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How to Buy a Pilatus PC-12 / PC-12 NG / NGX: Buyer's Guide

A rugged, roomy single-engine turboprop that hauls real loads into short strips, with strong resale and serious ownership costs.

Updated October 2026 · Market data from 51 live fyiAero listings, the FAA registry and NTSB records

Overview

The Pilatus PC-12 is the single-engine turboprop that convinced a lot of operators one PT6 could do the work of two. Since entering service in the mid-1990s it has flown for corporate flight departments, owner-pilots, fractional programs, air ambulance services, cargo haulers and government users. It does that with a large pressurized cabin, a big aft cargo door, trailing-link gear that tolerates rough strips, and a reputation for being honest to fly.

The market reflects that demand. fyiAero listings currently show 51 PC-12s for sale, against a U.S. registered fleet of 1,372 in the FAA registry. Asking prices run from $1,195,000 for the lowest-priced listing to $7,395,000 at the top, with a median of $4,150,000. Model years listed span 1997 to 2023, and the median listed airframe has 3,240 hours. The NG makes up the largest share of what is for sale (24 listings), followed by the NGX and the PC-12/45 (12 each), the PC-12/47 (2), and one early PC-12.

The PC-12 holds its value unusually well, so you won't find many bargains. The real work is sorting airframes by generation, engine status, avionics and usage history. A high-time ex-utility airplane and a low-time owner-flown NG can share a model name and still be very different purchases.

Who it's for. The PC-12 fits owners and operators who need to move six to eight people or a lot of cargo 1,000-plus miles, often into shorter or unimproved runways where a jet won't go. It works well for family-and-business missions, multi-site companies, and anyone stepping up from a piston single or twin who wants turbine reliability and cabin room without a second engine. Most owner-pilots arrive with a solid instrument background and some complex or pressurized time. Insurers will want type-specific initial training at a recognized provider, recurrent every year, and often a period of mentor or supervised time for pilots new to turbines. Low-time pilots should expect higher premiums and conditions before they fly solo. Many owners use a professional pilot, at least at first, and budget for it.

Generations and variants

What a Pilatus PC-12 / PC-12 NG / NGX costs to buy

11 priced listings on fyiAero right now ask between $1,195,000 and $7,395,000, with a median of $4,150,000 and a median of 3,240 hours total time. Against fyiEstimate, 9 are priced below estimate, 0 within range and 1 above.

• Know where the money sits. Asking prices on fyiAero range from $1,195,000 to $7,395,000 with a $4,150,000 median, so a legacy-versus-NG decision is often a decision about a $1.5 to $3 million difference.
• Year matters, but not in a straight line. Listed examples include a 1997 at $1,195,000, two 1999s averaging $3,300,000, two 2000s averaging $2,897,500, a 2010 at $4,150,000, a 2014 at $5,100,000 and a 2023 at $7,395,000. Single listings swing a lot, so treat these as signposts, not a price guide.
• Airframe time moves price. Listings with 2,000 to 3,000 hours had a median ask of $4,472,500, while those over 5,000 hours had a median of $3,195,000. The median listed airframe has 3,240 hours, so judge any airplane against that.
• Engine status and program coverage often drive value more than the year. An airplane enrolled in a comprehensive engine program, with a clean trend history, is worth more than one approaching overhaul or a hot section with no coverage.
• Ask how the airplane was used. Owner-flown corporate airplanes, fractional airplanes, air ambulance and cargo airplanes all age differently. High-cycle, short-leg utility use shows up in the gear, the cargo door, the interior and the engine.
• Price in avionics currency. On legacy airplanes, a modern glass retrofit can justify a big premium. On NGs, check which Primus Apex software load and options are installed, since upgrading them later is not cheap.

Average asking price by model year

Median asking price by airframe time

Pre-buy inspection checklist

Have a shop that knows the type do the pre-buy, and ask them to research every applicable AD and service bulletin. Pay particular attention to:

• Engine borescope, hot section and trend data. The PT6 is the single largest value item. Get a borescope of the hot section, review engine trend monitoring data and the reasons for any past hot section work, and confirm time and calendar status against overhaul limits.
• Engine program enrollment and transferability. Confirm whether the engine (and on newer airplanes, the airframe and avionics) is on a maintenance program, that it is paid up, and what it costs to transfer. Lapsed coverage can mean a large buy-in fee.
• Propeller and governor. Check blade condition, erosion, de-ice boots and overhaul status on the four- or five-blade propeller. Ask whether any propeller conversions are documented with the proper approvals.
• Cargo door and passenger door mechanisms and seals. The large aft cargo door gets heavy use, especially on utility airplanes. Inspect latches, hinges, seals and surrounding structure for wear, damage and pressurization leaks.
• Landing gear, actuators and trailing-link components. Rough-field and high-cycle operations wear the gear legs, bushings, actuators and brakes. Look for leaks, play and corrosion, and confirm any life-limited components are tracked.
• Pressurization and environmental system. Run a pressurization check to max differential, and inspect outflow and safety valves, door seals and bleed air ducting. Leaks or erratic control are common, and chasing them takes time.
• Ice protection: boots, windshield heat and inertial separator. The PC-12 is often flown in known icing. Check the condition and operation of wing and tail boots, windshield heat, prop de-ice and the engine inertial separator.
• Flap system and flight control rigging. Inspect the flap actuators, drive and asymmetry protection, along with control cable condition and rigging. Have the stick shaker and pusher system functionally tested.
• Corrosion and damage history. Many PC-12s have worked in coastal, remote or high-utilization roles. Inspect the wing attach areas, belly, gear wells and battery area, and review logbooks for undisclosed damage or major repairs.
• Avionics, logbooks and AD/SB compliance. Confirm avionics software levels, ADS-B and any database subscriptions. Have your shop research every applicable AD and Pilatus service bulletin, and verify continuous, complete records back to new.

Popular upgrades

• Glass panel retrofit on legacy airplanes. STC'd glass retrofits for the PC-12/45 and /47 modernize the panel and improve reliability. A well-done installation can narrow the gap to an early NG, though it rarely recovers its full cost on resale.
• Primus Apex software and option upgrades on NGs. Later Apex loads and options such as synthetic vision, WAAS approach capability and data link add usability and support value. Buyers notice when an NG is behind on these.
• Propeller conversions. Five-blade and other approved propeller upgrades can reduce noise and vibration and improve ground clearance or performance. They are a modest plus at resale if documented properly.
• Executive interior refurbishment. Converting a utility or worn cabin to a fresh executive interior can significantly lift buyer appeal. Ex-utility airplanes with original commuter seating sell at a discount.
• Connectivity and cabin systems. Satcom or Wi-Fi, updated cabin entertainment and USB power are increasingly expected on newer airplanes. They add value mainly on NG and NGX airframes.

Ownership costs

Plan on a turbine-sized budget. Using fyiAero's operating cost estimate, variable costs run about $1,351 per flight hour. That figure includes fuel at roughly 73 gallons per hour, engine and maintenance reserves, and other per-hour items. At 325 hours per year, the estimated total annual budget is $728,633, with fixed costs (insurance, hangar, training, subscriptions, inspections and similar items) accounting for roughly $289,688 of that. With an estimated cruise of 255 knots, that works out to about $5.00 per nautical mile. Owners who fly fewer hours will see a higher hourly cost, because fixed costs don't shrink. Program enrollment, pilot salary if you hire one, and hot section or overhaul timing can shift the numbers considerably. For context, the estimated average pre-owned value is $4,119,366, so financing and depreciation belong in the plan as well.

Safety record

NTSB records over the last 10 years show 13 PC-12 accidents, 4 of them fatal and 3 with the airplane destroyed. Against a U.S. fleet of 1,372, that equals about 9.5 accidents and 2.9 fatal accidents per 1,000 registered aircraft over the decade. That is a respectable record for a high-utilization single-engine turboprop flown in all weather, much of it single-pilot. Accidents that do occur tend to involve loss of control, often in instrument or icing conditions, as well as runway excursions and judgment errors in weather. Owners should train hard on icing operations, including proper use of all ice protection and fuel anti-ice additive where required. Other key areas are high-altitude and pressurization emergencies, engine failure with power-off glides and forced landing planning, and stick pusher awareness. Annual recurrent training at a recognized provider is the single best investment in safety, and it is usually an insurance requirement anyway.

Alternatives to consider

• Daher TBM 850 / 900 / 940 / 960. Noticeably faster with lower fuel burn per trip, but a smaller cabin, less payload and no large cargo door. Better for speed-focused owner-pilots than for hauling people and gear.
• Beechcraft King Air C90 / 200 series. Twin-engine redundancy that some insurers and passengers prefer, with similar or larger cabins. In exchange you get two engines to maintain and overhaul and generally higher operating costs.
• Cessna Grand Caravan EX. Unpressurized, slower and utilitarian, but tougher on rough strips and cheaper to buy and run. Better for low-altitude utility work than for high-altitude travel.
• Daher Kodiak 100. Excellent short-field and backcountry capability at a lower price. However, it is unpressurized and much slower, so it is a different mission profile.
• Piper M600 / M700. Lower acquisition and operating costs, but a much smaller cabin and payload. A natural step up for Malibu pilots who don't need PC-12 volume.

Frequently asked questions

Pilatus PC-12 / PC-12 NG / NGX for sale

📷 24

2010 PILATUS PC-12 NG

Call for price N229NG

fyiEstimate $5.3M–$5.4M

PRATT & WHITNEY PT6A-67P RVSM

📷 8

2023 PILATUS PC-12 NGX

$7,395,000 HB-FEM

PRATT & WHITNEY PT6E-67XP

📷 22

2012 PILATUS PC-12 NG

Call for price N950WB

fyiEstimate $4.6M–$4.8M

PRATT & WHITNEY PT6A-67P

📷 2

2023 Pilatus PC-12 NGX

Call for price

📷 2

1999 Pilatus PC-12-45

$3,300,000

fyiEstimate $2.7M–$2.8M

📷 11

2010 PILATUS PC-12 NG

Call for price N92NG

fyiEstimate $4.4M–$4.6M

PRATT & WHITNEY PT6A-67P RVSM

Prices, fleet and safety figures update automatically from fyiAero listings, the FAA aircraft registry and NTSB data. The editorial was written by fyiAero with AI assistance from that data and general type knowledge. It is not a substitute for a pre-buy inspection, title search or professional advice.