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The answer is wherever your journey takes you. The CESSNA CARAVAN and GRAND CARAVAN EX turboprop aircraft with fixed landing gear has seen operations in all corners of the world on all types of runways in regional, rural, and remote Australia from bitumen to claypan, and asphalt, to grass runways.
Plenty more muscle with the Grand Caravan EX
Viewed by many as the pinnacle of single-engine turboprop family, the Grand Caravan EX aircraft hauls even more, climbs better, and flies faster with its class-leading Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-140 turboprop engine. Delivering 28% more power than the -114 turboprop engine on the short-body Cessna Caravan, the payload capabilities of the Grand Caravan EX outperform other single-engine utility turboprops in challenging conditions or tough mission profiles. It enables flexibility to operate in and out of more short runways with 14% improvement in takeoff performance (distance to clear 50 feet) at sea level and 38% improvement in climb rate. Its four-blade MCCAULEY propeller offers better ground clearance as well as better noise reduction.
Benefits of the PT6A-140 engine includes:
- 28% more horsepower
- 14% better takeoff performance (distance to clear 50 feet) at sea level
- 38% climb rate increase
- 8% higher max cruise speed
Today’s factory-built aircraft are equipped with the GARMIN G1000 NXI and Flight Stream 510 avionics as standard. This flight deck is ready for the new generation of pilots – whether flown by a single pilot or a crew of two. The Enhanced Automatic Flight Control System (E-AFCS) is also available as an optional feature to further reduce pilot workload. Pilots who have flown Cessna and Beechcraft piston aircraft will appreciate its user-friendly cockpit environment which aids their transition to a much powerful airplane For example, watch how US country singer Nick Hoffman stepped up from flying piston aircraft to become a private pilot on the Cessna Caravan turboprop.
Often flying in and out of some of the world’s most demanding environments, the utility turboprop’s dependability and versatility come true to its form by the variety of missions it undertakes in the region. There is plenty of room for passengers and cargo. For example, the Grand Caravan EX can be configured to an 8-seat executive transport with plush club-style seats to, depending on local regulations, a 14-seat commuter or tourist sightseeing airplane. With its generous payload capacity, it has also seen success as a revenue-generating freight hauler as well as modifications into a parachuting platform, air ambulance, airborne surveillance platform, and other special missions. Operators rely on both the Caravan and Grand Caravan EX to be a cost-efficient and proven airplane and lauds its reliability, performance, and low operating costs.
Genesis of an icon
Textron Aviation has invested in ongoing improvements of the turboprop aircraft and the Caravan aircraft has defined versatility and rugged performance in the single-engine utility turboprop category. Conceived as a rugged utility aircraft with low operating costs, the aircraft was designed for use in remote areas with extreme weather changes, mountainous terrains, and rough runway conditions. Today it continues to see wide use in globally by a variety of customers such as private companies, commuter airlines, charter operators, government agencies, law enforcement agencies, armed forces, freight haulers, wildlife conservation, and humanitarian organizations. There are some 200 Caravans currently operating in a variety of configurations throughout Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.
Surpassing 3,000 deliveries and still going strong
A special milestone was recently reached when a Grand Caravan EX was delivered to Azul Conecta, a subsidiary of Azul Airlines based in São Paulo, Brazil. This aircraft represents the 3,000th Cessna Caravan family turboprop delivered, reinforcing the Cessna Caravan as the most popular utility turboprop in the world. Reaching the 3,000th aircraft milestone is no mere coincidence. No other utility turboprop aircraft surpasses its reputation and proven track record of over 19 million flight hours since its introduction.
Learn more
For more information on the Cessna Grand Caravan EX, visit the Grand Caravan EX website.
