Portland Jets Charters Adds First Pilatus PC-24 to Its Charter Certificate
Modern, versatile super-light jet opens new markets for travelers and lays the groundwork for a customer-owned managed fleet
PORTLAND, Maine – November 9, 2026 – Portland Jets Charters today announced it has added its first Pilatus PC-24 to its FAA Part 135 air carrier certificate. The aircraft is now available for on-demand charter from Opa-locka International Airport (OPF), and anywhere in the operating area.
The PC-24 is the newest and most modern aircraft in the Portland Jets fleet. It is also the company’s first aircraft configured with nine or fewer passenger seats, a deliberate step into a segment that sits outside its traditional operating experience.
A new challenge, taken on deliberately
Portland Jets built its reputation operating Dassault large-cabin aircraft. Bringing a nine-seat-or-fewer aircraft onto the certificate meant new training, new maintenance programs, new manuals and a new set of operating procedures. The company treated it as a new operation, not a side project.
“The PC-24 is outside what we’ve traditionally flown, and we didn’t take that lightly,” said Joel Encarnacion, Director of Aviation of Portland Jets Charters. “We built the program from the ground up to the same safety standard our clients already expect from us. It’s a new challenge, and our team was ready for it.”
Why the PC-24
Pilatus calls the PC-24 the “Super Versatile Jet,” and the name fits. It combines jet speed with the short- and rough-field ability of a turboprop, which lets travelers fly closer to where they actually want to go.
- Goes where other jets can’t. The PC-24 is certified to operate from short runways and from unpaved strips, including gravel and grass. That opens ranches, resorts, mountain communities and small regional airports that most business jets can’t serve.
- Real jet performance. Twin Williams FJ44-4A turbofans deliver cruise speeds around 440 knots, a ceiling of 45,000 feet and range of roughly 2,000 nautical miles with four passengers.
- A cabin built for people and gear. The flat-floor cabin is one of the largest in its class, with a fully enclosed lavatory option and baggage accessible in flight. Its oversized cargo door, the largest in its segment, takes skis, golf bags, bikes, medical equipment and luggage that won’t fit in other light jets.
- Modern from nose to tail. A clean-sheet design certified in 2017, the PC-24 features the Honeywell-based Advanced Cockpit Environment, autothrottles, and modern systems that reduce pilot workload.
- Efficient to operate. Two engines with lower fuel burn than larger jets give clients jet speed and redundancy at a more accessible hourly rate.
“The PC-24 lets us say yes to trips we used to turn down,” said Manuel de La Cruz, Sales Manager. “A family heading to a mountain strip, a medical team with equipment, a business group going to a town with a 4,000-foot runway – this aircraft handles all of it.”
Why choose Portland Jets
For travelers and aircraft owners alike, Portland Jets brings Part 135 experience to the PC-24 program.
- Safety first. Every PC-24 flight runs under the same safety management system, crew standards and oversight as the rest of the fleet.
- One point of contact. Clients book, plan and fly with a single team that handles catering, ground transportation and custom requests.
- Owner-focused management. For aircraft owners, Portland Jets offers transparent accounting, professional maintenance oversight and charter revenue to help offset the cost of ownership.
Looking ahead: more customers and a customer-owned fleet
The first PC-24 is the start of a larger plan. Portland Jets will grow PC-24 charter demand through outreach to owners.
At the same time, the company is building a customer-owned managed fleet. As the charter market tightens and available aircraft become harder to secure, Portland Jets will help individuals and businesses buy their own PC-24s – and other aircraft – and place them on the company’s certificate. Owners get guaranteed access to their aircraft, professional management and charter revenue when they aren’t flying. Charter clients get more availability and a more consistent fleet.
“Owning the right aircraft is becoming the best way to guarantee you can fly when you need to,” said Luis E. De Marchena, Director of Operations. “We want to be the partner that makes ownership simple – we handle the crew, maintenance and compliance, and put the aircraft to work when the owner isn’t using it.”
