Pilatus has officially opened its subsidiary, Pilatus Aircraft Ibérica SA, near Seville, Spain. Pilatus says the new production facility will expand capacity to meet the sustained demand for its PC-12 and PC-24 aircraft.
Production ramp-up at Pilatus’ Seville facility has been underway since early 2025. Structural assemblies for the PC-24 and wiring harnesses for the PC-12 are already produced in Seville. Structural manufacturing for the PC-12 began early this year. Currently, approximately 75 employees work at Pilatus, with further staff expansion planned, going forward.
The opening ceremony was accompanied by alphorns and guitars, providing a symbolic musical link between Switzerland and Spain. The welcome address by Victoria Vallecillos Gómez, managing director, was followed by speeches from CEO Markus Bucher, Juan Manuel Moreno, president of the Regional Government of Andalusia, and the Secretary of State for Defense, María Amparo Valcarce García. As the grand finale, the Spanish Air Force’s Formación Mirlo flew over the site and demonstrated the PC-21’s exceptional performance – a moment which was enjoyed with great enthusiasm.
“To meet the growing demand for our aircraft, we decided to open a facility in Seville,” said Markus Bucher, CEO of Pilatus. “Spain has a long aviation tradition, an excellent network of subcontractors and suppliers, outstanding educational institutions, highly qualified professionals, and an attractive investment environment. In this context, Pilatus thanks the Spanish government, local authorities in Andalusia, and the economic development agency TRADE for their outstanding support of our project.”
Pilatus said it no longer has sufficient production space at its headquarters in Stans, Switzerland. With the Seville facility, Pilatus aims to strengthen its international capabilities while focusing growth, innovative strength and commitment to long-term partnerships, the company said.