The SkyAlyne joint venture of Canadian companies CAE and KF Aerospace has signed two agreements for the purchase of new turboprop training aircraft for the Royal Canadian Air Force. On November 19, 2024, a contract was signed with the German company Grob Aircraft for the purchase of 23 G120TP aircraft for the initial stage of flight training, with delivery starting in August 2025. Then, on November 28, a contract was signed with the Swiss company Pilatus Aircraft for the purchase of 19 RS-21 aircraft for the main and advanced stages of flight training, with delivery starting from the second half of 2026. The aircraft will be part of the Canadian Air Force, but operated by the consortium on a contract basis.
Pilatus PC-21 training aircraft (third flight prototype, serial number 101, Swiss registration HB-HZC) over Toronto (Canada) (c) Pilatus Aircraft
Earlier, on May 29, 2024, the Government of Canada issued a contract worth 11.2 billion Canadian dollars (7.9 billion US dollars) to the joint company SkyAlyne, created in 2018 by CAE and KF Aegos, for the implementation of contract-based training of Canadian Air Force pilots for a period of 25 years under the Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) program. In the program, in the joint venture, KF Aerospace will act as a contractor for the operation of aviation equipment and for flight training, and SAE will act as a contractor for the supply and operation of ground simulators and, in general, for ground training. Under the contract, SkyAlyne is to purchase and operate 71 training aircraft and helicopters on a contract basis, including 23 Grob G120TP and 19 Pilatus PC-21, as well as seven Beechcraft King Air 260 aircraft and three De Havilland Canada Dash 8-Q400 aircraft for training flight and navigation personnel of multi-engine aircraft, and 19 helicopters Airbus Helicopters H135 for helicopter pilot training (the contract for the purchase of helicopters was signed in early November).
In the Canadian Air Force, the purchased Grob G120TP and Pilatus PC-21 aircraft will be part of the 15th Wing at Moose Jaw Air Base in Saskatchewan and replacing the fleet of training aircraft currently used in this wing consisting of 14 Grob G120A (piston), 24 Beechcraf T-6A Texan II (CT-156 Harvard II) and 24 BAE Hawk (CT-155), with Grob G120A and T-6A also operated on a contract basis by CAE and KF Aerospace.
Canada has become the 11th customer of the Pilatus PC-21 aircraft, and the Canadian contract brings the total number of built and ordered aircraft of this type to 285.
Pilatus PC-21 training aircraft (third flight prototype, serial number 101, Swiss registration HB-HZC) over Toronto (Canada) (c) Pilatus Aircraft
Grob G120TP (c) SkyAlyne training Aircraft
