Earlier this month, a major manufacturing milestone took place at the Pilatus Aircraft facility: the first Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CT-157 Siskin II got its wings. More formally, this milestone is known as “wing mating” and occurs when an aircraft fuselage is attached to its wings.

Known globally as the Pilatus PC-21, in the RCAF this aircraft will serve as the Advanced Flying Training – Fixed Wing & Jet platform in the Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) program. Pilatus has supplied approximately 250 PC-21s to several air force customers, including the Swiss Air Force, the Spanish Air Force, and the Royal Australian Air Force, among others.

The versatile, two-seat aircraft boasts leading avionics, fuel efficiency, performance, and training capabilities, including being powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turbine engine, with 1600 shaft horsepower. This makes it the ideal platform to underpin advanced fixed-wing flying training for RCAF Pilots in the FAcT program.

The first deliveries to the RCAF are expected in the second half of 2026.

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