News: Pilatus Breaks Ground On Sarasota, FL Facility

Pilatus Aircraft Starts Construction On Sarasota, FL Facility
​

Pilatus Aircraft is making good on its announcement that it will be expanding its United States footprint and has recently broken ground on what will become its United States flagship facility based in Sarasota, Florida. Pilatus already has presence in the United States but this latest coming facility will be their biggest effort. Florida is increasingly becoming more desirable for many business jet airframers to set up shop in. Examples of airframers with facilities in Florida already include Embraer with their facility in Melbourne, Florida. Dassault Aviation has a massive 250,000 sq ft MRO facility in Melbourne, Florida as well that was inaugurated in 2025. Daher has an aerostructures facility in Stuart, Bombardier has a Service Center at Miami-Opa Locka. Plans for Otto Aviation to build their 850,000 sq ft facility for manufacturing their Phantom 3500 business jet in Jacksonville.

Pilatus is now continuing the trend of airframers that are investing in Florida. While it may be good investment for the state of Florida, Pilatus is at capacity at their home facility in Switzerland which is really what has prompted the push overseas. The new facility will serve as a flagship Sales, Service and Production Center, taking quality, expertise and customer experience to a new level.

Markus Bucher, CEO of Pilatus, commented: “Today marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Pilatus in the United States. We are bringing aircraft production to the United States. This flagship facility will be our fifth location in the USA, and will set new standards for quality, expertise, and technology in the southeastern United States. In America, we will build airplanes for Americans! We are establishing Sarasota as a major production site, serving our customers right where they are.”

With the different chapters that Pilatus has in operation around the United States there was a need to consolidate the U.S operations. As a result, from January 1, 2026, Pilatus Aircraft integrated all US subsidiaries into a single company called Pilatus Aircraft USA Ltd. This effectively is creating a unified organization of approximately 400 employees and harmonized systems across all US operations. The company comprises the headquarters in Broomfield, Colorado (KBJC), plus additional locations in Westminster, Maryland (KDMW), Rock Hill, South Carolina (KUZA), and Atlanta, Georgia (KPDK). Pilatus already operates a PC-12 and PC-24 completion facility at its US headquarters in Broomfield, Colorado. In Florida alone, Pilatus will create approximately 200 new jobs over the next five years. Pilatus also plans to expand its existing US apprenticeship programs at various locations.


For more information:

Pilatus Aircraft Ltd
Stans, Switzerland
www.pilatus-aircraft.com

***​