Cessna 208 Caravan

Summary

Category	Combat aircraft
Origin country	🇺🇸 United States
First flight	9 December 1982
Year of introduction	1984
Number produced	3000 units
Average unit price	$2.1 million

Description

Cessna initiated the Caravan project on November 20, 1981, tasking its Pawnee engineering facility with the design and development. John Berwick, then chief engineer at Pawnee, envisioned a high-wing aircraft with a substantial payload capacity. His concept, pitched to Vice President Bill Boettger and subsequently approved by Dwane Wallace, led to Berwick informing Russ Meyer of his design plans. The prototype made its first flight on December 9, 1982, leading to FAA certification of the production model in October 1984. Deliveries commenced in 1985, coinciding with the approval of amphibious floats. Federal Express commissioned a freighter variant, known as the Cargomaster, which omitted cabin windows. The 208B Super Cargomaster, featuring a lengthened fuselage and an underbelly cargo pod, first flew in 1986, gaining FAA type certification the same year. A passenger version, the 208B Grand Caravan, derived from the Super Cargomaster, entered service in 1990. The Caravan's design evolved over the years, with avionics upgrades in 2008 to incorporate a Garmin G1000 glass cockpit system. In January 2013, the higher-powered Grand Caravan EX, equipped with an 867 shp P&WC PT6A-140 engine, was FAA certified. Cessna moved the 208 production line to its Independence, Kansas, facility in August 2016.

The Cessna 208 is a high-wing braced cabin monoplane characterized by its strutted wing design. It is powered by a single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop engine in a tractor configuration. Its airframe incorporates a fixed tricycle landing gear, though it can be adapted with floats or skis for varied operational environments. The aircraft’s cabin is designed to accommodate nine passengers and two crew members, featuring four doors: individual doors for each crew member, an airstair door on the right side of the cabin, and a cargo door on the left. An optional underslung cargo pod can be attached to increase cargo capacity; many variants feature this for additional freight or passenger baggage. The cabin can be arranged to accommodate passengers, cargo, or a combination of both, with configurations ranging from high-density airline seating to low-density passenger layouts. Later models of the Caravan were upgraded to a glass cockpit with the Garmin G1000 system.

The AC-208 Combat Caravan variant features wing hardpoints, enabling it to carry ordnance. The ISTAR version, developed by ATK, is armed with Hellfire missiles and has been utilized by the Iraqi Air Force. The MC-208 Guardian multi-role aircraft can perform aerial surveillance, close air support, casualty and medical evacuations, air mobility, and precision strike.

The Cessna 208 Caravan has seen extensive operational use across various sectors and regions. Certified in 100 countries, it has served in roles ranging from flight training and recreation to commuter airlines, VIP transport, cargo operations, and humanitarian missions. Government agencies employ it for law enforcement, air ambulance services, and military transport. The AC-208 Combat Caravan, armed with Hellfire missiles, made its combat debut with the Iraqi Air Force in January 2014 against insurgents. Other nations in the Middle East and Africa are slated to receive AC-208s through the Foreign Military Sales program. In August 2021, Afghan Air Force pilots used an AC-208 to escape to Tajikistan. In November 2021, Egyptian Army Cessna 208s were deployed to combat smugglers in western Egypt.

Main Variants:

208 Caravan: The first production variant, equipped with a PT6A-114 turboprop engine and designed to accommodate up to nine passengers.
208A Cargomaster: A pure-cargo version of the Caravan, specifically developed for Federal Express (now FedEx), with 40 aircraft produced.
208B Grand Caravan: A version of the 208, marketed as the Grand Caravan, that is 4 ft (1.2 m) longer and fitted with a PT6A-114A engine, originally certified as a two-seater cargo version and later as an 11-seater passenger aircraft.
208B Grand Caravan EX: An upgraded version of the 208B Caravan, certified in December 2012, featuring a more powerful 867 hp Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6A-140 engine to enhance the rate of climb.
AC-208 Combat Caravan: A Caravan variant equipped with wing hardpoints for military applications, such as the ISTAR version used by the Iraqi Air Force armed with Hellfire missiles.

Technical specifications

Version: 208B Grand Caravan
Crew	1 or 2 pilots + 9 passengers
Wing area	26 m² (279.9 sqft)
Wingspan	15.9 m (52.1 ft)
Height	4.3 m (14.2 ft)
Length	12.7 m (41.6 ft)
Service ceiling	7600 m (24934 ft)
Empty weight	2073 kg (4570 lbs)
Max. takeoff weight	3970 kg (8752 lbs)
Climb rate	3.9 m/s (12.8 ft/s)
Powerplant	1 × turboprop Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A delivering 505 kW

Current operating countries

Country		Units
	Brazil	30
	Colombia	27
	Pakistan	13
	United Arab Emirates	13
	Iraq	9
	Jordan	8
	South Africa	8
	Guatemala	5
	Paraguay	5
	Venezuela	5
	Argentina	4
	Honduras	4
	Kenya	4
	Niger	4
	Tunisia	4
	Cameroon	3
	Chile	3
	Lebanon	3
	Panama	3
	Chad	2
	Mauritania	2
	Mexico	2
	Philippines	2
	Rwanda	2
	Uganda	2
	United States	2
	Yemen	2
	Zambia	2
	Bahamas	1
	Bahrain	1
	Bangladesh	1
	Djibouti	1
	Dominican Republic	1
	Mali	1
	Peru	1