F406 Caravan II
An F406 of the Hellenic Coast Guard
Role	Twin-engined utility
National origin	France
Manufacturer	Reims Aviation
First flight	22 September 1983
Developed from	Cessna 404

A Cessna F406 of Air-taxi Europe

A F406 Surmar at Paris Air Show in 2007

The Reims-Cessna F406 Caravan II is a twin turboprop aircraft manufactured and designed by Reims Aviation in cooperation with Cessna.

Design and development [link]

The F406 Caravan II is a twin turboprop engined, fourteen-seat low-wing monoplane of conventional aluminium and steel construction. A development of the Cessna 404 with two Pratt & Whitney PT-6 turboprop engines, it is similar to the pressurized Cessna 441. The aircraft first flew on 22 September 1983, and is still produced by Reims Aviation.

The F406 is aimed at passenger and small cargo transport, and civilian and military surveillance. For extra cargo capacity a cargo pod can be fitted to the belly of the aircraft. The Surmar is a new maritime surveillance version of the aircraft with extra equipment such as a 360 degree radar.

Though the two engines make it more expensive to operate than similar aircraft such as the single-engined Cessna 208 Caravan I, having two engines makes it comply with European regulations regarding commercial operations, which only allow multi-engine aircraft for commercial instrument flight.

Accidents and incidents [link]

• 3 November 2001 – Shortly after takeoff from runway 03R at OR Tambo International Airport, an F406 crashed, killing all 3 occupants. The accident was probably caused mainly by a 16% over-load. The cargo, including two 3-meter-long steel bars, was not properly fixed and shifted the airplane's center of gravity beyond the certified rearward limit during takeoff rotation. Additionally the aircraft did not have a valid certificate of airworthiness at the time of the incident.^[1]

Specifications [link]

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988-89 ^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: Two
• Capacity: 12 passengers
• Length: 11.89 m (39 ft 0 in)
• Wingspan: 15.08 m (49 ft 5¾ in)
• Height: 4.01 m (13 ft 2 in)
• Wing area: 23.50 m² (253 ft²)
• Empty weight: 2,283 kg (5,033 lb)
• Gross weight: 4,246 kg (9,360 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-112 turboprop, 373 kW (500 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 424^[3] km/h (263 mph)
• Cruising speed: 370 km/h (230 mph)
• Range: 2,135^[4] km (1,327 miles)
• Service ceiling: 9,145 m (30,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 9.4 m/s (1,850 ft/min)

See also [link]

Related development

• Cessna 404
• Cessna 441
  

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Beechcraft King Air
• Cessna 208 Caravan I
  

References [link]

• Taylor, John W.R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988-89. Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Defence Data, 1988. ISBN 0-17-060867-5.
• EASA Type Certificate

External links [link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Reims-Cessna F406

• Reims Aviation (official website)
• Airliners.net