The Lucerne Artist Hans Erni Created an Original Livery

On the occasion of our 75th anniversary, we were delighted when Hans Erni agreed to create an livery for our Pilatus PC-12 NG. Pilatus Aircraft Ltd

On 16 December 2014, right on time for our 75th anniversary, Oscar J. Schwenk was invited to go and see Hans Erni (passed away on 21 March 2015) at his studio in Lucerne. As a gift to mark our 75th annivesary, and as a tribute to Pilatus, Erni had designed a Pilatus aircraft. White horses, a Pegasus and doves of peace – the idea was to stick these transfers designed by Hans Erni all over a PC-12 painted in royal blue. The subjects of the drawings were chosen for their symbolic representation of the PC-12’s credentials as a workhorse with superb in-flight handling characteristics. 

The PC-12 has shaped the company history for years, so it was the perfect choice for this project. We have sold over 1300 PC-12s since 1994, making it one of the world’s most successful turboprop aircraft ever. The Erni-designed PC-12 NG will be on display at various trade shows throughout the year, including EBACE in Geneva, AeroExpo in Friedrichshafen, JetExpo in Moscow and the Paris Air Show.

Hans Erni was thrilled too!

Putting the finishing touch to his work, Hans Erni signed and dated the engine cover. He admitted he was thrilled with the result: “I’ve been lucky enough to be involved in many exceptional projects in my life – but I’ve never yet been asked to work on such a superb aircraft. I’m proud to think my drawings are destined to fly around the world!”

It was a special moment for Oscar J. Schwenk, too: “This is the first time we’ve had such a prestigious artist involved in the artwork on one of our aircraft. This aircraft is a symbol of the innovative Swiss company that Pilatus is. We’re proud that our PC-12 NG is associated with the name Hans Erni as it travels the world in 2015 and we’re sure our customers and fans will love it, too. On behalf of Pilatus, I would like to thank Hans Erni for everything he’s done to achieve this wonderful result.” 

Hans Erni (21 February 1909 - 21 March 2015) was a Swiss painter, graphic artist and sculptor of international fame. He has designed countless lithographs, over 300 posters and several murals, including work for the Swiss Red Cross, the International Olympic Committee, the UNO and UNESCO, plus many private and public companies. Erni became interested in flying at a young age, and qualified as a private pilot in 1946; his work includes numerous creations dedicated to the world of aviation.