9M order, for a single attrition replacement delivered in 2017.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/11\/pilatus-pc-9m-irish-air-corps-silver-swallows-2022.jpg\" alt=\"Four grey Irish Air Corps Pilatus PC-9M trainers of the Silver Swallows team parked on an apron\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">Irish Air Corps PC-9Ms 260, 264, 267 and 269 of the Silver Swallows display team in July 2022. Ireland ordered eight PC-9Ms in 2003. Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:IRISH_AIR_CORPS_PILATUS_PC-9M_260,264,267,269_SILVER_SWALLOWS_DISPLAY_TEAM_(52238634564).jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">simon butler \/ Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Not every PC-9 is a trainer. Germany used the PC-9B as a target tug, with extra fuel for flights of up to three hours and 20 minutes and two underwing winches able to reel a target out to 3.5 kilometres. At home, the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/air-forces\/swiss-air-force\/\">Swiss Air Force<\/a> also operates the type.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 8px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pqa8kz3b04I\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;font-style:italic;margin:0 0 24px\">RAAF Roulettes PC-9\/As starting up and taxiing at Point Cook.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">The American offspring<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>The PC-9&rsquo;s biggest legacy was written in Kansas. In the early 1990s Pilatus and Beechcraft developed an extensively modified Beech Pilatus PC-9 Mk II for the US Joint Primary Aircraft Training System competition. In June 1995 it won, and as the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/t-6-texan-ii\/\">Beechcraft T-6A Texan II<\/a> it replaced the US Air Force&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/t-37-tweet\/\">T-37 Tweet<\/a> and the US Navy&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/t-34-mentor\/\">T-34C<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>It was no walkover. JPATS merged the Air Force&rsquo;s and Navy&rsquo;s primary-trainer needs into one programme, and the Swiss-American design beat seven other contenders. The irony was hard to miss: a decade after losing the RAF contest to the Tucano, the PC-9 family had won an American contest for hundreds of aircraft.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>More than 700 were planned for the two services, and the T-6 has since been exported widely. It is built and marketed by Beechcraft, while Pilatus receives royalties. In Thailand the story came full circle: the Royal Thai Air Force, whose Blue Phoenix team displayed the PC-9 from 2012, retired its PC-9s in February 2024 and replaced them with the T-6.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/11\/beechcraft-t-6a-texan-ii-usaf-spokane-2006.jpg\" alt=\"A US Air Force Beechcraft T-6A Texan II turboprop trainer banking against a blue sky\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">A US Air Force T-6A Texan II over Spokane in 2006. The T-6 grew out of the Beech Pilatus PC-9 Mk II that won the JPATS competition in 1995. Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:T-6_Texan_II_in_flight-20060729.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mark Wagner \/ Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Back in Switzerland, production of the original PC-9 had wound down by the 2010s, with roughly 276 delivered by then, according to reported figures. Its place in the Pilatus range went to the PC-21, the aircraft that replaced it in Australia.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 8px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uOfqiYMjiuA\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;font-style:italic;margin:0 0 24px\">Arthur Aero Australia flies its ex-military PC-9 on its first civilian flight, one of the retired Australian airframes now in private hands.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The PC-9 never flew faster than sound and never needed to. Its achievement was quieter: proving that a well-made turboprop could carry a student most of the way to a fighter cockpit. A good part of today&rsquo;s military pilot training, from Wichita to Western Australia, still follows the path this Swiss trainer marked out.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><em>Sources: Australian Department of Defence (PC-9\/A farewell release, 12 December 2019; Minister for Defence Personnel release, 28 February 2019), ADF-Serials (A23 PC-9\/A records), The Irish Times, Irish Defence Forces (military.ie), European Airshows aviation anniversaries<\/em><\/p>\r\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\r\n\r\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\r\n\r\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\r\n\r\n<p class=\"mf-photo-credits\" data-no-translation style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;font-style:italic;margin:6px 0 18px\">Header photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:HB-HPA_Pilatus_PC-9_prototype_at_Sion_1986.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Anidaat \/ Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<style>.mfq{margin:34px 0 8px}.mfq h2{font:26px\/1.3 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117;padding-top:22px;margin:0 0 6px}.mfq .qa details{border-top:1px solid #5C91FF;margin:0;padding:0}.mfq .qa details:last-of-type{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e7ee}.mfq .qa summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;padding:22px 26px;font:18px\/1.7 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117}.mfq .qa summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mfq .qa summary::after{content:\"+\";font:24px Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#3568e0;flex:0 0 auto}.mfq .qa details[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mfq .qa details:hover summary{color:#3568e0}.mfq .qa .a{font:16px\/1.7 \"Gilroy regular\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#454e5e;padding:0 26px 24px}.mfq .qa .a a{color:#3568e0}@media(max-width:680px){.mfq .qa summary{padding:18px 14px;font-size:17px}.mfq .qa .a{padding:0 14px 20px}}<\/style>\r\n\r\n\r\n<section class=\"mfq\"><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div class=\"qa\"><details open><summary>What is the Pilatus PC-9?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The Pilatus PC-9 is a two-seat tandem turboprop military trainer built by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. Developed from the PC-7, it first flew on 7 May 1984 and was certified in September 1985. It was designed to take students from first flights through advanced, aerobatic and weapons training without an intermediate aircraft type.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Is the T-6 Texan II based on the Pilatus PC-9?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Yes. Pilatus and Beechcraft developed an extensively modified Beech Pilatus PC-9 Mk II for the US Joint Primary Aircraft Training System competition, which it won in June 1995. It entered service as the Beechcraft T-6A Texan II, replacing the T-37 Tweet and T-34C. Beechcraft builds it, and Pilatus receives royalties.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>How many PC-9s did the RAAF operate?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The Royal Australian Air Force ordered 67 PC-9\/A aircraft in December 1985. Two were built in Switzerland, 17 were assembled from kits and 48 were built under licence by Hawker de Havilland. The type served from 1987 to 2019, supported 103 pilot courses and graduated more than 1,400 Navy and Air Force pilots.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>When did the RAAF retire the PC-9\/A?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The RAAF farewelled the PC-9\/A at RAAF Base Pearce on 12 December 2019 after more than 30 years of service. The Roulettes aerobatic team flew its final PC-9\/A display at the Avalon Air Show earlier in 2019. The Pilatus PC-21 replaced it under the AIR5428 Pilot Training System project.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Which air forces fly the Pilatus PC-9M?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The improved PC-9M, introduced in 1997, was ordered by Croatia, Slovenia, Oman, Ireland and Bulgaria, among others. The Irish Air Corps operates eight PC-9Ms as its main pilot trainer, delivered from 2004, and flies them as the Silver Swallows display team.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Can I fly in a Jet Provost?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Yes. MiGFlug offers flights in a BAC Jet Provost T.5A, the British trainer the PC-9 once competed to replace, in Italy, where it is based all year. Its side-by-side seating lets passengers watch the pilot at work. Details are on the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/flights-prices\/l-39-mb-326-jet-provost-in-italy\/\">Jet Provost flight in Italy<\/a> page.<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/section>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the Pilatus PC-9?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The Pilatus PC-9 is a two-seat tandem turboprop military trainer built by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. Developed from the PC-7, it first flew on 7 May 1984 and was certified in September 1985. It was designed to take students from first flights through advanced, aerobatic and weapons training without an intermediate aircraft type.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Is the T-6 Texan II based on the Pilatus PC-9?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. Pilatus and Beechcraft developed an extensively modified Beech Pilatus PC-9 Mk II for the US Joint Primary Aircraft Training System competition, which it won in June 1995. It entered service as the Beechcraft T-6A Texan II, replacing the T-37 Tweet and T-34C. Beechcraft builds it, and Pilatus receives royalties.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How many PC-9s did the RAAF operate?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The Royal Australian Air Force ordered 67 PC-9\/A aircraft in December 1985. Two were built in Switzerland, 17 were assembled from kits and 48 were built under licence by Hawker de Havilland. The type served from 1987 to 2019, supported 103 pilot courses and graduated more than 1,400 Navy and Air Force pilots.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"When did the RAAF retire the PC-9\/A?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The RAAF farewelled the PC-9\/A at RAAF Base Pearce on 12 December 2019 after more than 30 years of service. The Roulettes aerobatic team flew its final PC-9\/A display at the Avalon Air Show earlier in 2019. The Pilatus PC-21 replaced it under the AIR5428 Pilot Training System project.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Which air forces fly the Pilatus PC-9M?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The improved PC-9M, introduced in 1997, was ordered by Croatia, Slovenia, Oman, Ireland and Bulgaria, among others. The Irish Air Corps operates eight PC-9Ms as its main pilot trainer, delivered from 2004, and flies them as the Silver Swallows display team.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Can I fly in a Jet Provost?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. MiGFlug offers flights in a BAC Jet Provost T.5A, the British trainer the PC-9 once competed to replace, in Italy, where it is based all year. Its side-by-side seating lets passengers watch the pilot at work. Details are on the Jet Provost flight in Italy page.\"}}]}<\/script><div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/pilatus-pc-7-mkx-first-dutch-trainer-first-flight-2026\/\">Pilatus PC-7 MKX: The First Dutch Trainer Takes Off<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/ct-157-siskin-ii-rcaf-pilatus-pc-21-snowbirds-tutor-replacement-2026\/\">CT-157 Siskin II: Canada Swaps Snowbird Jets for a Turboprop<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\/\">SIAI-Marchetti SF-260: The Sports Car That Trained Air Forces<\/a><\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<!--mfcred1-->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Pilatus PC-9 trained pilots from Australia to Ireland and, as the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II, became the basis of America&rsquo;s primary trainer.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":32921804,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[666,664],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32921916","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history-and-legends","category-military-aviation"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Pilatus PC-9: The Swiss Trainer Behind the T-6 | MiGFlug<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Pilatus PC-9: the Swiss turboprop trainer that served the RAAF for 30 years, sold across Europe and became the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link 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