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Chapter 1
Aircraft General
Table of Contents
Overview.....................................................................................1
Publications...............................................................................1
Aircraft Equipment....................................................................1
Airframe Structure.....................................................................2
Nose Section..............................................................................3
Center Section...........................................................................4
Flight Compartment...................................................................6
Crew Seats.................................................................................8
Passenger Cabin........................................................................9
Passenger/Crew Door............................................................ 13
Cargo Door.............................................................................. 18
Aft Fuselage Section.............................................................. 25
Empennage............................................................................. 26
Wings ....................................................................................... 27
Emergency Features............................................................... 28
Emergency Overwing Exit...................................................... 28
Hand-Held Fire Extinguisher.................................................. 29
Aircraft Dimensions............................................................... 30
Airspeeds for Normal Operation........................................... 31
Airspeeds for Emergency Operation..................................... 32
Central Advisory and Warning System (CAWS).................... 33
CAWS Panel Series 10............................................................ 34
1-i
1-ii
Overview
1-1
Airframe Structure
The PC-12 is a low-wing aircraft of primarily all-metal construction with retractable landing gear and a T-tail. The fuselage is
a conventional semi-monocoque design of aluminum alloy with
composite structures used in specific areas. Flush riveting
is used where appropriate to minimize drag. Access panels
are installed to facilitate inspection and maintenance. Carrythru spars, incorporated for the attachment of the wings, are
single-piece machined aluminum alloy plate and pass laterally
through the lower portion of the fuselage. The fuselage fairings
are composed of either carbon/ nomex or aramid/nomex honeycomb material. The complete airframe is electrically bonded
to eliminate electro-magnetic interference (EMI), and static
wicks are used to discharge static electricity while in flight. The
fuselage consists of the nose section, pressurized center section, and aft section.
1-2
Nose Section
The unpressurized nose section includes the engine area, the
left and right service bays, and the nose gear assembly. The
engine area contains the powerplant and associated accessories. The powerplant is attached to a welded, tubular steel
engine mounting frame which is secured by bolts to the forward
pressure bulkhead. The forward pressure bulkhead (firewall) is
composed of titanium and is covered by insulation material to
protect the airframe structure in the event of an engine fire.
1-3
The service bays are located aft of and below the engine area
on each side of the fuselage.
The left bays provide access
to components of the fuel system. The right bays provide
access to components of the
emergency oxygen system
and the environmental control
system (ECS). Each bay is
enclosed by a carbon/nomex
honeycomb door attached by
a full-length piano-type hinge
and secured by three latches.
s
Center Section
The aircraft center section is reinforced and sealed to the skin
for pressurization between the forward and aft pressure bulkheads. Included in the center section are the flight compartment, passenger cabin, passenger door, cargo door, and the
emergency overwing exit.
A two-piece windshield, two side windows, and a direct vision
(DV) window provide flight compartment visibility. A doubler
holds the windshields and the side windows in the fuselage
structure.
1-4
Four windows are located on the left side of the passenger cabin, five on the right. These windows are composed of two-ply,
laminated monolithic stretched acrylic and incorporate integral
sliding shades. All windows, forming part of the pressure vessel, are fixed except for the direct vision window. The left and
right inner side windows prevent formation of ice and condensation on the side windows.
The direct vision (DV) window,
also composed of stretched
acrylic, is installed in the left
side window and can be
opened to provide pilot visi
bility/smoke evacuation during
emergencies and also used to
provide additional ventilation
during ground operations.
1-5
Flight Compartment
The flight compartment provides for a crew of two, with full
instrumentation for the pilot, and optional instrumentation for
the copilot. Layout is conventional in that all controls, switches, and instruments are accessible to the pilot for single pilot
operation.
OVERHEAD PANEL
On the rear left side there is a small panel which contains the
oxygen pressure gauge. The clock and parking brake handle
are located forward of the left side circuit breaker panel below
the instrument panel. The clock is powered directly from the
Battery Direct bus.
The left center of the instrument panel contains the Engine Instrument System (EIS). The right center of the instrument panel
contains the audio selector panel and the communication and
navigation radios. The lower panel on the pilots side contains
switches for the ELT, avionics and the landing gear selector
and position indicators. The lower panel on the copilots side
contains the ECS and pressurization controls.
The center console contains the CAWS (Central Advisory and
Warning System) annunciator panel, EFIS control units, trim indicator, cabin air temperature gauge, the trim and flap interrupt
and alternate power switches, and the engine power controls
and flap lever. Further aft will be the cockpit and cabin lighting
controls. The ECS and fuel firewall shutoff valve controls and
the emergency landing gear handpump can be found on the aft
vertical surface of the console.
1-7
Crew Seats
MSN 401-660: The crew seats are adjustable both fore and aft
and vertically. The up and down adjustment handle is under the
front and the fore and aft adjustment handle is at the rear of the
seat. All armrests can be moved upwards. The inner arms can
also be turned through 90 before being moved upwards, to
provide free access to get in and out of the seat.
MSN 661 and up: New crew seats are installed which are adjustable fore and aft and vertically. They also have controls for
recline, thigh support, back cushion lumbar support, armrests
and headrest. The fore and aft and recline control lever are
on the rear inboard side of the seats. The vertical adjustment
lever and the thigh support control wheel are at the front of the
seat cushion. When the thigh support control wheel is turned,
it raises or lowers the thigh pads. There is a push button at the
bottom of each side of the seat back board. When the inboard
button is pushed, the lumbar support pad can be moved up
or down with the aid of a handle. When the outboard button
is pushed, the lumbar support pad can be moved inwards or
outwards by easing or applying body weight to the back cushion. The padded armrests can be moved upwards and inwards
to provide free access to get in and out of the seat. They also
have a control wheel on the underside which can be used to
adjust the height of the armrest. The seat headrest can be
adjusted by moving the headrest to the side and rotating it to
one of the six lock positions. There is a life vest stowage box
installed under the seat.
Each crew seat is equipped with a four-point restraint system
consisting of an adjustable lap belt and dual-strap inertia reeltype shoulder harness.
1-8
Passenger Cabin
The passenger cabin extends 16 ft 11 in (5.16 m) aft from the
flight compartment partition to the aft pressure bulkhead and
contains the passenger door, cargo door, baggage compartment, and emergency overwing exit. The maximum width and
height of the cabin are 60 in (1.53 m) and 57 in (1.45 m) respectively. Avionics and other equipment, installed in the lower
fuselage, are accessible through quick-release panels located
along the length of the passenger cabin floor.
The passenger cabin may be arranged in a Corporate Commuter, Combi, Executive, or Freighter configuration based on
mission requirements. In the standard Corporate Commuter
configuration, seating for up to nine passengers is provided
with in-flight baggage access. In the Combi (combination passenger/cargo) configuration, seats 7 through 9 or 5 through 9
may be removed so that the aft cabin area may be converted
into a cargo area with a maximum volume of 210 cu-ft. The
standard Combi Conversion Kit provides the necessary tiedown straps, netting, and attachment fittings to secure cargo.
The Freighter variant is configured for cargo-only operations
and provides a maximum 326 cu-ft of useful cabin volume.
1-9
CARGO AREA
EXECUTIVE
AFT
BAGGAGE
AREA
COMBI
4
CARGO AREA
CORPORATE COMMUTER
1-10
9
AFT
BAGGAGE
AREA
The optional Executive interior configuration provides seating for up to six passengers with in-flight baggage access.
This configuration also includes refreshment cabinets, folding
tables, and a private chemical toilet. The Executive configuration may also be converted for combination passenger/cargo
operations by removing seats 5 and 6 or 3 through 6.
1-11
Baggage Compartment
The baggage compartment is located at the rear of the cabin
and is accessible during flight. Maximum volume is 34.3 cu-ft.
Adjustable and non-adjustable baggage nets can be secured
at 12 attachment points. An extendable baggage net can be
installed instead of the standard net to secure baggage in front
of and in the baggage compartment. The floor attachments at
the front of the net can be moved between frames 32 and 34.
In the Combi or Freighter configuration, the cargo net is held in
place by attachment fittings (10 total) which must be inserted
into the seat rails and into anchor points located on the cabin
sidewalls.
1-12
Passenger/Crew Door
The passenger/crew door
is located in the forward
left side of the center section, immediately aft of the
flight compartment partition
and forward of the wing.
The door is a single-section assembly of aluminum
alloy construction which,
when secured with all locking mechanisms properly
engaged, forms an integral
part of the pressure vessel.
When fully open, the door
provides an opening 53 in (1.35 m) high by 24 in (0.61 m) wide,
and forms a stairway for access to the passenger cabin and the
flight compartment.
Four steps and a handrail are installed in the door. The three
upper steps and the handrail are automatically extended when
the door is opened, and stowed against the door when it is
closed. The bottom step is fixed in position.
The door is attached to the airframe structure by a full length,
piano-type hinge and swings downward to the open position.
When fully open, the door is supported by two suspension
cables. A counterbalance system is installed to facilitate opening and closing. The system consists of a compressed gas
strut linked to the door by a lever and chain mechanism. As
the door is operated, the pressure in the gas strut supports the
weight of the door which minimizes the effort required to close
it, and controls the speed at which it opens.
1-13
1. Shoot Bolt
2. Door Seal
3. Striker Plate
4. Microswitch
5. Release Lever
The door is held securely closed by six shoot bolts which engage striker plates, attached to the door frame structure, when
the door handles are in the closed position. The shoot bolts are
disengaged when either door handle is rotated to the OPEN
position.
A safety locking mechanism is installed to prevent inadvertent
opening of the door from inside the aircraft. The mechanism
includes a locking pin which engages the outer door handle,
and a release lever, located below the inner door handle,
which must be operated before the inner door handle can be
rotated to the OPEN position. Overcentering springs are also
installed to prevent unscheduled disengagement of the shoot
bolts should a failure in the door operating mechanism or door
structure occur.
1-14
1-15
1-16
1-17
Cargo Door
The cargo door is located in the aft left side of the center section, immediately aft of the wing. The door is a single-section
assembly of aluminum alloy construction which, when secured
with all locking mechanisms properly engaged, forms an inte
gral part of the pressure vessel. When fully open, the door
provides an opening 52 in (1.32 m) high by 53 in (1.35 m) wide
to accommodate loading of palletized/oversized cargo.
1-18
The door is held securely closed by three latch hooks and two
shoot bolts when the inner and outer door handles are in the
closed position. The latch hooks, located in the bottom of the
door, engage lugs attached to the lower door beam structure.
The shoot bolts, located in the sides of the door, engage striker
plates attached to the door frame structure. The latch hooks
and shoot bolts are disengaged when the inner or outer door
handle is moved to the OPEN position. The door operating
mechanism functions such that the latching hooks engage
before the shoot bolts during closing, and disengage after the
shoot bolts during opening.
1-19
1-20
1-21
1-22
From inside the aircraft, the door is opened by first lifting the
safety locking mechanism release lever and pulling the inner
door handle from its stowed position. As the handle is pushed
downward, the shoot bolts and latch hooks are disengaged allowing the door to be pushed open until the gas strut assumes
the load and raises the door to its fully open position.
The cargo door is closed from outside the aircraft by first pulling the door down from its fully open position using the strap
provided for this purpose. Before positioning the door in the
frame, the strap must be stowed. After pushing the door fully
closed, pushing the handle inward engages the latch hooks
and shoot bolts. When properly secured, the outer handle
should be stowed flush with
the door skin and the semi-circular flap should pop back
to its locked position. A freewheel mechanism, installed
between the inner handle and
the door operating mechanism, prevents use of the inner
door handle to secure the
cargo door. Therefore, the
cargo door cannot be closed
s INTERIOR CARGO DOOR HANDLE
from inside the aircraft.
Caution: The cargo door can be opened in wind speeds up to
60 knots. However, to protect from possible stress damage, it
is advised to use the attached strap to assist with raising and
maintaining the door while open.
Caution: The cargo door can be used as an emergency exit. If
it is locked (from the outside only) prior to flight, no emergency
personnel will be able to access the aircraft. However, it will be
possible to open the door from the inside, but the door cannot
then be secured without first unlocking the mechanism.
1-23
A security lock, located on the outer surface of the door adjacent to the handle release button, prevents operation of the
door mechanism from the outside without the appropriate key.
The same key works for all door locks.
1-24
The aft access door has a security lock. The same key works
for all door locks.
The aft fuselage also serves as the structural interface for the
empennage and the ventral strakes.
1-25
Empennage
The empennage is a T-tail design with the horizontal stabilizer
located above the vertical stabilizer. The horizontal and vertical
stabilizers are constructed of aluminum alloy with attached dorsal and ventral aerodynamic fairings constructed from a kevlar
honeycomb material. The horizontal stabilizer is a trimmable
structure and is attached at two hinge points to the top of the
vertical stabilizer. Pneumatic deice boots are installed on the
leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer.
1-26
Wings
The wings are of conventional, primarily all-metal construction
incorporating front and rear spars, ribs, and skin. The front and
rear spars are machined from aluminum alloy plate and include
integral fuselage and main landing gear attachment points.
The rear spars also include integral flap actuator attachment
points. Three titanium shear pins and one steel tension bolt are
used to attach each wing structure to the carry-thru spars.
Main load carrying ribs are machined from aluminum alloy
plate. All other ribs are formed sheet metal. The ribs incorporate lightening holes to reduce weight, and integral beads for
stiffening. The wing skin is stiffened, clad aluminum alloy sheet
riveted to the spars and ribs. Access panels are located in the
lower surface of the wings only.
1-27
Emergency Features
Emergency Overwing Exit
The emergency overwing exit
door, located over the right
wing, provides an opening
26 in (0.68 m) high by 18 in
(0.49 m) wide for emergency
evacuation of the aircraft. A
one-piece, non-inflating rubber seal is installed around the
periphery of the door. When
the emergency exit door is
installed, the seal is compressed to make a pressure
seal.
The door is held in position by
eight locating fittings and a
door catch which engage the
fuselage structure. An inner
handle and outer push panel
operate the door mechanism
which disengages the door
catch so that the exit door may
be opened from inside or outside the aircraft as required.
To open the exit door from
inside the aircraft, remove
the protective cover, pull the
handle to disengage the door
catch and pull the door inward. From outside the aircraft, depress the push panel
to disengage the door catch
and push the door inward to
open.
1-28
1-29
Aircraft Dimensions
1-30
79
73
81
75
Maximum Climb
best angle (VX)
110
best rate (VY) flaps - 0
up to 10,000 feet
120
15,000 feet
115
20,000 feet and above
110
120
115
110
Recommended Climb
flaps - 0 (pusher ice mode)
135
130
110
163
163
130
163
130
Maximum Landing Gear
Operating (VLO)
177
Extended (VLE)
236
177
236
Maximum Flaps Extended (VFE)
Flaps - 15
Flaps - 40
Landing Approach (based on maximum
landing weight)
Flaps - 0
Flaps - 15
Flaps - 30
Flaps - 40
(with residual ice on the airframe)
Flaps - 0 (pusher ice mode)
Flaps - 15 (pusher ice mode)
Balked Landing Go-Around (based on maximum
landing weight)
TO/PWR, Flaps - 15
TO/PWR, Flaps - 30
TO/PWR, Flaps - 40
TO/PWR, Flaps - 15 (pusher ice mode)
118
98
89
84
118
98
89
84
134
108
140
111
95
85
84
108
95
85
84
108
1-31
N/A
114
110
106
102
97
93
117
114
110
106
102
97
93
134
138
108
111
108
111
134
138
1-32
1-33
1-34