Silver grey makes it look retro style, like the old PC-3 in blank aluminium. Nowadays they have to paint them to create that look.

Image by paulnann.com

Let me explain why I think that current turboprop trainers are unfit for jet training. People think the PC-9 or Tucano look like a WW2 fighter, are powered like a WW2 fighter, so performancewise they must be equal to WW2 fighters. But what has to be understood is that all WW2 fighers are not equal, you have early generation WW2 fighers and late generation fighers. The Me-109 started out at 3000 lbs and ended up at the end of the war double that weight at 6000 lbs, and its speed increased from 350 mph to 450 mph. Although increased engine power acounts for some of that, really its the doubling of the wing loading that transformed this fighter into something entirely different than what it was. Structurally the airframe could hardly handle this weight increase and it became dangerous to pull the Me-109 out of a dive. Then you have other heavyweights like the Mustang and Fw-190, these planes were built to handle the weight and performancewise, they could fly at the limits where only the sound barrier held them back. The PC-9 and Tucano are not equal at all to planes like the Mustang and Fw-190, they are more in the class of early Me-109s, Spitfires and P-40s. This is why they have low top speed of 350 mph and a redline of 400 mph. They are not designed hot aerodynamically nor is their structure strong enough to handle hot performance. It is possible to give a prop aircraft a very high wing loading like the Heinkel He-100, but then your on the bleeding edge of prop performance, so it just makes sense to go up to a jet.

You might be right with the PC-9 and the Tucano. however, with the arrival of the PC-21 the performance of the P-40 and Fw-190 will be at least matched:
Data according to aeroflight.co.uk: Maximum operating Speed (VMO) 370 kts (685 kph); Maximum operating Mach number 0.72 M; Design dive speed 420 kts/0.8 M; Maximum level speed 340 kts at 10,000 ft (3,048 m); Speed at sea level in cruise power 300 kts.
This in conjunction with a modern fighter jet- like glass cockpit and integration of “flying simulator” software should make training quite effective at a much lower price than with a jet trainer. I assume there will be quite a few countries reconsidering their training procedures.
The future will tell, I guess… Link
Unfortunately it comes out a little too late for Greece

Maiden Flight of second prototype

On June 7 the second PC-21 prototype made its maiden flight in Stans. Its color scheme in silver gray is quite different from the first. There are two pictures here for members. There will certainly be more pics turning up soon…

Well afaik they were considering a very small numer of airframes as attrition replacements. (less then 6)

In that case, it might actually work out. There are about four to five left, afaik.