Reims-Cessna F406 Caravan II
The Reims-Cessna F406 Caravan II is a turboprop twin engine utility aircraft manufactured and designed by Reims Aviation in cooperation with Cessna.
Design and development
The F406 Caravan II is a twin turboprop engined, fourteen-seat low-wing monoplane of conventional aluminium and steel construction. It is a development of the Cessna 404 with two Pratt & Whitney PT6 turboprop engines. The aircraft first flew on 22 September 1983, and was produced by Reims Aviation until the company's 2013 demise. In 2014, aircraft engine manufacturer Continental Motors, Inc., American subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, partnered with French-based marketer ASI Innovation to purchase rights to the F406; Continental Motors intends to restart production, including a diesel piston engine variant, with marketing to be carried out by ASI.
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 F406 is more expensive to operate than single-engine aircraft of the same passenger capacity such as the Cessna 208 Caravan, having two engines makes it comply with European regulations regarding commercial operations, which only allow multi-engine aircraft for commercial instrument flight.
Operators
- Australia : Australian Customs and Border Protection Service - Two F406s operated by Cobham Aviation Services Australia for maritime patrols.
- France :
- French Army - Two F406s as utility aircraft.
- Directorate-General of Customs and Indirect Taxes - Used seven F406s for maritime patrol activities. From 2012 onwards being replaced by the Beechcraft King Air 350.
- Greece : Hellenic Coast Guard - Received 3 F406s for maritime patrol activities from 2001.
- Mali : Mali Air Force - Three F406s on order.
- Namibia : Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources - Two F406s for monitoring fishing activity.
- Republic of Korea : Republic of Korea Navy - Ordered five F406s for use as target tugs in May 1997 with delivery from November 1998.
- United Kingdom :
- RVL Aviation - Three F406 used in multiple roles (including one operated on behalf of HRMC listed below).
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - Two F406s operated by DirectFlight for monitoring fishing activity.
- Her Majesty's Maritime and Coastguard Agency - One F406 for pollution detection, vessel identification and SAR top-cover.
- Marine Scotland - Two F406s for monitoring fishing activity.
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