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Pilatus PC-6 (Turbo) Porter

The PC-6 is a single engine, high wing, tail wheel aircraft with some characteristics that allow easy identification. First there is the straight, completely unswept vertical stabiliser. Secondly the cabin windows in the sliding doors are special. Their shape is the top half of an oval, cut in two by a frame in the middle. Behind the sliding door is a smaller round cabin window. For the rest the PC-6 is more conventional with a square cross section fuselage, strut-braced wings, a piston or turboprop engine in the nose and an all single wheel gear with tail wheel (although floats are possible as well). The main gear is attached to the front fuselage by three struts, two below the fuselage and one at the side.

While developed and mostly built in Switzerland, Fairchild acquired license production rights. Nearly a hundred were built in the United States. 

If you want to know more about the Pilatus PC-6, including productions histories and many photos, please visit pc-6.com.

The cabin window layout of the PC-6 is very typical with two windows in the sliding door with completely rounded top corners. Also note the round rear window.

Apart from the cabin windows the unswept vertical stabiliser is a good recognition point of the Pilatus PC-6.

Different versions

The versions of the PC-6 can be distinguished from the outside by

  • the shape of the nose, exhaust and cowling
  • the shape of the dorsal fin
  • the shape of the wingtips
  • the presence of cockpit doors
  • the nmber of pylons under the wings

PC-6, PC-6/H1, PC-6/H2, PC-6/350, PC-6/350-H1 & PC-6/350-H2 Porter

The initial version of the PC-6 was the just designated PC-6, but is had the suffix H1 and H2 for the variants with a higher certified maximum take-off weight. These were subsequently used for all later versions as well. Later it was equipped with a more powerfull 350 hp Lycoming piston engine (hence the designation). All these piston powered versions have a long exhaust along the lower left forward fuselage, ending near the left wing strut. The PC-6/275 is supposed to have been a one-of conversion with a 275 hp engine.

The piston powered PC-6 versions have a more blunt nose than the turboprop powered versions.

From this viewpoint you can better see the cowling and exhaust of the piston powered PC-6s, in this case a PC-6/350-H2. (photo: Mike Burdett/WikiMedia)

PC-6/A-H1, PC-6/Ax-H2, PC-6/A1-H2 & PC-6/A2-H2 Turbo Porter

PC-6/A versions all have a different Turbomeca Astazou engine, each with its own powers. This engine can be recognised by its ringshaped air intake some distance behind the propeller. It has a short, curved exhaust at the left side.

The PC-6/A has a Turbomeca turboprop engine in the nose, with its typical appearance. The ring-shaped air intake is way behind the prop. (photo: Markus Herzig)

PC-6/B-H2, PC-6/B1-H2 & PC-6/B2-H2 Turbo Porter

Most produced version is the PC-6/B, with a PT6A turboprop engine. It has an air intake underneath the nose, slightly aft of the prop, and exhausts on each side of the cowling. The subtypes only differ by MTOW, like explained above. The PC-6/B comes with a three or four blade propeller.

The US Army has used two examples of this version with the designation UV-20A.

The most popular version of the PC-6 is the PT6A powered PC-6/B. They have the original small dorsal fin and straight wingtips. (photo: Raimund Stehmann/WikiMedia)

All versions of the PC-6 except the B2-H4 below have straight, flat wingtips as shown here. (photo: Aldo Bidini/WikiMedia)

Here is a close-up view of the nose of a PC-6/B, with the nearly rectangular air intake below the prop spinner and small exhaust at the side.

PC-6/B2-H4 Turbo Porter

Compared to the other PC-6/B subtypes this version has more rounded wingtips that end pointed instead of flat. Additionally, the PC-6/B2-H4 a larger dorsal fin than all other PC-6 versions. Finally, the cockpit doors that are optional on other versions is standard on the B2-H4.

One way to recognise the PC-6/B2-H4 variant is by looking at the wingtips: these are rounded and taper up.

The PC-6/B2-H4 also has a larger dorsal fin than the other versions.

PC-6/C-H2 & PC-6/C1-H2 Turbo Porter

The third engine option for the Turbo Porter was the Garrett TPE331. This has the intake underneath the prop spinner, but closer to the prop than the PC-6/B and more rounded. Also different is the large, single exhaust underneath the fuselage. This has a circular cross section and a bent halfway.

The air intake of the PC-6/C-H2 and PC-6/C1-H2 is more rounded than on the PC-6/B versions, and closer to the prop spinner. Note the exhaust below the fuselage. (photo: André Wadman/WikiMedia)

PC-6/C2-H2 Turbo Porter / AU-23A Peacemaker

This version of the PC-6/C was only built by Fairchild, for the USAF with designation AU-23A. Many have been used in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam war. They are generally similar to the standard PC-6/C but often have two pylons under each wing to carry weapons or drop tanks. But beware: they can be removed and other PC-6 variants may have pylons under the wings (although it seems at most one on each side). Also some models may have a short exhaust at the left side of the nose.

The Fairchild AU-23A, Pilatus model PC-6/C2-H2, is externally similar to the other PC-6/C versions, but often have pylons under the wings to store weapons or other stuff. (photo: Z3144228/WikiMedia)

PC-6/D-H3 Porter

Basically the PC-6/D is a piston powered Porter with the slightly swept, higher tail of the Pilatus PC-8. Just one was built.

The Pilatus PC-6/D-H3 has a slightly swept vertical stabiliser as key feature.

Confusion possible with

Helio Courier

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This utility aircraft has some similar appearance features as the PC-6. The vertical tail is nearly straight, but still has a slight trapezium shape and is taller. Also the round cabin window can be found on some versions. The main gear has a single, wide strut connected to the bottom of the fuselage though. It is placed closer to the nose than on the PC-6.

Cessna 180/185 Skywagon

cessna 195

The Cessna Skywagon is smaller than the Pilatus, but is still similar. The cabin windows are clearly different though. Also the tail is not completely straight.

DHC-2 MkIII Turbo Beaver

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While the standard DHC-2 Beaver has a big radial engine up front, and should thus be easily identified, the turboprop version looks more like a Turbo Porter. The nose looks similar and the tail is nearly straight. The DHC-2 MkIII however has different cabin windows, with a single trapezium one in the middle. Also the main gear has single, streamlined struts.