Reims-Cessna F406 Caravan II
Utility aircraft
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Reims-Cessna F406 Caravan II is a turboprop twin engine utility aircraft manufactured and designed by Reims Aviation in cooperation with Cessna.
United States
| F406 Caravan II | |
|---|---|
| A Cessna F406 from HM Coastguard | |
| General information | |
| Type | Twin-engined utility |
| National origin | France United States |
| Manufacturer | Reims Aviation |
| Status | In service, production to recommence |
| Primary users | French DGDDI |
| Number built | 99[a][1] |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1983–2013 |
| First flight | 22 September 1983 |
| Developed from | Cessna 404 Titan |
Design and development
The F406 Caravan II is a twin turboprop engined, fourteen-seat low-wing monoplane of conventional aluminium (airframe) and steel (engine internal parts, exhaust, landing gear) construction. It is a development of the Cessna 404 Titan with two Pratt & Whitney PT6A turboprop engines. The aircraft first flew on 22 September 1983[2] and was produced by Reims Aviation until the company's 2013 demise.[3] The F406 is aimed at passenger and small cargo transport as well as civilian and military surveillance. For extra cargo capacity, a cargo pod can be fitted to the belly of the aircraft.
Though the F406 is more expensive to operate than single-engine aircraft of the same passenger capacity such as the Cessna 208 Caravan, having two engines made it comply with European regulations regarding commercial operations, which for a long time only allowed multi-engine aircraft for commercial instrument flight.
In March 2014, Reims Aviation was acquired by Chinese-owned Continental Motors Inc and renamed ASI Aviation. Two remaining incomplete airframes were finished in France before a shift to Mobile, Alabama with new avionics, electrical, and hydraulic systems; a new autopilot; and an engine choice of current P&WC PT6A-135 or pistons : Continental GTSIO-520 and/or Continental CD-310 diesel.[4] The Type Certificate transferred but only had approval to produce spare parts and not the whole aircraft.[1]
Operators
- Aerologistics[5]
- Australian Customs and Border Protection Service[6]
- Air-Taxi Europe
- Technische Universität Braunschweig[9]
Specifications
Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988–89[14]
General characteristics
- Crew: One[1]
- Capacity: 12 passengers
- Length: 11.89 m (39 ft 0 in)
- Wingspan: 15.09 m (49 ft 6 in) [1]
- Height: 4.01 m (13 ft 2 in)
- Wing area: 23.48 m2 (253 sq ft) [1]
- Empty weight: 2,283 kg (5,033 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 4,246–4,700 kg (9,360–10,361 lb)
- Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-112 turboprop , 373 kW (500 hp) each
Performance
See also
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
