Pilatus P-4
Pilatus · Switzerland · first flew 1948 · light aircraft
The Pilatus P-4 was a Swiss five-seat cabin monoplane designed and built by Pilatus as a robust, versatile working aircraft.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.6 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- High-wing monoplane braced by steel V-struts
- Fixed tailwheel undercarriage
- Enclosed cabin for a pilot and four passengers
It has a fabric-covered steel-tube fuselage and a wooden wing braced to the fuselage by steel V-struts.
Specifications
- The Pilatus P-4 has a length of 8.6 m (28 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.85 m (39 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 245 km/h (152 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The prototype, HB-AET, made its maiden flight on 22 March 1948. It was powered by a 190 hp Lycoming GO-435 engine, later replaced by a 240 hp GO-435-C2a.
Variants
The cabin could be adapted to carry two stretchers, photographic equipment or crop-spraying equipment, and ski or float undercarriages could be fitted.
Where you'll see it
It did not enter production owing to a lack of capacity at Pilatus, and was exhibited at the 1949 Paris Air Show. The sole aircraft crashed in the Susten Pass region on 13 October 1957 while on exercise with the Swiss Air Rescue Service.
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