Deciding between Pilatus PC-12 or Citation
Hi All,
New to the forum and working for my boss on understanding the options he might have for purchasing his first privately-owned plane.
In the past, he has used XO Jet, Marquis and other similar services to fly a 900NM route between two mid-sized but commercial airports (737's, major carriers, etc). He is starting to look into purchasing his own and has a couple friends who have recommended the Pilatus PC-12 (there is a local ownership group that has 3 or 4 which makes maintenance, chartering out to others and pilot scheduling easier). Cost-wise, this seems to be a clear winner, given lower operating costs, in addition to the cheaper price if he buys a lightly used model. Would be for around 125-175 hours of flight time per year, mainly for himself and family along with some friends.
The key thing he wants to understand is how he should view this compared to a small to mid-sized citation (CJ2, CJ3, XLS) or similar type jet. He is familiar with some of the citation models but not with many other manufacturers. Beyond it being closer to a 2 hour flight in the jets, compared to 3+ hours in the Pilatus, what would be the other key advantages to owning a jet.
Any thoughts, pros/cons, advice for either option would be greatly appreciated. Also, happy to clarify if there is more information I could provide to be helpful.
Thank you in advance