The Cessna 208 Caravan is an American single-engined turboprop, fixed-tricycle landing gear, short-haul regional airliner and utility aircraft that is built in the United States by Cessna. The airplane typically seats nine passengers with a single pilot, although with a FAR Part 23 waiver it can seat up to fourteen passengers. The aircraft is also used for cargo feederliner operations.
Double cessna 208 caravan action dhl and fedex st kitts r l b int l airport
Design
The Cessna 208 is a high-wing braced cabin monoplane powered by a single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop in tractor configuration. It has a fixed tricycle landing gear but can also be fitted with floats or skis. The cabin has room for nine passengers and two crew when used as a passenger aircraft with four doors, one for each crew member and an airstair door on right-side and a cargo door on the left. The aircraft can be optionally fitted with an underslung cargo pod.
The basic 208 airframe can be outfitted with various types of landing gear, allowing it to operate in a wide variety of environments. Some common adaptations include skis, enlarged tires for unprepared runways, and floats on the Caravan Amphibian model.
The Caravan interior can be outfitted with seats or as cargo holds. The standard high-density airline configuration has four rows of 1-2 seating behind the two seats in the cockpit. This variant is capable of holding up to thirteen passengers, although it is marketed as being able to make a profit carrying just four. The cabin can be configured in a low density passenger configuration, with 1-1 seating, as a combination of passengers and cargo, or as a strictly cargo aircraft. Many variants include an underbelly cargo pod, which can be used for additional freight capacity, or for passenger baggage. A number of Caravans are operated as skydiving aircraft with the left-side cargo hatch converted to a roll-up door.
Development
The prototype first flew in December 1982. The production model was certified by the FAA in October 1984. Since then, the Caravan has undergone a number of design evolutions. Working with FedEx, Cessna produced first the Cargomaster and followed that with the stretched and upgraded Super Cargomaster. The passenger model, the Grand Caravan, was derived from the Super Cargomaster. In January 2013 a higher-powered (867 shp from P&WC PT6A-140) version, the Grand Caravan EX, received FAA certification. This higher-powered version will be produced by a Cessna-AVIC joint venture in China.
On April 28, 2008, Cessna announced that the Garmin G1000glass cockpit will be standard equipment on all new Caravans.
In May 2012 Cessna announced that an assembly line for the 208 would be established in China. The government-owned China Aviation Industry General Aircraft (CAIGA) will conduct final assembly of Caravans at its plant in Shijiazhuang for the Chinese market.
In August 2016, Textron announced that it is moving the Cessna 208 production from its Wichita headquarters to its Independence, Kansas production facility, where it will be built alongside along the piston-powered 172S Skyhawk, 182T Skylane, T206H Turbo Stationair and Cessna TTx, and the Citation Mustang and Citation M2 light jets. The move was made to make room for the Citation Longitude and Cessna Denali in Wichita.
Civilian
208 Caravan I
First production variant with a PT6A-114 turboprop engine and seating for up to nine passengers. Official named Caravan it is sometimes known as Caravan I to distinguish it from later variants. Available as a landplane which was type approved on 23 October 1984 and the seaplane version with Wipline Model 8000 Amphibious/Seaplane Floats was type approved on the 26 March 1986. Early aircraft can be modified to use the higher-powered PT6A-114A but have a restricted operating limits. Aircraft from serial number 20800277 built with the PT6A-114A engine which can be used without restriction.
208 Caravan 675
Marketing designation for the 208 Caravan with a higher-powered PT6A-114A engine.
208A Cargomaster
Developed with FedEx, a pure-cargo version of the Caravan. The "A" designation has caused some confusion over the years. It denotes a specific option package for FedEx aircraft only, and not a distinct model. All 208A aircraft were produced and serialized as 208 models. FedEx purchased 40 of this version.
208B Grand Caravan
Officially named the 208B Caravan but marketed as the Grand Caravan it is a 4 feet (1.2 m) stretch of the Caravan I. The 208B has a PT6A-114A engine. Originally certified as a two-seater cargo version on 9 October 1986 and as a 11-seater passenger aircraft on 13 December 1989. The 208B was fitted with a Garmin G1000 Integrated Cockpit System and an optional ice protection system.
208B Grand Caravan EX
Version of the 208B Caravan marketed as the Grand Caravan EX and certified in December 2012, powered by a 867 hp (647 kW) Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6A-140 that improves climb by 38%. The model's upgrade is aimed at float operators and will compete with aftermarket conversions. The 208B Grand Caravan is 4 ft (1.2 m) longer than the 208; extending the cabin by the same amount. The unladen weight is 807 lb (366 kg) more but maximum payload is only 90 lb (41 kg) more. While the 192 hp (143 kW) more powerful PT6A-140 gives a 11 knots (20 km/h) higher cruise speed, and better climb - by 94 feet per minute (0.48 m/s), range is 964 nautical miles (1,785 km) less on a similar fuel capacity. It requires a longer take off at 2,160 feet (660 m) and landing at 1,871 feet (570 m).
208B Super Cargomaster
Marketing name for the cargo variant of the 208B series. FedEx purchased 260 of this variant.
Caravan Amphibian
A 208 or 208B with either Wipaire 8000 or 8750 floats in place of the landing gear, for water landings or land operations.
After-market variants
Production aircraft modified after delivery by Supplemental Type Certificate:
A twin-engined stretch of the 208 that was developed by the Soloy Corporation. This aircraft features two PT6D-114A engines driving a single propeller and a 70-inch (1,800 mm) fuselage stretch behind the wing.
850 Caravan
208 with an 850 hp (634 kW) Honeywell TPE331-12JR-701S engine, installed by Aero Twin Inc.
950 Grand Caravan
208B with a 1,000 hp (746 kW) Honeywell TPE331-12JR-704AT engine, installed by Aero Twin Inc.
Blackhawk Caravan
208 and 208B conversion to 850 hp (634 kW) PT-6A-42A.
Supervan 900
208B with a 850 hp (634 kW) (900 hp (671 kW) flat-rated) Honeywell TPE331-12JR engine, installed by Texas Turbine
XP42A Upgrade
208B with an 850 hp (634 kW) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-42A engine, installed by Blackhawk
Military
U-27A
Is a United States military designation for the Cessna 208.
C-16
Was a United States military designation for proposed use by the United States Army.
An ISTAR version built by ATK armed with Hellfire missiles is used by the Iraqi air force. The AC-208 received its combat debut in January 2014 when the Iraqi Air Force began employing it against insurgents in Anbar province. One aircraft crashed in March 2016.The Lebanese Air Force requested a new AC-208 and the conversion of the C-208 it already operates.Other AC-208s are scheduled to be delivered to countries in the Middle East and Africa through the Foreign Military Sales program. Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Burkina Faso are possible recipients of these AC-208 Combat Caravans.
Civil operators
The Cessna 208 is used by governmental organizations and by a large number of companies for police, air ambulance, passenger transport, air charter, freight and parachuting operations. With 238 aircraft, FedEx is the largest operator of the Cessna 208.
Military operators
A total of 134 Cessna 208s were in military service in 2016.
Afghanistan
Afghan National Army Air Force - 25
Argentina
Argentine Army - 2
Bahamas
Royal Bahamas Defence Force - 1
Bangladesh
Bangladesh Army - 1 C-208B Grand Caravan for logistical, Para drops
