20 Years of service for the skylane on steroids...one more year and she can drink in the states..
April marks 20 years since Cessna delivered its first Model 208 Caravan, a workhorse turboprop single popular in bush, utility and cargo operations throughout the world. Some 1500 examples of the "Skylane on steroids" have been delivered since and the company is celebrating with a worldwide demonstration tour featuring well-equipped versions of the airplane. Numerous planned stops throughout the U.S. and Canada during 2005 will be complemented by visits to the Caribbean and Central America in March and April, South America in April and July, Africa in August and September, and Europe beginning in February and lasting through October. Available in four models, Cessna says its Caravan is operating in 68 countries, has flown more than eight million fleet hours, and logs over 70,000 fleet hours per month. At the same time, the Caravan has been the subject of a recent Airworthiness Directive that "results from several accidents/incidents of problems with the affected airplanes during operations in icing conditions, including six accidents in the previous two icing seasons and nine events in the past few months," according to the FAA. The AD requires operators to incorporate into the Caravan's FAA-approved Airplane Flight Manual specific revisions published by Cessna.
Her stout, dignified stance, found on many a ramp will always have a home in my heart! Might make a nice personal mover in executive configuration as my retirement approaches in the next 50 years
its nice to be flying something that:
a) isn't 3 times my age
b) doesn't smell like dead fish/dead moose/dead geese/dead skunks/diesel (you pick) on the inside.
thanks for not stinking, caravan. i love your new car smell.
and thanks for getting me thru yesterday's ice and tstorms...you get me home every nite.
New car smell? You've obviously never been inside C-GJJM. sn 20800029, I believe that makes it the 29'th off the line? Northway has been flogging the "Viking Express" up and down "the coast" of Manitoba for almost as long as there have been Caravans. I can't see it retiring anytime soon. A true testament to one of the best bush airplanes ever. I would imagine that either JJM or one of Wasaya's would have to be the highest time in the world. Is C-FKSL still around?
giligan
JJM may have lost it's new car smell, but NWV still has it. A Caravan is a money maker. JJM is around 15,000 hours so I think Wasaya's yellow bird has it beat for TT.
It is a sweet airplane and I am excited to start flying it. Heading down to Flight Safety on sunday for my initial course. Ours has also lost that new smell. It does not smell like fish, just rig pigs(not sure which is worse)
They're a bitch to fuel on wheels too. 800lbs a side..... wait for air to vent out... okay another 50lbs... wait..... okay time for another 50..... wait.... shake the plane a bit... another 50... etc etc. full fuel in the caravan was never fun. How many operators actually have the single point option?
Yup I have to agree that they are a pain to fuel either way. I fueled one of Air Mik's at way to early in the morning at -too daym much with a truck that had issues but I still liked fueling it. They are a very elegant machine look fast just sitting on the ramp.
I am not dissing the Van, but it's a pussy to fly. Maybe new pilots should start off on it before going on to "harder" types. Northway's JJM is a clapped-out piece of sh*t.
