Reims-Cessna F406 Caravan II
| 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 |
The Reims-Cessna F406 Caravan II is a twin turboprop aircraft manufactured and designed by Reims Aviation in cooperation with Cessna.
Contents
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
- Australian Customs and Border Protection Service - Two F406s operated by Cobham Aviation Services Australia for maritime patrols.[5]
- AAM Pty Ltd - Two F406s operated as aerial survey platforms working within Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.[citation needed]
- French Army - Two F406s as utility aircraft.
- Directorate-General of Customs and Indirect Taxes - Used seven F406s for maritime patrol activities. From 2012 onwards being replaced by the Beechcraft King Air 350
- Hellenic Coast Guard - Three F406s for maritime patrol activities.
- Mali Air Force - Three F406s on order.[6]
- Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources - Two F406s for monitoring fishing activity.
- Westair Aviation (Pty)Ltd - Operates five F406's for cargo, passenger, geological survey operations within Namibia and Africa.[7]
- Republic of Korea Navy - Ordered five F406s for use as target tugs in May 1997 with delivery from November 1998.[8]
- RVL Aviation Three F406 used in multiple roles (including one operated on behalf of HRMC listed below).
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - Two F406s operated by DirectFlight for monitoring fishing activity.
- Her Majesty'sMaritime and Coastguard Agency - One F406 for pollution detection, vessel identification and SAR top-cover.
- Marine Scotland - Two F406s for monitoring fishing activity.
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
- ↑ Taylor 1988, p. 79.
- ↑ "GECI Aviation". Retrieved 9 June 2012.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.flyingmag.com/aircraft/turboprops/continental-build-former-cessna-cabin-class-twin
- ↑ Cobham Receives AUD$ 7 million Additional Contract Extension from Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, article retrieved 23 July 2013.
- ↑ Hoyle Flight International 8–14 December 2015, p. 43.
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ "Airscene: Military affairs". Air International, Vol.56, No. 1, January 1999. p. 3.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Taylor 1988, p.80.
- ↑ Indicated Air Speed.
- ↑ Max cruise, 45 min reserves
- Hoyle, Craig. "Workd Air Forces Directory". Flight International, 8–14 December 2015, Vol. 188, No. 5517. pp. 26–53.
- Taylor, John W.R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988-89. Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Defence Data, 1988. ISBN 0 7106-0867-5.
- EASA Type Certificate
External links
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