Orca 208s?

[V1 Rotate]

Do they regularly run Caravans over the mountains now?
Hmm...

[Rowdy]

I didnt know they had 'vans !

Was that them I saw in YYF then? or was it morningstar?

[iflyforpie]

How is a Van any worse than all of the Navajos that have been lost doing bag runs in the mountains?

[200hr Wonder]

They are sub chartered from Alkan

[Cat Driver]

How is a Van any worse than all of the Navajos that have been lost doing bag runs in the mountains?

Were the losses in the mountains due to the Navajos or the crews?

[iflyforpie]

That's what I'm saying... it doesn't matter what you fly if you make a mistake. But I also don't think either aircraft is appropriate for going over the coastal ranges year round.

[boeingboy]

They don't have vans. They can barely keep the hoes and metros in the air.

[boeingboy]

V1 - you gone east yet?

[Cat Driver]

But I also don't think either aircraft is appropriate for going over the coastal ranges year round.

Nor do I.

[2550]

Twin turbines only then? There is no plane in the world that will make an inexperienced crew safer.

[lilflyboy262]

A caravan can comfortably climb to 16,000 with a decent load. So whats the issue? Even a few twin turbines with an engine out and a full load will find themselves in trouble over those ranges.

[Cat Driver]

Which will fly further with an engine failure a single engine airplane or a twin engine airplane?

1 -1.....0

2-1......1

[Roar]

Maybe a current C208 pilot could correct me, its been years since i've flown the Van but I seem to remember a chart in the AFM that prohibited flight in any icing conditions above the mid teens.

[J31]

Maybe a current C208 pilot could correct me, its been years since i've flown the Van but I seem to remember a chart in the AFM that prohibited flight in any icing conditions above the mid teens.

Above 20,000 feet

[Redneck_pilot86]

You know guys, just because a Caravan can go IFR, doesn't mean it has to. I know the guys flying here, and they are pretty used to getting challenging jobs done safely. These guys have operated in mountains without incident for years, and I would say the Whitehorse area is more challenging then the Vancouver area. Sure, the mountains aren't quite as big, but the weather forecasting is crap and there is very little support once you are en route.

[Redneck_pilot86]

A caravan can comfortably climb to 16,000 with a decent load. So whats the issue? Even a few twin turbines with an engine out and a full load will find themselves in trouble over those ranges.

What is your definition of comfortably? Even through about 10000' in a gross weight caravan, you are down to around 600 fpm...and that falls back even more as you climb higher. Also, this caravan has no O2, so unless they are carrying portable oxygen they are limited.

[Cat Driver]

Any chance you might pick up wing ice at 16000 feet during most of the year??

[Redneck_pilot86]

Any chance you might pick up wing ice at 16000 feet during most of the year??

Sure, so don't go if there is icing forecast. Pretty simple choice in a caravan.

[Cat Driver]

Sure, so don't go if there is icing forecast. Pretty simple choice in a caravan.

If there are clouds forecast at that altitude there would be icing in cloud..correct?

So there will be a lot of times you would be best advised to not fly a 208 there..correct?

[PT6-114A]

02 is an option in some of the caravans out there. I know a few flying around that have it.

[altiplano]

Remember what happened with the last YVR operator that was regularly running the 'Van over the rocks?

[Cat Driver]

Remember what happened with the last YVR operator that was regularly running the 'Van over the rocks?

Yes they defied all the beliefs so preventable among a lot of pilots that single engine turbines don't quit and even if they do you can find a safe landing spot.

[Redneck_pilot86]

Sure, so don't go if there is icing forecast. Pretty simple choice in a caravan.

If there are clouds forecast at that altitude there would be icing in cloud..correct?

So there will be a lot of times you would be best advised to not fly a 208 there..correct?

Is every cloud full of ice? Do we have to sit at 16000, or could we try 14000? Do we even have to go IFR, or can we get around VFR?
I will agree to your "best advised to not fly a 208 there" statement as far as you are best advised not to fly a 208 at 16000 in icing...but I see no problem flying the airplane within its capabilities in mountainous terrain.

02 is an option in some of the caravans out there. I know a few flying around that have it.

They don't have O2 in this particular caravan, although I have seen it as well.

[esp803]

I'll also vouch for the crews flying that Caravan, they know the limits. I had no problem operating the Caravan IFR up in the Yukon, I certainly would have preferred to be down south for it, where this is more then two ILS's in a thousand miles (not counting Alaska). I suppose there is probably more ice down in the lowermainland area then up in the Yukon.

As stated before, the crews on that aircraft know their stuff and know when to say no.

E

[lilflyboy262]

Cat Driver, thanks for point out that when a single quits, we have no engine.
But what is the TRUE single engine service ceiling on a light turboprop when it is MAUW on a hot summers day? I bet it is below the mountain tops in a lot of those areas. You are just as likely to get into trouble with that too.
Icing at 16000? Depends on the day. Once it gets below around -15 to -20 generally it is only light icing. The van can handle light icing with no issues.
Just keep a very close eye on it. Once the airspeed begins to reduce, get out of it. Either turn around or descend. Pre-flight planning is a must and keeping an eye on escape routes.
O2 is an option in a lot of vans. I've seen it on about 50% of the ones that I have flown.

You just have to know what you are doing with the plane, and be very careful about the situations that you get yourself into. No different to any other aircraft you fly. Know its limitations.