Running Costs of a Cessna Caravan

[Gazeem]

Hi,

a bit of a shot in the dark perhaps?

but

does anyone out there have any idea of the (hourly) running costs of a Cessna Caravan, before I go and speak to the people who sell them?

Any info greatly recieved.

Gaz

[Daifly]

Can't think DOC's aremuch above £200/hr plus variables. Crew/Insurance/Hangarage/Finance on top though. That's all up to you to budget!

Crew: £30k/yr (Freelance would be cheaper).
Insurance: Really haven't an idea - probably high if SEIFR work undertaken once JAR levels the playing fields.
Hangarage: Do u need one?
Finance: Depends on your requirements for borrowing.

You do know you can't operate them under SEIFR at present though?

[floppyjock]

Gazeem
Try the Army Parachute Association at Netheravon in Wilts. They bought a brand new one last year, they might have some good info.
01980 633371
Some of their pilots are also PPruners so they might help you.

Floppy

[AMEX]

Gazeem, check your Private Mail but if you need more infos then email me (check my profile). Daifly's estimation sounds pretty fair though. As for the Public Transport SE-IFR, well things are moving in the right direction but not as fast as we would like it.

[TheDrop]

SEIFR is a commercial matter only, private ops have no special limitations to my knowledge.

Commercial:

Isn't it still allowed (in the UK) to fly IFR during the day, as long as there is 1 mile vis and 1000 feet ceiling at both destination and alternate ? Cargo only, of course.

In Scandinavia there are no limitations for SEIFR, except cargo only. But you must have an approval for it. And set up contiguency enroute procedures.

[Daifly]

The Drop - yep, SEIFR is only a commercial matter; you can fly privately. Rather a strange situation - the lesser experienced pilots in PA28's etc can go flying happily in bad weather (subject to IMC rating and minima vis.) yet aircraft flown by professional pilots to company operating procedures cannot fly in IFR. That's not having a go at PPL level flying, there are some great IFR PPL's out there, but it seems paradoxical that pilots who fly every day cannot operate passenger flights in IFR with one, very reliable, PT6. Ho hum, that's the law for you!

It's now legal in Ireland, France and many JAR other states (my list is not by me!) to operate SEIFR, so it's only a matter of time until the UKCAA concede - however, as always, they do seem to be dragging their heels.

The caravan is a fantastic aircraft, there's no doubt its cargo lifting ability is second to none in its class. If the US are happy to have SEIFR aircraft whizzing about, then I really don't see that we have any argument at all.

[STOL]

Wild Geese Parachute Club in Northern Ireland also operate one. I have found Bob Crowe at Cranfield very accommodating in the past but of course his interests are to sell you one!
Great aircraft & with a PT6 on the front would be as happy to fly IFR as most piston twins

STOL

[AMEX]

There was hope to have commercial SEIFR approval by november this year but as it is very often the case in the aviation industry, things seem to have slipped by another 6 months. I suppose the bright side is that once SEIFR is here, it will be here to stay.
Hey now it's time to get your already rated/experienced 208 pilot!!! I have a special offer for the first company interested :D ;) Don't miss out :D :D

[ 25 October 2001: Message edited by: AMEX ]