Pilatus P-3

The Pilatus P-3 was a military training aircraft built by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. It was designed for primary and advanced training, including night flying, aerobatics and instrument flying. The first prototype flew on 3 September 1953. After acceptance by the Swiss Air Force, the first aircraft was taken into service in January 1956.

The aircraft was of all-metal construction with a retractable tricycle undercarriage and tandem seating. It was powered by a Lycoming GO-435-C2A piston engine. The Swiss Air Force used their P-3s as a training aircraft until 1983, although it continued to be used as a liaison aircraft for another decade. Six units were later acquired by the Brazilian Navy. The P-3 is the predecessor of today's U.S. military T-6 Texan II. In 1993-1995, 65 ex-Swiss Air Force aircraft were sold on the private market. The P-3 Flyers, an independent air display team based in Switzerland, operates five ex-Swiss Air Force P3 aircraft.

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Jim Goodrich

Jim Goodrich is a pilot, aviation expert and founder of Tsunami Air.

What is the Pilatus P-3?

The Pilatus P-3 was designed for primary and advanced training and was built by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. The P-3 is an all-metal aircraft. It has a propeller, tricycle landing gear, and four ADs on the airframe. The military versions were designated P-3-03 to P-3-05.

The Pilatus P-3 was a two-seat military training monoplane designed for primary and advanced training, including night flying, aerobatics and instrument flying. The project, officially designated Pilatus P-3, was confirmed in 1952. On 3 September 1953, the prototype of the new aircraft took-off for its maiden flight.

What are the specifications of the Pilatus P-3?

The specifications of the Pilatus P-3 are given in the table below.

The powerplant is a Lycoming GO-435-C2-A2 , a 6-cylinder air-cooled four-stroke horizontally opposed piston engine rated at 260 hp. The propeller is a 3-bladed Hartzell constant-speed unit with a diameter of 74 inches (1.88 meters). Take-off distance to 15 m is 342 m (1,122 ft), landing distance from 15 m 390 m (1,280 ft) on a hard runway at sea level. Fuel use at standard is 90 liters per hour (23.8 gallons per hour) and endurance 3.5 hours. The aircraft has instrumentation including climb rate gauge, turn and tilt meter, and direction finder, and it has a radio but no GPS or radar.

What is the performance of the Pilatus P-3?

The performance of the Pilatus P-3 is given in the table below.

The Pilatus P-3 was powered by a single piston engine, the Lycoming O-540, which produced around 250 horsepower. This engine choice gave the P-3 a respectable performance for a trainer, with a maximum speed of approximately 200 knots and a range that allowed for extended flight training exercises. Cruise speed is 252 km/h (157 mph, 136 kn) economical cruise. Normal cruise is 155 knots. Maximum speed is 310 km/h (190 mph, 170 kn) sea level to 2,000 m (6,562 ft) at 1,500 kg (3,307 lb) AUW. Never exceed speed is 500 km/h (310 mph, 270 kn). Stall speed is 100 km/h (62 mph, 54 kn). Rate of climb is 7 m/s (1,400 ft/min). Service ceiling is 5,500 m (18,000 ft), and absolute ceiling is 5,100 m (16,700 ft). Range is 750 km (470 mi, 400 nmi) maximum in still air. Take-off distance to 15 m is 342 m (1,120 ft) on a hard runway at sea level, and landing distance from 15 m is 390 m (1,280 ft) on a hard runway at sea level. Wing loading is 90.63 kg/m2 (18.56 lb/sq ft), and power/mass is 0.12 kW/kg (0.073 hp/lb). The P-3 has a +6/-3 g limit (58.8/-29.4 m/s ).

What engine does the Pilatus P3 use?

The Pilatus P3 uses a Lycoming GO-435-C2-A2 engine. It is a six-cylinder, air-cooled, horizontally opposed piston engine producing 260 horsepower (194 kilowatts). The original engine was a GO-435. The P3 engine has no special upkeep needs and no regulations.

The engine has a gearbox. The geared design isolates engine RPM from propeller speed. However, the propeller system with gears adds weight and causes overheating. The gear setup needs oil and a dedicated cooling system. Gearbox durability depends on teeth wear and oil breakdown. The pilot must use gradual power changes and stay away from quick power changes. The pilot must watch gearbox temperature and check oil system force. The pilot must follow limitations during startup, shutdown, and descent with little engine force. A P-3 is modified by fitting a gas turbine engine, the Pratt & Whitney PT6A-20 with 550 SHP, and is renamed the P-3 B.

What is the price for the Pilatus P-3?

The price for the Pilatus P-3s typically ranges from $110,000 to $160,000. Price depends on flight time since modifications, provenance, avionics and overhaul. Price depends on broken parts record and on how well it has been fixed up. Engine weight impacts airplane worth. Planes lose value within the first 1,000 to 2,000 hours. Every additional ten hundred hours lowers a small plane’s price by half to one tenth.

P303’s price is 94,000 euros. P305’s price is 89,000 euros. The 1959 Pilatus P305 has a typical price range of $95,000 to $140,000 USD and retail listing price of $115,000 to $135,000 USD. Base Pilatus P303 piston aircraft cost between $99,900 and $108,653. A fixed IGO540B1C motor adds value to aircraft. The Walter turbine changeover set is $45,000, and a newly rebuilt Walter propeller engine is 36,000 European dollars. The cost to put in a Walter engine is between $144,900 and $153,653.