How much does it cost when the aircraft is "offline" for unscheduled maintenance chewing into that $3.5m
This is where accountants get it WRONG. And no amount of arguing ever works for the majority of them.
If you are prepared to spend some of that $3.5m on maintenance plus the cost and PMO finding alternatives at short notice, when you sum it up over the first couple of years all the tears and most of the money will have you in the same financial position, and still with a ****box.
Everyone should have heard this before, buy your last aeroplane first. It is cheaper.
PC12 is your answer. Plenty available around the world.
I noticed RNZAF B200 Kingbears are on the market and if you look into them they may be viable. Only about 10,000hrs I think I saw. Aviation Trader has them in a big advert.