Seen here in Australian service, the PC-21 will be used to train Canadian military pilots from 2026 under a contract for 19 aircraft signed on 18 November. (Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Defence)
Canada has signed for 19 Pilatus PC-21 training aircraft, the Swiss manufacturer announced on 28 November.
The single-engined tuborprop trainers will be delivered to SkyAlyne (a partnership between CAE and KF Aerospace) as the incoming Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) programme provider for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). In 2023 SkyAlyne was named by the Canadian government as the preferred bidder, and in 2024 was officially contracted to deliver the FAcT programme.
From 2026 these new PC-21 aircraft will be operated out of RCAF Base Moose Jaw in the central Canadian province of Saskatchewan, from where they will primarily be used to provide advanced pilot training under the 25-year FAcT programme.
Besides Canada, the PC-21 is flown by Australia, France, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates in the military pilot training role. QinetiQ also operates the type for the UK Empire Test Pilots' School. There are more than 230 PC-21s in global military service.
For more information on the RCAF's training requirements, please see Canada - Air Force .
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