[6] FedEx needs a mix of aircraft to fit their destination airports. I think it will be a hit. The SkyCourier made its first public appearance at the EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh in 2021. Other cargo companies that use feeders who fly Caravans are usually low bidder bottom feeders who dont pay that well, using well used airplanes, not multi-million dollar new ones. (Passenger versions are also in the mix.). I predict that we will see the 408 operating on floats and even skis sooner rather than later. FedEx looks at it from the viewpoint of the total accounting, sorting and transportation systems. No, it doesnt have the STOL capability (but then, maybe it is good enough). Think Dash-8. deck with faster, brighter, high definition displays How hard could it be to swap the current 172 fuselage with a modern, composite one? With Out over the Lake, I could clearly see an ice dam building on the leading edge of the wing and I let the flight attendant know that she need to get on the horn and tell the crew. When you post a message, your IP is logged and may be provided to concerned parties where unethical or illegal The twin will always have its place in aviation. Passenger cabin shots showing seat arrangements as well as cargo aircraft interior, Cargo Aircraft Cessna 408 SkyCourier Interior The market never really took a sharp upward turn, but a decade later, it has recovered after a fashion. [29], The SkyCourier is a twin-turboprop, high-wing, utility aircraft. 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Cessnas SkyCourier program has benefited from a third test aircraft joining the test fleet late in 2020. The 408 seems to come directly from that DNA. [12] The design will be certified to FAR Part 23 standards. They are commonly used in my area for skydiving. , I have excitedly followed the SkyCourier development. A full-scale mockup of the 19-passenger cabin was displayed at the October 2018 National Business Aviation Association convention. I wish others in the aviation industry could respect that for what it really is. of large freight, including palletized and containerized Cessna produced more than 2,500 of these from 1985 to 2015, including nearly 300 Super Cargomaster variants that the company delivered to Federal Express feeder airlinesan armada of small aircraft moving little packages between rural outposts and major air freight hubs. Theres also a separate cockpit door that leads to the outside world. Views from inside the cockpit, Aircraft Cabins WebFlightSafety is the factory-approved training provider for the Cessna SkyCourier. There werent other takers in the fast ship market then. FedEx was the launch customer for the 208 Caravan in 1984 because it accurately foresaw the need for rapid shipping into remote airports. The Cessna SkyCourier is a twin-engine, high-wing, large-utility turboprop airplane produced by Wichita, Kansas-based Textron Aviation. It was snowing like crazy and the wind was blowing so hard that it felt like I was looking out the cockpit window due to the crab the crew had to maintain on final. Also - skis? Youre looking at it backwards, from the viewpoint of an owner/operator. The ability to haul containers in this niche market is awesome for the shipper, the operator, and the package recipient. hmmm . AVSIM Online - Simming's Premier Resource! also regarding your mention of cost of AVGAS vs. JET-A. I think it will come down to how much overlap there is in the intended uses for both aircraft. The more the industry drags out phasing out 100LL, the more susceptible it is to looking unconcerned about public health risks. Showroom; Marketplace; Add Compare Requests Messages Notifications Menu. entry stairs leading to an extra-wide passenger door. carry more cargo and execute more operations day after day The large 7ft 3in by 5ft 9in (2.21 m by 1.75 m) cargo door facilitates fast and simple loading That says a lot for reliability. I would be very interested in the specifications on this aircraft. Definitely one of my favorite twins. Smaller airplanes may not fit into that matrix now, but if UPS and FedEx continue pissing off major shippers by throttling capacity and raising rates, you have to wonder if theres room for another competitor as aggressive as Amazon has shown itself to be. by Heliian Thu May 21, 2020 11:02 am, Post Single point refueling, ground service bus, and a flight It was ugly, slow and noisy but for the most part we got to the destination on time despite the weather. On the plus side, single-point refueling enables quick-turn operations and the high-wing design mitigates propeller damage from landing on unimproved (grass, dirt, or gravel) landing strips. Kenn Borek does land in some unique and out of the way places. Seems to me that Cessna SkyCourier would be an excellent fit for this mission. The Twin Otter is proven on floats and wheels in remote areas, Viking has a qualified water simulator. The 100 - 300 series was in production from 1965 to 1988. Considering there are aircraft out there with automated condition and prop pitch settings, I wonder ifmanufactures are either lazy. behavior is apparent. Undoubtedly, a few rural-service commuter airlines also will find the aircraft attractive. If form follows function, then this is a beautiful airplane just so many good design decisions. It carries almost everything. Aircraft flying government officials, Helicopters But that would require recertifying the plane and is probably not worth it. And I mean really quiet. No doubt the Twin Otter was the initial inspiration for Textrons slightly fatter, faster, and more capable twin-turboprop, the $5.5 million Cessna Model 408 SkyCourier, currently wrapping up flight testing and due to be FAA certified shortly. Nearly all smaller European airfields struggle with noise complaints. Today we will be taking a look at two very similar aircraft.First the very famous heavy payload capability and large cabin volume, you can If it is raining your cargo will get wet during handling from the cart to the cargo hold. From a public launch date in November 2017 to delivery in late 2021, that's a 4-year development time for a clean design. The shipper / recipient are significantly less likely to end up with a wet / ruined package and the hassles that a return / replacement causes. by bring me the horizon Wed May 20, 2020 6:38 pm, Post The 408 also has single-point fueling for rapid (and probably hot) turnarounds. Bet its sexy inside though, and under the hood. Yes, it is square and boxy looking. [6][9] Time will tell. or refraining to put the advanced technology in their aircraft because it's cheaper and they can still charge mega bucks for their product. It looks like FedEx will start taking delivery this year. The Cessna SkyCourier offers significant advantages over the Twin Otter for operators who don't need the short-field take-off runs of the Twin Otter. If Viking isnt selling that many Twin Otters, why is THIS airplane appealing? high reliability and low-cost operations. Fixed gear. Certainly seems to be volume in package delivery these days. The metal construction and PT-6 engines means it can be serviced anywhere in the world. Utilitarian was their goal I guess. Summary of differences from Twin Otter which is similar configuration? provides a remarkably low cost of transportation for a It was a noisy SOB. It will cruise up to 200kn (370km/h), with a maximum range of 900nmi (1,700km). Never mind that, Pelton said, the company would stay on the gas with new products so as to be ready when the market turned upward again.. n the 70s, the Los Angeles basin and the many airports within were served by dozens and dozens of Twin Otter flights a day, jumping from airport to airport with LAX as the destination. It's tempting to decry the disappearance of the classic country airport. Beautiful shots taken while the sun is below the horizon, Accidents turboprop of its class. Like a miniature Hercules. EAA 1317610 I7-7700K @ 4.5ghz, MSI Z270 Gaming MB, 32gb 3200, Geforce RTX2080 Super O/C, 28" Samsung 4k Monitor, Various SSD, HD, and peripherals. by all_ramped_up Wed May 20, 2020 5:10 pm, Post Thats triple the growth in 2019. This can make a big difference when it comes to operating costs. I dont remember Electra, Herc, and Convair 640 being especially quiet. Probably hell built for stout with uncomplicated systems that just work well. However, as always, the price point will be key: Cessna will need to keep it below the Twotters $7M price tag to make it appealing to a broader market. On Sunday morning. All rights reserved. By the way, they LD-3 base is basically 5 X 5 X 5 high. Do it! We know that the Skycatcher is designed in part for the FedEx operation. Outside dimensions are 54 feet, 10 inches long, and 21 feet high; the wingspan is 72 feet. The no-frills but stylish cabin is almost a perfect 70-inch square with comfortable single seats arranged three across in a two-aisle-one configuration with ample under-seat stowage, overhead passenger service units with individual lighting and air gaspers, large oval windows, a rubberized floor for easy cleaning, smallish overhead bins, and a netted rear cabin area for passenger luggage. by propfeather Wed May 20, 2020 9:22 am, Post Cirrus Vision Jet G2 vs Cirrus SR22T There's a reason you still see single otters and caravans at the same operator. This is obviously a pavement princess. Having had extensive hours flying Tecnam products and being around them, I question how durable they are in the long run vs the competition. Yeah, they look similar and are nearly the same size. What about the British one, the Shorts? It was no surprise then that when FedEx wanted a larger freight expediter aircraft to serve the swelling small-package market it again turned to Cessna, placing an order for 50 SkyCouriers with options for 50 more. Its the 21st century for gods sake. Still a beautiful utilitarian form follows function aircraft. items, so you're in the air The Model 408 was launched on November 28, 2017, by Textron Aviation, with an introduction planned for 2020. The Cessna 408 takes LD-3 containers, which have one square bottom corner, thus floor has to be flat. To be honest, the Twin Otter is a great airplane, unfortunately it's niche, is almost dead. STCs. by porcsord Wed May 20, 2020 2:47 pm, Post The last mile of this is still handled by trucks, but the middle mile between the big airplanes and the trucks will still require smaller airplanes; a lot of smaller airplanes. Fedex has ordered 50 with an option for 50 more. Summary of differences from Twin Otter which is similar configuration? Its actually very well sized for real world operations. Textron Aviation unveiled the model in late 2017, and it is significantly larger than the Twin Otter with a wingspan that is nine feet longer and a maximum takeoff weight that is nearly 7,000 pounds heavier, yielding twice the cargo capacity of a Caravan. With the growth in small- and mid-sized cargo markets, a LOT more places can get overnight shipping service. Folks, the ecomerce market is likely changed forever and methods of transport will continue to evolve. 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