F406 Caravan II
A Cessna F406 from HM Coastguard
Role Twin-engined utility
National origin France
United States
Manufacturer Reims Aviation
First flight 22 September 1983
Status In service, production to recommence
Primary users French DGDDI
Republic of Korea Navy
Produced 1983–2013
Number built 99[lower-alpha 1][1]
Developed from Cessna 404 Titan

The Reims-Cessna F406 Caravan II is a turboprop twin engine utility 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. 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, and 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 makes it comply with European regulations regarding commercial operations, which only allow 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 only had approval to produce spare parts and not the whole aircraft.[1]

Operators

A Cessna F406 of the French Army
 Australia
 France
An F406 of the Hellenic Coast Guard
 Greece
 Namibia
 South Korea
 United Kingdom

Specifications

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988–89[15]

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

  • Maximum speed: 424 km/h (263 mph, 229 kn) [lower-alpha 2]
  • Cruise speed: 260 km/h (160 mph, 140 kn)
  • Range: 2,135 km (1,327 mi, 1,153 nmi) [lower-alpha 3]
  • 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 and notes

  1. ↑ One prototype and 98 production aircraft
  2. ↑ Indicated Air Speed.
  3. ↑ Max cruise, 45 min reserves
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Type-Certificate Data Sheet EASA.A.109: F 406: Issue 06". EASA. 29 October 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  2. ↑ Taylor 1988, p. 79.
  3. ↑ "GECI Aviation". Retrieved 9 June 2012. Archived March 16, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ Paul Jackson (23 May 2016). "Props And Turboprops About To Enter The Marketplace". Aviation Week Network.
  5. ↑ Cobham Receives AUD$ 7 million Additional Contract Extension from Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, article retrieved 23 July 2013.
  6. ↑ "Survey".
  7. ↑ "World Air Forces listings (French Army)". flightglobal.com. November 1999. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  8. ↑ "air saint pierre fleet". airsaintpierre.com. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  9. ↑ "Airscene: Military Affairs: First Hellenic Coast Guard F406 enters service". Air International, Vol. 60, No. 5, May 2001. p. 262. ISSN 0306-5634
  10. ↑ "WESTAIR – HOME". westair.com.na.
  11. ↑ "World Air Forces listings (ROK Navy)". flightglobal.com. November 1999. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  12. ↑ "HM Coastguard Counter Pollution Equipment Manual" (PDF). gov.uk. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  13. ↑ "High Flyers – Tales from the Aerial Survey Team". gov.uk. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  14. ↑ "About".
  15. ↑ Taylor 1988, p.80.
  • 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.
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