Developed as a more powerful evolution of the preceding Pilatus PC-7, the PC-9 features an enlarged cockpit and a ventral airbrake while possessing only a low level of structural commonality with its predecessor.

During May 1985, the maiden flight of the prototype PC-9 was conducted; four months later, type certification was received and permitting deliveries to commence that same year.

During the mid-1980s, Pilatus teamed up with British Aerospace to market the PC-9; the first production order for the type was placed by the Royal Saudi Air Force.

[1] Amongst other improvements, the ejection seats within the cockpit were stepped (providing better visibility from the rear position) while a ventral airbrake was also added.

[1] During 1984, Pilatus teamed up with British Aerospace to promote the PC-9 to fill a requirement to replace the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) BAC Jet Provost trainer fleet.

However, the marketing links that Pilatus built up with British Aerospace during this competition remained in place, and reportedly contributed to the type’s first order, for 30 aircraft, being received from Saudi Arabia.

[1] In December of that year, a key early order for 67 PC-9s was received from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

Pilatus referred to the Australian aircraft by the designation PC-9/A, as they were produced under licence in Australia by Hawker de Havilland and featured extensive Australian-sourced content.

[3][4] On 22 March 1991, a pair of United States Air Force F-15C Eagles were patrolling over Iraqi airspace, as part of Operation Provide Comfort, when they detected two contacts on radar, after which the F-15s approached to visually identify them - a PC-9 and a Sukhoi Su-22.

The F-15 confirmed the pilots’ parachute deployment and survival before flying in formation with the unoccupied PC-9 until it descended and crashed into the ground just under two minutes later.

In 1997, Croatia bought 17 aircraft while neighbouring Slovenia also placed an order for nine (nicknamed Hudournik – "Swift") in December of that same year.

[10] During 2008, Chad's operation of the PC-9 became politically controversial when the type was allegedly used to attack dissidents, which was considered to be a breach of Swiss export controls.