Cessna has announced a new aircraft; an unpressurised turbine twin suitable for passenger and cargo operations.
Parent company Textron Aviation announced the Cessna 408 SkyCourier this week with an order of 50 for the new type from delivery company Fedex.
Like the much-used Cessna 208 Caravan, the SkyCourier will have fixed landing gear. It will have a maximum cruise speed of up to 200 kt, a load capacity of 2700 kg (6000 lb), or 19 passengers, and a 900 nm maximum range. Range with a full load of passengers is 400 nm.
Power comes from two 1100 shaft horsepower (820 kW) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65SC turboprop engines, turning four-blade Macauley propellers. The engine, which uses electronic condition reporting, has a time between overhaul of 6000 hours. Airframe construction is conventional aluminium alloy.
In overall size, the SkyCourier is roughly comparable with the 18-passenger Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante, built between 1968 and 1990, which was powered by an earlier version of the ubiquitous PT6A engine.
The SkyCourier is expected to enter into service in 2020. Aviation International News reports a list price of $US5.5 million ($A7.3 million)
Looks like Cessna had an eye on the time when the world would run short of DHC6 Twin Otters.
Looks like a perfect replacement to me.