The Reims-Cessna F406 Caravan II is a turboprop twin engine utility aircraft manufactured and designed by Reims Aviation in cooperation with Cessna.
| 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
editThe 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
edit
Specifications
editData 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
editRelated development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
References and notes
edit- ^ a b c d e "Type-Certificate Data Sheet EASA.A.109: F 406: Issue 06". EASA. 29 October 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
- ^ Taylor 1988, p. 79.
- ^ "GECI Aviation". Retrieved 9 June 2012. Archived March 16, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Paul Jackson (23 May 2016). "Props And Turboprops About To Enter The Marketplace". Aviation Week Network.
- ^ "Survey".
- ^ Cobham Receives AUD$ 7 million Additional Contract Extension from Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, article retrieved 23 July 2013.
- ^ "air saint pierre fleet". airsaintpierre.com. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
- ^ "World Air Forces listings (French Army)". flightglobal.com. November 1999. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
- ^ "The Cessna F406 research aircraft, D-ILAB". tu-braunschweig.de.
- ^ "Airscene: Military Affairs: First Hellenic Coast Guard F406 enters service". Air International, Vol. 60, No. 5, May 2001. p. 262. ISSN 0306-5634
- ^ "WESTAIR – HOME". westair.com.na.
- ^ "World Air Forces listings (ROK Navy)". flightglobal.com. November 1999. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
- ^ "About".
- ^ Taylor 1988, p.80.
- ^ "Reims F406 Caravan Ii".
- Hoyle, Craig. "World 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.
External links
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