It seems to me that pretty much all Euro tarmac airports with a tower also comes with a couple of nasty cousins: Exorbitant landing fee’s, mandatory handling and high viz west mania and busy bodies. And a general air of ‘big important airport’ hubris, despite not having seen an airline in decades.
I wonder if these policies are part of the spectacular sales of the PC12 and the continued interest in the Turbo Commander/MU-2? These are all aircraft that can and will land on grass fields etc. The PC12 outsells the TBM by vast numbers, and I’m not entirely sure this has all to do with loading capability and size – I think some of it has to be the bush aspect and the utility? The upcoming PC24 seems to want to take this approach to jets as well – all the advertising pictures have shown it taking off from dirt strips etc.
I can say personally that that’s part of the reason I’m going back to a Commander. I missed the ability to land on grass and the sense of freedom knowing I can, even if I don’t. I also missed not being able to go into smaller airfields closer to the cities I was flying to. With the Aerostar I needed 3500ft and tarmac to feel safe. With a Commander you can do 2000-2500ft, any surface. Same with a MU-2 or a PC12.
Is the future of GA faster and more capable bush or utility planes as the big hubris airports relegate themselves out of relevance?
The PC12 outsells the TBM by vast numbers, and I’m not entirely sure this has all to do with loading capability and size – I think some of it has to be the bush aspect and the utility?
Custom designed for drug cartels….
Is the future of GA faster and more capable bush or utility planes as the big hubris airports relegate themselves out of relevance?
Not in Europe, I fear. Most of the “non-hybris-airports”, especially those with grass runways, are unable to handle anything bigger than a C210. No ground facilities, no instrument approaches, too short runways with too little load carrying capacity, extremely limited operating hours, no or very limited rights to handle international traffic…
all the advertising pictures have shown it taking off from dirt strips etc.
You say it – advertising. I think this is mostly about product differentiation in a comparable way to car manufacturers putting their more sporty vehicles on racetracks, despite them being never used in real motorsports (at least not without extensive modifications).
The PC12 outsells a TBM as it is much larger and more suited to corporate and charter work. Same as a King Air. Your hypothesis is interesting but probably wrong.
The MU-2 seems to be an enthusiasts airframe. Although its safety record is much better now after the special training regime was put in place by the FAA.
Blueline, the PC12 certainly operates a hell of a lot out of bush strips, and not only for photo op purposes. Royal Flying Doctors come to mind. So of Pilatus says the 24 will be able to operate out of similar strips I bet they are putting their capex where their photos are.
Think “developing” countries in Africa & South America.
I sold my last Cessna 210 to a dealer in Brazil. They Centurions fetch a premium there since they are reasonably fast and can be operated out of ranch strips with no problem. The same dealer also sells Piper Mirage/Malibu Jet Prop conversions since they have centrifugal separators and the Merdians don’t, making them less suitable for the dirt/un-improved ranch strips.
The same dealer also sells Piper Mirage/Malibu Jet Prop conversions since they have centrifugal separators and the Merdians don’t, making them less suitable for the dirt/un-improved ranch strips.
Actually the Meridian does have an intertial seperator which is always open. There are regulatory issues with the Meridian in Brazil which means the Jetprop is the only real way to fly turbine PA-46 there.
It will be interesting if the French can continue to promote SE Turbine IFR commercial/airline operations within the EU – currently limited to France only?
It could result in some growth at the lighter end of commercial GA, with some smaller airports becoming economically useful again.
All we need is for this Super Cub on steroids to be EASA certified and we might get some A to B operations into some farm strips.
