Pilatus and Sabca have signed a contract for the assembly of PC-12 aerostructures in Morocco. The first fuselage and wing structure assembled at the new Sabca facility in Casablanca will be ready for delivery to the final assembly line in Stans, Switzerland, by the end of 2022. Over 100 direct and indirect local jobs will be created, a number that is expected to increase over time.

The contract was signed by Pilatus and Sabca in the presence of Mr Moulay Hafid Elalamy, Morocco's Minister of Industry, Trade and Green and Digital Economy. It marks the beginning of a new and long-term partnership between Pilatus and Sabca and is a major milestone that leverages the established aerospace ecosystem in Morocco.

The contract envisages the assembly of fuselages, wings and flight controls including the electrical wiring installation. Sabca will deliver these major aircraft components to the final assembly line in Switzerland where they will be integrated with the aircraft's other systems, power plant and cabin interior. The assembly works alone will create over 100 new jobs right from the start and this number is expected to increase over time.

The PC-12 is versatile enough to fly nearly any mission – from executive transport, cargo, air ambulance, and airline or government missions. Since its first flight in 1994, the aircraft has been a bestseller in its class and to date more than 1,800 units have been delivered.

Building on its outstanding safety record of over eight million flight hours and Pilatus' industry-leading customer support, the PC-12 NGX model with its latest engine and avionics technology make it the most advanced single-engine turboprop ever.

“We are very proud to have been selected by Pilatus for such a substantial work package”, says Thibauld Jongen, CEO of Sabca. “This is the result of excellent teamwork and it marks the start of the collaboration between Pilatus and Sabca. This selection by Pilatus underlines our expertise and the competitiveness of the region. In addition, Sabca is proud to offer a wide range of expertise in both metallic and composite aerostructure design, in manufacturing and assembly, in the design of actuation equipment for the General Aviation sector as well as our world-class capabilities in the field of MRO.”

Sabca is also pleased to announce its investment of more than 180 million Moroccan dirhams (17 million euros) in the construction of a new 16,000 sqm facility which will house the PC-12 aerostructure assembly line in the Nouaceur area.

“We are proud of this new long-term partnership between Pilatus and Sabca Maroc”, says Minister Elalamy. “This agreement today will surely contribute to enhance the Moroccan aerospace perspective and will help further accelerate the sector's growth, sustain its position as a best quality production platform and drive skill improvement through the development of new highly technological activities. This collaboration reflects the great ability of our local supply-base to meet international OEM's expectations such as Pilatus. It doesn't only prove and confirm the credibility of Morocco as a big partner of aerospace industry but also our resilience and competitiveness in this new context of crisis. We congratulate Sabca for this achievement and we welcome Pilatus to Morocco. We are confident that it's only the beginning of a longstanding relationship with the Kingdom.”

A close collaboration has been established with the Institut des Métiers de l'Aéronautique, an innovative partnership between the Moroccan government and the aerospace industry to provide additional skilled resources for the PC-12 programme.