It is what it is, with design probably very strongly influenced by a FedEx requirement. The FedEx current and future orders would justify production.

Not the first proposal in this class of aircraft but this may be the first to actually be built. "Wizard" aka Flukey Luke was also pushing a similar type but larger aircraft some years ago, stating, with his usual impeccable honesty, that he's bought a couple of hundred off the plan! It was the Utilicraft FF-1080, twin PW150s, 20,000 kg disposable load, single pilot, which it appears never progressed beyond a wet dream. I'm not sure how they thought twin PW150s would push a 40 ton aircraft to 250 kts? :}

I suspect this aircraft will feature strongly in FedEx hub and spoke feeder operations in the USA. The PT6 is ideal for this purpose, despite the probably high cycles.

I suspect it will struggle as a commuter, for the same reason the Shorts SD3-30 and SD3-60 struggled, speed, lack of pressurization and payload/range limitations.

Same pax capacity as a Twin Otter for around 40 kts (25%) increase in speed but loss of STOL ability? Interesting the choice of a couple of 1,100 HP -65's to carry 19 pax, versus two 650 HP -34's on the DHC6-400. The Beech 1900D has similar engines, same pax capacity, pressurised but 50 kts faster.

FedEx will ultimately buy around 250 of these. They know what they're doing in the freight world.

Importantly, Cessna should make sure the aircraft can perform in ISA +20 degrees and high altitude airport capability, preferably at MTOW. That would be good!

It's what will work for FedEx. They have operations in Colorado 5,000msl and ISA+20 in summer..

A modern Bandit replacement.

Mmmm...............I wonder what its ice-carrying capacity is going to be?

Better than a Caravan I'd imagine..

Would be nice but a bit of a handicap on fuel flow for the same number of seats and not a lot of difference on book values with speed.

Uhhh, yeah, but the Bandit can't carry 3 LD3 shipping containers, which I expect, is a lot more relevant to Fed-ex and Cessna than how if compares to the Bandit as a passenger hauling machine.

Is it going to have a ramp door like the CASA 212?

The drawings I've seen show it with a large aft side door that the containers would slide into sideways then get moved forward, so, no aft ramp.

That's good. We agree that it's not a Bandit replacement then :p

I reckon they could get a few more knots out of it by streamlining the front end a little. It's pretty square and old-school looking. Looks like an EMB110 or worse.

SWTT - there was nothing wrong with an EMB-110 in it's time. Made me my retirement fund thank you.

I'm sure the nose of the 408 is exactly how they want it, despite the input from the know-alls on Pprune. After all, they have certified more designs that any other manufacturer on the planet.

Might have to do with the fact that it's designed around 3 LD3 shipping containers, which are kinda square.

There's no shipping containers in the cockpit.

Seems they pilfered the design from another well known company.

https://www.hobbywarehouse.com.au/le...rgo-plane.html

Ah, the Leggo Bristol Freighter !

Well, no, there's not. But there are shipping containers immediately behind the cockpit. If the fuselage necessarily must have a large, rectangular cross section 6 inches aft of the pilots seat, there's probably not much point in making the cockpit narrow and sleek like a Learjet.