Pilatus suffers renewed failure in Japan
The Swiss aircraft manufacturer, Pilatus, has failed again in its bid to win a major contract for trainer planes for the Japanese air force.
Its Japanese rival, Fuji Heavy, has won the contract to supply 50 aircraft in a deal worth more than SFr400 million.
It is the second time that Pilatus has lost out to Fuji Heavy in the deal. A first contract was declared null and void after a political scandal in which Fuji Heavy was reported to have paid at least SFr150,000 in bribes to a member of the defence ministry.
The two aircraft under consideration in the tender were the Fuji Heavy T7 and the PC-7 MK II of Pilatus.
On Thursday last week, Pilatus of Stans in central Switzerland, announced that the Royal Malaysian Air Force had signed a contract for nine PC-7 MK II aircraft in a deal valued at SFr70 million.
Some 28 air forces worldwide train their pilots on Pilatus Turbo Trainer products.
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