Aircraft Review - Cessna Caravan 

Glad you enjoyed it! It’s awesome in real life and the sim 🤙🏻

Same here. I really like flying this plane in flight sim.

I've had three trips aboard the Grand Caravan, my last one being in the 'spare front seat'. It's a lovely aircraft. I reckon I'll take another trip in the Grand Caravan soon. Try a trip aboard a real one. You'll love it.

Why aren’t you a real pilot?

Glad you enjoyed it, and I hope you have the opportunity to fly one some day my friend! What you see here is a 2019 Grand Caravan EX. Amazing plane. All footage is flight from Salmon, Idaho and Indian Creek USFS airstrip.

@@TurbinesandTailwheels Yes I know, it IS a amazing aircraft and I know it was Real. I said "I" was a Sim flyer and intended repect to you. It's a shame sometimes when you try to be respectful and it bites you in the...Butt...

So sorry, I totally misread that. Yep you’re right, it’s a sweet plane whether in real life or in the sim 🤙🏻

Stephen I’d love to brainstorm with you and find a way to help you get just the right Caravan for your budget!

Kaitlynn, I’m so glad you enjoyed the review! I haven’t flown the plane on MSFS, but have heard from several people that the Caravan is one of their favorites to fly on the sim. I’m looking forward to trying it virtually now!

Yep, they just keep workin’! Which charter outfit did you fly for?

Not a Pilot, miss the Grinders! sniff...

I’ve recently learned that Rafael. Good info. Are RNAV approaches the most common there in South America? Or other land based Navaids?

@@TurbinesandTailwheels Rnavs on most of airports, ILS on more busy or weather restricted ones, and just a few are VOR only. I would say RNAV have taken the country by storm since 10 years ago.

ME TOO !

Apart from another engine you mean 😊

@@SpatialGuy77 When the first engine fails the second takes you to the scene of the crash :)

@spatialguy5571 The odds say that you’re more likely to die in a twin than a single at this level of flying. In a twin you’re more than twice as likely to have an engine failure, and when you do there’s no requirement that it stay airborne (I fly a King Air 350 which is just at the weight and passenger capacity to require balanced field conditions and segmented climbs), and even still.. mishandling of the aircraft will result in a fatal Vmc roll. and there are a lot of equalizers that will result in both engines failing (running out of fuel, misfuelling, bird strike, volcanic ash, incorrect maintenance done on all engines, and shutting down the wrong engine) and now you have a plane that is much heavier with a higher stall and landing speed than a single engine plane. Let’s also not forget how many twins have crashed with both engines running. No.. I fly this plane, and a King Air.. and I don’t feel safer in one vs the other. Over water might be a different story.. but for most missions a forced landing would be survivable with the Caravan’s low speeds and docile handling.. and it can glide a long way with the prop feathered.

Now that is a good point. I suppose the basic nature of the aircraft design and its size lend it to serviceability. I've never worked on one as an A&P, so I don't have first hand knowledge.

What would you say is the most difficult service task you encountered on the Caravan?

@@TurbinesandTailwheels I can't think of anything other than a few spots on the engine are a bit difficult to access. Keep in mind the Caravan was designed with input from operators. They needed a reliable plane with a very high dispatch reliability rate and Cessna built them one. I hope their new twin was put together with the same philosophy. Since I worked for an FBO where two were based during the daytime, we took care of any write ups which mostly were tires and brakes but once in a while we did 100 hour inspections where we downloaded data and sent it to the home base. One memorable thing was the instrument panel slid out on rails after taking a few screws out. Easy. You had to watch your fingers on the front ladders though.

Thank you!!

Looking forward to watching together and chatting!

Pedro, high altitude does effect blood oxygen saturation. The FAA provide strict guidelines for pilots with regard to supplemental oxygen for themselves and for passengers. Rules for private operations are less stringent than for commercially operated aircraft. For example, pilots of private aircraft must use supplemental oxygen after 30 minutes above 12,500' MSL, and at any time above 14,000' MSL. For pilots of commercially operated aircraft, those altitudes are much lower.

It’s easy to love Jim!

I think there's an STC to add reinforcements to the trailing edge for that; can't remember who owns it... AeroTwin maybe? HAHAHA

In all seriousness though, the Grand Caravan EX is THE FASTEST amphibian/float plane you’ll find.

Glad you enjoyed it Ibrahim. You are welcome!

It probably makes it worse due to the fact it’s pushing the plane left. The reason it’s on the right is so that the pod doors can be on the left and easily accessibleby the pilot without them getting soot on or through them.

Mark, I agree - it's a great airplane! Funny you should mention wheel pants: Raisbeck Engineering is in the process of certifying (via STC) nose speed fairings, aft body strakes, and wheel pants. I was able to fly their experimental Grand Caravan with the speed fairing and aft body strakes recently and plan to publish an article later this week about the results. The wheel pants weren't far enough along in their development for me to fly those, so I don't have flight data there. Definitely will have speed improvements, or fuel savings. However, for rough strips many operators like the AeroTwin gravel deflectors, which will not be compatible with the wheel pants.

Interestingly, the Daher Kodiak 900 is a speed-faired version of their 100.

In my experience on a plethora of light aircraft, the wheel pants aren’t worth the effort. And in the Caravan EX, neither is it to climb above 13,000 and have to deal with oxygen and cold and having to plan a half hour descent so we don’t blow our ear drums. She’s a solid 170 knot bird. More than good enough for me.

💪🏼

@Alex, good observation; however, this video was not taken from jetAVIVA's channel. It IS the exact same content. This is Tom Dafoe, with jetAVIVA, at your service 👍🏼

I recognise Salmon ID (paved runway), and Indian Creek ID (unpaved runway). Salmon (KSMN) is in the middle of a lot of challenging and fun airports to fly into in MSFS. Soldier Bar and Lower Loon Creek are two of my favourites.

@@JaidenJimenez86 thanks for those answers !

Randy, thank you. There are a few ideas to consider between the 3 & 4 bladed props, but ultimately the biggest treason they now come from the factory with the McCauley 4 blade is that Textron purchased McCauley, so continuing to install the Hartzell 3 blade was feeding a competitor. In terms of performance, there is very little difference. The three bladed has slightly better stopping performance. The four bladed has a smaller diameter therefore slower tip speeds resulting in slightly reduced noise and vibration. Some operators in Alaska and similar rough environments like the three blade because the blades are wider so there is more material to absorb nicks and damage repairs. Others like the 4 blade better because it is lighter weight, has a longer overhaul period, and a better warranty. And sometimes it just comes down to personal preference and looks.

Grand Caravan can easily have six very comfortable seats, along with a lav in the back (albeit only with a privacy curtain).

Oh the keypad would be a sweet upgrade! I do not think Cessna has any plans to add that to the type design in the near future unfortunately.

Not sure I understand. The aircraft featured in this review is a 2019 Grand Caravan EX.

I appreciate your wise words of instruction.

@@TurbinesandTailwheels I agree a little about the music but as a camera operator I have to say that was an excellent little production it looked great.

@@thedave7760 Thanks Dave, ya this wasn't the best sound track. But I still love having music to video. I get not everyone does, that's just me though. And kudos to my pal Dustin Breau for the camera work.

Try and remember that you arnt making the video for you. Its supposed to be for your audience. This sounds like a tictok video. Hardly professional.

Lavatory options are available, even flushing ones! The most common aftermarket providers are Yingling and Wipaire, but there are others as well.

Glad you enjoyed it. Yep, this would be the ultimate for backcountry camping 👍🏼

Thanks man - that seems to be the consensus about this sound track 😂. I have not had the opportunity to fly a Texas Turbines modded Caravan yet, popular with jump zones. Looking forward to that someday 🤙🏻

@@TurbinesandTailwheels I’ve rewatched the video and I retract the comments about the music. It’s not that bad! 😂😂😎

Glad you enjoyed the content Jim. Sorry the sound track wasn’t so hot.

It’s the multi mission rockstar!

@@TurbinesandTailwheels rockstar indeed.

Ever heard of the pilatus pc12?

@jaggerdfletcher1618 This is better than a PC-12. Much more versatile.

Yes James! I agree and plan to do that comparison in the near future. 👍🏻

Haha I taught him everything he knows 😂

Good point Markus. The number noted for Grand Caravans did not include the number of Grand Caravan “EX” units: approximately 580 more planes. There are between 1500-1600 legacy 208Bs in operation.

🙌🏼

Negative. That would be the DHC- 2 Beaver. The Caravan is still an outstanding and versatile aircraft and I reckon with upgrades it will be around a very long time.

Absolutely! Over 100 serving the communities of Alaska, connecting remote villages with the rest of the state and providing essential services. Such a great workhorse.

Isn’t it though? I agree!

Well, Tom died in an aircraft accident recently. I believe he was an aircraft broker, so I'd guess he did a lot of this stuff - showing off different aircraft to prospective buyers. I don't think he was trying to look like he was a Caravan pilot, but he was a pilot and obviously knew enough about the systems to talk about them.

Jim, I’m curious what statistics you’ve seen to back up that claim. The PT6A is one of the most consistently reliable aircraft engines ever produced.