Pilatus B4

Pilatus Aircraft · Switzerland · first flew 1972 · glider

The Pilatus B4 is a single-seat all-metal Standard-class glider notable as one of the very few metal construction competition sailplanes to achieve widespread use in the composite era. It offers robust handling and straightforward maintenance.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × none, embedded-mounted
F — Fuselage	6.73 m fuselage
T — Tail	T-tail

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Spot it by:

Unpowered sailplane — no engine
Swiss metal Standard-class glider with T-tail, unusual all-metal construction
Distinctive all-aluminium airframe with polished or bare-metal finish

The all-metal construction gives it a distinctly different sheen from composite gliders; the T-tail and 15m straight-tapered wing are shared with many contemporaries, but the riveted metal skin is unique among current British club gliders.

Specifications

The Pilatus B4 has a length of 6.73 m (22 ft).
It has a wingspan of 15 m (49 ft).
Its maximum speed is 220 km/h (137 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Developed by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland and first flown in 1972, the B4-PC11 was designed to compete in the Standard class using proven aluminium construction rather than fibre-glass composites. It was adopted by several air force cadet programmes for its durability.

Variants

The B4-PC11AF is the standard production version; minor detail variants exist across different export batches but the airframe design remained unchanged throughout production.

Where you'll see it

Used extensively by Swiss and Austrian air-cadet organisations; operated by several BGA clubs in the UK as a robust club glider and has a loyal private owner following.

Related aircraft

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