General Aviation

Cessna 208b

Manufacturer: Cessna

The Cessna 208 Caravan is a versatile, high‑wing utility aircraft produced by Cessna. First flown in 1982, it is powered by a single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop and can seat up to nine passengers in an unpressurized cabin. Its fixed tricycle gear can be fitted with floats or skis, allowing operation from a wide range of airfields.

Aircraft Facts

Type Key
cessna-208b
Class
General Aviation
Registry Count
650
Example Registration
N101CG

Specifications

Wingspan
15.87 m / 52 ft
Length
11.46 m / 37 ft
Height
1.37 m / 4.49 ft
Max Speed
113 km/h / 70 mph
Cruise Speed
344 km/h / 214 mph
Range
1980 km / 1070 nmi
Ceiling
7600 m / 25000 ft
First Flight
1982-12-09
Production Start
1982
Total Built
3000

Aircraft Overview

History

The project began on 20 November 1981 at Cessna’s Pawnee engineering facility. Chief engineer John Berwick designed the aircraft after approval from Dwane Wallace. The prototype flew on 9 December 1982, and the production model received FAA certification in October 1984. Deliveries started in 1985. A freighter version, the Cargomaster, was created for FedEx, and a 4‑ft longer 208B Super Cargomaster first flew in 1986, later evolving into the passenger 208B Grand Caravan in 1990. The aircraft has seen continuous upgrades, including a glass cockpit in 2008 and a higher‑powered Grand Caravan EX in 2013. Production moved to Independence, Kansas in 2016, and a Chinese assembly line began in 2013.

Design

The Caravan is a high‑wing, braced monoplane with a single PT6A engine in tractor configuration. The cabin holds nine passengers and two crew, with four doors (two crew, one airstair, one cargo). An optional underslung cargo pod can be added. The fixed tricycle gear can be replaced with floats or skis for amphibious or snow operations. The aircraft burns 48 gallons per hour at 170 kn for a 200‑nm range and can be configured for passengers, cargo, or skydiving.

Variants

Key variants include the original 208 Caravan (PT6A‑114), the 208A Cargomaster (pure‑cargo), the 208B Grand Caravan (4‑ft longer, PT6A‑114A), the 208B Grand Caravan EX (PT6A‑140, 867 shp), the 208B Super Cargomaster (FedEx cargo), and the Caravan Amphibian (float‑equipped).

Operations

Caravans are used worldwide for flight training, commuter airlines, VIP transport, cargo, skydiving, humanitarian aid, and law‑enforcement missions. FedEx operates 239 aircraft, and the type has logged 24 million flight hours by 2022. It is certified in 100 countries and can operate from short, unprepared strips.

Notable Facts

  • First flight on 9 December 1982.
  • FedEx chose the Caravan as its standard freighter after testing the prototype.
  • The 208B Grand Caravan EX has a 38 % better climb rate than earlier models.
  • By 2022, 3,000 Caravans had been delivered.
  • The aircraft can be fitted with floats, skis, or a cargo pod for versatile operations.

Variants

  • 208B- 650 registrations - Example N101CG

Machine-Readable Resources

Sources