Pilatus pauses PC-12, PC-24 jet deliveries to US over 39% import tariff

Swiss aircraft manufacturer Pilatus Aircraft has paused all business jet deliveries to the United States after a 39% tariff imposed on Switzerland by the Trump administration went into effect on August 6, 2025.  

The company announced the halt on August 8, 2025, stating that it impacts deliveries of its PC-12 and PC-24 business jets, both of which have seen strong demand from operators across the US. Out of every 10 PC-12s and PC-24s the company produces annually, four are sent to the US.  

“The new customs tariff imposed by the US authorities represents a significant competitive disadvantage for Pilatus,” the manufacturer said in a statement seen by Reuters. 

Pilatus said “massive additional costs and the resulting competitive disadvantages” compared to US and European rivals were also causing increasing uncertainty among its customers. 

However, Pilatus stated that it is looking for new markets to compensate for the losses to counter the slowdown, while also speeding up its efforts to boost local production, including a planned new aircraft assembly plant in Sarasota, Florida. 

RELATED

Pilatus: the entrepreneur unlocking new horizons for business aviation in Japan

According to a swissinfo.ch report, the company said it was doing everything in its power to secure the jobs of its 3,000 employees. If needed, the company said it would consider options such as reduced working hours or staff changes via natural fluctuation. 

The Trump administration’s tariff rates now vary from 10% to 50%, affecting major economies worldwide.  

Switzerland is now one of the countries facing some of the highest tariff rates in the world, imposed in the latest trade measures, alongside Syria, Burma, and Laos. The announcement reportedly surprised Swiss authorities and manufacturers alike. 

“Switzerland and the United States share a strong economic relationship,” the Swiss Federal Council said in a statement. “Bilateral trade has quadrupled over the past 20 years.” 

Bern stressed that the trade surplus of nearly 40 billion Swiss francs ($50 billion) in Switzerland’s favor “is in no way the result of unfair trade practices,” noting that the country unilaterally abolished all customs duties on industrial products on January 1, 2024. 

Though the Council said it would not consider tariff countermeasures “at present,” the tariff increase has led some Swiss officials and industry leaders to urge a reevaluation or cancellation of the planned Lockheed Martin F-35A fighter jet purchase from the US. 

RELATED

Trump’s 39% tariff on Swiss imports reignites calls to scrap F-35 deal

The post Pilatus pauses PC-12, PC-24 jet deliveries to US over 39% import tariff appeared first on AeroTime.

Go to Source