HI Brian,
Yes that also was me. hair already white by then, so most of it fell out after that. there were other incidents in between, but that is for another thread.
Lilflyboy262,
or should i say Cessna salesman, I cannot accept your statements regarding Airvan performance without a little comment.
I may be a little biased to the GA8, BUT I used to fly charter in a Robbie U206 and have flown 207's as well. after close to 3,000 hours in GA8 normally aspirated, and turbocharged GA8 TC320, and after operating in them in more than 20 countries, including teh Subcontinent, equatorial tropics, central Australia, PNG highlands, all through Central and South America ( 5 Andes crossings) . I have operated from 10,000ft elevation (12K density Ht) fully loaded in normally aspirated, and never had the 100-200 ft ROC to which you refer, well maybe out of Quito on a hot day, fully loaded, normally aspirated 100-200 fpm is not unusual, but that is a bit of an exception.
If you fly an Airvan like it is supposed to be flown i.e. NOT like a cessna, it will perform within the performance specified in the AFM POH. the charts and table in that document for GA8 is very conservative, unlike the earlier C206 POH, a very slim document that was written to comply with a significantly lower standard of compliance. apples and oranges as far as the books and their figures are concerned.
I have flown with many experienced Cessna pilots who just don't get it. The Airvan has a different wing in every way, different flaps, in every way and completely different sight pictures for all flight regimes, yet many 206 drivers will apply their 206 tribal knowledge, numbers and attitudes to the Airvan, then complain that it's not a 206. DUH!
The GA8 will and does carry the additional load for several reasons, but in the main it is it's efficiency in the normal flight regime is what allows this. Cessna may be slimmer. sleeker in profile, etc, and whilst it has been backbone of the industry in the back blocks for decades, it has many aerodynamic deficiencies that limit its capabilities. the GA8 is a better moustrap which utilizes a lifting body fuselage, trimming stabilizer and lifting tail to provide the ability to carry more on the same power. maybe you should go down to the factory and give them the benefit of your deep understanding of aerodynamic principles, to explain why you believe that the GA8 wont lift as much as a 206 on a hot day. I know it will beat a 206 hands down as i have taken off from tropical airports on stinking steamy days overloaded like you can't believe (overwater ferry fuel allowance) and climbed away happily at Vy at a soggy 400 fpm, which i was quite satisfied with, for a 15 hour stint, on a standard seat, without an AP. happy happy happy.
Like i said, I am a little biased, but certainly not inexperienced on Airvans and 206's. Lilflyboy, you have had your say in a few posts on this topic, now i have had mine. I do not intend to enter a slanging match, just to put a few things right.
Gimme my Airvan any day. Oh and I love the elbow room, not so squeezy.
HD
PS: GA 10 is gonna be AWESOME. I will be operating them just as soon as i can get my hands on one.