Reims-Cessna F406 Caravan II

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F406 Caravan II
300px
An F406 of the Hellenic Coast Guard
Role Twin-engined utility
National origin France/United States
Manufacturer Reims Aviation/Cessna
First flight 22 September 1983
Primary user French Army
Developed from Cessna 404
A Cessna F406 of Air-taxi Europe
File:F 406 Surmar.JPG
A F406 Surmar at Paris Air Show in 2007

The Reims-Cessna F406 Caravan II is a twin turboprop aircraft manufactured and designed by Reims Aviation in cooperation with Cessna.

Design and development

The F406 Caravan II is a twin turboprop engined, fourteen-seat low-wing monoplane of conventional aluminium and steel construction. A development of the Cessna 404 with two Pratt & Whitney PT6 turboprop engines, it is similar to the pressurized Cessna 441. The aircraft first flew on 22 September 1983,[1] and was produced by Reims Aviation (later known as GECI Aviation) until their 2013 demise.[2] In 2014, the Chinese based Aviation Industry Corporation of China subsidiary Continental Motors, Inc. partnered with French-based marketer ASI Innovation to purchase rights to the F406, and restart production of piston and turboprop variants with diesel fuel capability.[3][4]

The F406 is aimed at passenger and small cargo transport, and civilian and military surveillance. For extra cargo capacity a cargo pod can be fitted to the belly of the aircraft. The Surmar is a new maritime surveillance version of the aircraft with extra equipment such as a 360 degree radar.

Though the two engines make it more expensive to operate than similar aircraft such as the single-engined Cessna 208 Caravan I, having two engines makes it comply with European regulations regarding commercial operations, which only allow multi-engine aircraft for commercial instrument flight.

Operators

 Australia
 France
 Greece
 Mali
 Namibia
 Republic of Korea
 United Kingdom

Accidents and incidents

  • 3 November 2001 – Shortly after takeoff from runway 03R at OR Tambo International Airport, an F406 crashed, killing all 3 occupants. The accident was probably caused mainly by a 16% over-load. The cargo, including two 3-meter-long steel bars, was not properly fixed and shifted the airplane's center of gravity beyond the certified rearward limit during takeoff rotation. Additionally the aircraft did not have a valid certificate of airworthiness at the time of the incident.[9]

Specifications

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988-89 [10]

General characteristics

  • Crew: Two
  • Capacity: 12 passengers
  • Length: 11.89 m (39 ft 0 in)
  • Wingspan: 15.08 m (49 ft 5¾ in)
  • Height: 4.01 m (13 ft 2 in)
  • Wing area: 23.50 m2 (253 ft2)
  • Empty weight: 2,283 kg (5,033 lb)
  • Gross weight: 4,246 kg (9,360 lb)
  • Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-112 turboprop, 373 kW (500 hp) each

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 424[11] km/h (263 mph)
  • Cruising speed: 260 km/h (160 mph)
  • Range: 2,135[12] km (1,327 miles)
  • Service ceiling: 9,145 m (30,000 ft)
  • Rate of climb: 9.4 m/s (1,850 ft/min)

See also

Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References

  1. Taylor 1988, p. 79.
  2. "GECI Aviation". Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  3. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. http://www.flyingmag.com/aircraft/turboprops/continental-build-former-cessna-cabin-class-twin
  5. Cobham Receives AUD$ 7 million Additional Contract Extension from Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, article retrieved 23 July 2013.
  6. Hoyle Flight International 8–14 December 2015, p. 43.
  7. [1]
  8. "Airscene: Military affairs". Air International, Vol.56, No. 1, January 1999. p. 3.
  9. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. Taylor 1988, p.80.
  11. Indicated Air Speed.
  12. Max cruise, 45 min reserves

External links