On 13 March 2007, the Board of Directors of Pilatus Aircraft Ltd approved an investment application for a new assembly hall sized 61 x 120 metres, with room for two assembly lines. The total investment of CHF 27 million includes the construction of offices and a fully equipped Visitor Centre. The new assembly hall will be ready for occupation in mid-May 2008, and the new offices in early July 2008. Such a big investment in a new assembly hall is an eloquent expression of the company’s commitment to Stans, Switzerland.

Timber-structured assembly hall with visual contact

The 60 meter span of the hall will be bridged by a 10 meter tall timber supporting structure which will eliminate the need for ground to ceiling supports. The supporting structure will comprise a total of 16 beams, each with a cross-section of 120 x 38 cm. In addition to the supporting structure for the hall and the annex, the entire hall roof and all the facades will be made of timber. Concrete will only be used for the extremely long sunken piles, the staircases, the flooring and the lower supporting structure. Recent innovations in the field of timber construction technology and the steep rise in prices for construction steel have combined to ensure that timber is now a competitive product in terms of cost and technical possibilities. There is the added satisfaction of using a renewable material.