The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
First French Pilatus PC-7 MKX Takes Flight
The new turboprop trainer is scheduled to enter service with the French military in 2027.
Swiss aircraft manufacturer Pilatus announced Wednesday that the first PC-7 MKX built for the French Air and Space Force has completed its maiden flight in Switzerland. The flight marks another step toward deliveries of the new 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 and features a redesigned cockpit built around Garmin’s G3000 PRIME avionics suite. The aircraft also includes a head-up display intended to introduce student pilots to systems used in more advanced military trainers.
French Training Program
France selected the PC-7 MKX in 2025 as part of a 17-year training contract awarded to Babcock France. The program calls for 22 aircraft alongside simulators and ground-based training equipment. The fleet will operate from Salon-de-Provence Air Base, providing initial flight instruction before students progress to more advanced aircraft.
“Very pleased to see the first PC-7 MKX for the French Air & Space Force perform its maiden flight,” Pilatus Vice President of Government Aviation Ioannis Papachristofilou wrote in a LinkedIn post Wednesday. “Together with Babcock we are preparing the entry into service next year and are looking forward to the next key milestones in the programme.”
European Orders
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 attracted 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, also scheduled to begin deliveries in 2027.