Pilatus PC-7 Turbo painted High Visibility Yellow with Red and White Striping. GAV 2254-229
Pilatus PC-7 trainer of the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) with tailnumber L-10 at RAF Fairford Gloucester. The aircraft entered service with the Dutch Air Force since 14 September 1989. Before 2007 the RNLAF PC-7s were painted yellow with red and white striping. But after research showed a black and yellow livery improved visibility of the aircraft the new colour scheme was applied. The Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer, a low-wing mono-plane with a tandem seating cockpit, is a basic training aircraft manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. The PC-7 is capable of performing all functions of basic training including aerobatics, instrument, tactical and night flying. Consequently, it has been selected by more than twenty air forces worlwide as their ab initio trainer — since the aircraft's introduction in 1978 close to 500 have been sold, with the majority still being in service at the present time. The aircraft is also used by a number of private customers and is both FAA and FOCA civil certified in order to comply to the general aviation regulations in Europe and the USA. The PC-7 is based on the earlier piston-powered Pilatus P-3. The first prototype (manufactured from a modified P-3) first flew on 12 April 1966, but after a crash the whole PC-7 programme was shelved. In 1973 the programme was restarted and another P-3 was obtained from the Swiss Air Force. After modification, this aircraft first flew on 12 May 1975. Further extensive modifications followed later in the programme, including a new one-piece wing with integral fuel tanks, an altered tailfin and a bubble canopy. The first production aircraft flew on 18 August 1978. Swiss civil certification followed on 5 December of the same year, with deliveries starting immediately thereafter. Note: The PC-7 Mk2 is more similar to the Pilatus PC-9 than to the Pilatus PC-7.
Size: 6159px × 4005px
Location: RAF Fairford, Gloucester-shire. England. United Kingdom.
Photo credit: © David Gowans / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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