Pilatus Flies First PC-7 MKX Trainer for French Air and Space Force
Why It MattersParallel PC-7 MKX orders from France, the Netherlands and Belgium, with 2027 delivery windows, show European air forces standardising on one Pilatus turboprop trainer line for initial pilot instruction.
Swiss manufacturer Pilatus announced on Wednesday that the first PC-7 MKX built for the French Air and Space Force has completed its maiden flight in Switzerland. The flight is another step toward deliveries of the turboprop trainer under France's Mentor 2 military pilot training program, which is scheduled to begin operations in 2027.
The two-seat PC-7 MKX is an updated version of the PC-7 MkII, with a redesigned cockpit built around Garmin's G3000 PRIME avionics suite and a head-up display intended to introduce student pilots to systems used in more advanced military trainers. France selected the type in 2025 as part of a 17-year training contract awarded to Babcock France, covering 22 aircraft together with simulators and ground-based training equipment. The fleet will operate from Salon-de-Provence Air Base, providing initial flight instruction before students move on to more advanced aircraft.
Pilatus Vice President of Government Aviation Ioannis Papachristofilou wrote in a LinkedIn post on Wednesday that Pilatus and Babcock are preparing for entry into service next year and look forward to the next key milestones in the program. France already operates 26 Pilatus PC-21 turboprops for advanced pilot training, including aircraft from a follow-on order.
The PC-7 MKX has also drawn orders from the Netherlands and Belgium. The Royal Netherlands Air Force completed the type's first production-aircraft flight on Sept. 7 and expects to begin receiving its eight aircraft in May 2027. Belgium has ordered 18 PC-7 MKXs, with deliveries also scheduled to begin in 2027.
