The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) farewelled the Pilatus PC-9/A on 12 December 2019, completing over 30 years of operations and more than 500,000 flying hours since entering service in November 1987.
Interestingly, the very first RAAF PC-9/A, A23-001, took off as part of the formation flypasts on the last day of RAAF PC-9/A operations. However, after performing a Diamond 9 formation flypast, A23-001 suffered a bird strike and had to land, so the remaining PC-9s became a ‘Concorde 8’ formation for a final flypast and ‘bomb burst’!
The PC-9/A has been replaced by the newer and more capable Pilatus PC-21, which is also used at Pearce by the Republic of Singapore Air Force.
Deputy Air Commander Australia, Air Commodore Guy Wilson joined hundreds of personnel and their families from the RAAF, maintenance provider Airflite and representatives from Pilatus at a function and flypast to mark the type’s withdrawal, at RAAF Base Pearce, north of Perth, Western Australia.
“The aircraft has successfully supported 103 pilot training courses and graduated more than 1400 pilots from Navy and Air Force,” Air Commodore Wilson said.
“For those who have flown and supported the PC-9 fleet, seeing them retire will be an emotional experience – but the introduction of the PC-21 allows us to deliver modern and effective training that will serve the next generation of pilots,” he said.
The retired PC-9/A aircraft are being disposed of to heritage centres, allocating as training aids and through commercial auctions.
History of the PC-9/A in RAAF service
The RAAF purchased 67 Pilatus PC-9/A two-seat single-engine turboprop aircraft, delivered from late 1987, replacing the Macchi MB-326H jet trainers.
The first two PC-9/A aircraft (A23-001 and 002) were fully assembled by Pilatus at Stans, Switzerland. The next six (A23-003 to 008) were assembled in Australia from imported components. Major components for a further 11 (A23-009 to 019) were supplied by Pilatus and the final 48 aircraft (A23-020 to 067) can be regarded as having been built in Australia. Aerospace Technologies of Australia (formerly GAF) supplied the fuselages and tailplane, Hawker de Havilland (HdH) Victoria (formerly CAC) the wings, Dunlop Aerospace the undercarriage and HDH at Bankstown was responsible for final assembly and flight testing.
After being displayed at the 1987 Paris Air Show, A23-001 (along with 002) arrived in Australia in October 1987 and were handed over to the RAAF the following month.
A23-003 first flew in November 1987 and production was initially slow (only four delivered in 1988) but increased in 1989.
A23-006 rolled out of the HdH factory on 21 May 1988, painted in the personal blue livery of the RAAF Chief of Air Staff. This aircraft participated in the around-Australia air race in September 1988 and the Richmond Bicentennial Air Show.
In 1989, PC-9/As were delivered to No 2 Flying Training School (2FTS) at RAAF Pearce and in late 1989, the first student pilots commenced flying the PC-9.
The Macchi MB-326H was retired from 2FTS in 1991, but remained in service with No 25 Squadron at Pearce. However, fatigue problems with the Macchi meant saw the PC-9s of 2FTS being borrowed by No 25 Squadron.
The last RAAF PC-9 was delivered in March 1992.
The PC-9/A was flown by:
Central Flying School at RAAF Base East Sale, Victoria, where ADF fixed-wing flying instructors are trained.
No 2 Flying Training School at RAAF Base Pearce, Western Australia, where ADF pilots were trained to ‘wings’ stage
RAAF Roulettes aerobatic team.
Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU), at RAAF Base Edinburgh, near Adelaide, South Australia
4 Squadron (the Forward Air Control Development Unit – FACDU), at RAAF Base Williamtown, near Newcastle, to train Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs).
At RAAF Base Pearce, trainee ADF pilots, having successfully completed the Basic Flying Course at the ADF Basic Flying Training School at Tamworth, undertook the Advanced Flying Training Course with No 2 Flying Training School, during which they fly 130 hours in the PC-9/A. Upon successful completion, graduates are awarded their wings and posted to a flying squadron.
Four modified PC-9/A(F) aircraft in grey camouflage were fitted with smoke grenade dispensers for target marking (A23-020, 022, 031, 032). These were based at RAAF Base Williamtown, near Newcastle with 4 Squadron, to train ADF Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs, formerly forward air controllers), who coordinate air support to troops on the ground.
The original planned withdrawal date for the Pilatus PC-9/A fleet was 2008, but the RAAF was able to keep the type in service until late 2019.
The original planned withdrawal date for the Pilatus PC-9/A fleet was 2008, but the robust design and good maintenance support enabled the ADF to extend the life of the type through to the end of 2019.
Central Flying School (CFS) and Roulettes aerobatic team
The last CFS PC9 Flying Instructors Course finished in late 2018.
On 22 February 2019, there was a CFS farewell large formation flypast over Melbourne. This started out with 10 PC-9/As and 4 PC-21s, but one PC-9 had technical issues and had to land before departing the East Sale area, so 13 aircraft remained in the formation.
The final CFS-crewed flights were the week after Avalon Air Show, when some Roulettes PC-9/As were flown to RAAF Base Pearce, to serve with 2FTS. Five ex-Roulettes aircraft were also sold at auction.
4 Squadron
On 26 August 2019, 4 Squadron took the opportunity to fly all four of their PC-9/A(F) aircraft (A23-020, A23-022, A23-031, and A23-032) on a formation farewell flight from their base at RAAF Williamtown, near Newcastle, NSW. The formation flew over Newcastle, north to Bulahdelah, then south along the coast past Port Stephens lighthouse and Nobbys Head, prior to a return to RAAF Base Williamtown.
On 21 October 2019, No 4 Squadron farewelled the last of their PC-9/A(F) aircraft (A23-031 and A23-032) with a formation flight from RAAF Base Williamtown, NSW over Salt Ash Air Weapons Range, south along the coast and over Sydney Harbour, then across the Blue Mountains to RAAF Base Wagga Wagga, where the aircraft were retired for use as training aids.
On 25 October 2019, the Aircraft Research and Development Unit flew its three PC-9/A aircraft (A23-007, A23-045 and A23-062) from their base at RAAF Edinburgh, near Adelaide, South Australia, to Avalon Airport, near Melbourne, Victoria, where they would be retired and sold by auction. The aircraft used the callsign DELTA and made two passes over Avalon before landing.
2 Flying Training School (2 FTS) and PC-9/A withdrawal ceremony at RAAF Pearce
5 December 2019: Final PC-9/A Thunderbird formation graduation flypasts
On 5 December 2019, number 257 Advanced Pilots Course pilots and instructors flew 14 PC-9/A and 5 PC-21 aircraft in the traditional large ‘Thunderbird’ formation, flying over Rottnest Island, Fremantle and Perth before overflying RAAF Pearce and landing. This was the last time that the PC-9/A flew in Thunderbird formation. Aircraft were:
PC-9/As: A23-001, A23-010, A23-011, A23-019, A23-024, A23-027, A23-033, A23-041, A23-044, A23-046, A23-050, A23-057, A23-060 and A23-061. Chase/photo ship A23-011 also took part in the formation and did a solo aerobatics display.
On the same day (6 December 2019), the RAAF’s 49th and final Pilatus PC-21 arrived in Australia and was handed over to the RAAF in a ceremony at RAAF East Sale in Victoria.
12 December 2019: RAAF PC-9/A Withdrawal Ceremony – Nine PC-9s in ‘Diamond 9’ formation
On 12 December 2019, nine PC-9/A aircraft took off from RAAF Base Pearce, to perform the final RAAF PC-9 flights at a special Withdrawal Ceremony, attended by RAAF, Airflite and Pilatus personnel and their families. The first RAAF PC-9/A, A23-001, took off as part of the formation, but after performing a ‘Diamond 9’ formation flypast, A23-001 suffered a bird strike and had to land, so the remaining PC-9s became a ‘Concorde 8’ formation for a final flypast and ‘bomb burst’. The pilots signed their names on the sides of the aircraft after shutting down.
PC-9s: A23-001 (performed in ‘Diamond 9’ formation flypast, but suffered a bird strike and had to land), A23-011, A23-018, plus six others – serials unknown.
