We have a green light! Pilatus Aircraft has approved IRIS Simulations’ rendition of its PC-21, the final step that was missing for the release of this fast turboprop trainer for MSFS. And with that, a brand new aircraft to enjoy this weekend and beyond!
This project is the result of a partnership between IRIS Simulations, who had an older FSX model of the aircraft, and RAAF Virtual, who brought that model to the modern rendering engine of Microsoft Flight Simulator.
The “Airforce Series” PC-21 is the newest aircraft in the Pilatus family to come to MSFS, following other releases such as the Carenado PC-12 and the Milviz PC-6. The PC-21 is also a single-engined turboprop, but with a totally different purpose and capabilities. Pilatus calls it the company’s “Twenty-First Century Trainer”, designed as a high-performance trainer for pilots on an upgrade path to jet-powered aircraft.
The PC-21 is powered by a mighty 1,600 hp Pratt & Whitney turboprop engine, capable of powering the nimble aircraft to a top speed of 426 mph and a rate of climb of 4,000 feet per minute. Since it was designed with performance in mind, the PC-21 is a very agile aircraft, with impressive aerobatic capabilities! Loops, rolls, wing-overs, and more can be easily executed with precision!
IRIS Simulations got an official license from Pilatus, with whom they have a long-term partnership that will eventually lead to the release of the PC-9 and the PC-24. This should be a good sign that the aircraft was made for MSFS with the utmost attention to detail and realism. Early previews that we’ve seen on social media in recent weeks promise just that: the PC-21 is a blast to fly and is, overall, an outstanding effort from IRIS Simulations and RAAF Virtual!
Sadly, you may notice that the final product doesn’t include some of the liveries that have been featured in pre-release materials. The good news is that all of them should be available from the respective creators through flightsim.to.
The PC-21 is now available through IRIS Simulations’ store, priced at $34.99. Orbx should also have the product on sale within a few hours/days, while a release in the Marketplace is also slated for soon, for both PC and Xbox!
