Since 2022, Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. (Stans, Switzerland) has been planning to expand its U.S. presence in order to supplement capacity in Switzerland, which is now close to maximum. At a groundbreaking ceremony held at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (KSRQ), Pilatus officially marked the construction start of a state-of-the-art sales, service and production facility on Jan. 26.
This event ushers in the first phase of Pilatus’ long-term development in Sarasota and is a significant milestone in the company’s continuing investment and growth at the airport. Future phases will build on this foundation and expand into aircraft assembly. The facility will serve as a flagship Sales, Service and Production Center, aiming to take quality, expertise and customer experience to a new level. It will also support overall growth, and ensure a timely response to, strong global demand for the company’s PC-12 and PC-24 aircraft — both of which use an extensive amount of composites.
The flagship facility will Pilatus’ fifth location the U.S…