Page 8 - Twin and Turbine December 16

SPECIFICATIONS
Cessna Grand Caravan EX
replaced by a recycle system that simply burns the leftover fuel at the next start-up. And because our demo bird had the optional 300-amp generator (in addition to a standby alternator) there was extra ductwork to cool the big dynamo.
There’s a lot of thought in the Caravan’s design, oriented toward keeping it running out in the field. The lead-acid battery is easily serviced, or removed, by swiveling it away from the firewall on its mounting. The hinged cowling halves prop up to keep them off your noggin, and the cockpit doors have restraint rods to hold them from banging forward in the wind while you’re working under the hood up front. The ignition exciter box is vital for starting, so an extra unit can be carried on a mount provided beside the primary box; all you have to do is switch three Cannon plugs to get home.
The massive three-blade Hartzell propeller has a diameter of 106 inches, with plenty of ground clearance; a four-blade McCauley Blackmac prop is an option. The well-braced nosegear is mounted right behind the propeller disc to protect the prop when negotiating dips in rough ground. The demonstrator’s maingear, which flexes on long maintenance-free springs, was fitted with the optional 29 x 11-10 high-floatation tires in place of the standard 8.50 x 10 tires. For all its off- road capability, the subject airplane was equipped with a vapor-cycle air-conditioning system, very welcome in the tropics. Heating is provided by warm compressor bleed air, modulated by a heat exchanger.
Fuel is carried in integral tanks in the wings, all 335 usable gallons of it. It’s usually burned simultaneously,
2016 base price $2,527,900
Performance
Powerplant
Seats
Fuel
Certified ceiling
Max. cruise speed
Stall speed
Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A- 140, 867 shp
10-14
339.1 gal.
25,000 ft.
195 kts
61 kts
2,160 ft.
1,871 ft.
1,125 n.mi.
1,330 fpm
8,842 lb
8,807 lb
8,500 lb
4,558 lb
5,394 lb
4,284 lb
3,348 lb
52.83 ft.
8.17 ft.
41.58 ft.
21.33 ft.
5.17 ft.
4.25 ft.
Takeoff distance (50 ft. obstacle)
Landing distance (50 ft. obstacle)
Max. range (w/reserve)
Weights
Dimensions
Climb rate-sea level
Ramp
MTOW
Landing
Empty, std.
Empty, as tested
Useful load, std.
Useful load, as tested
Wingspan
Height
Length
Cabin length
Cabin width
Cabin height
Information: www.txtav.com
6 • TWIN & TURBINE
DECEMBER 2016