A Grand Design

The success of the designed was further emphasised by the fact that it remained fundamentally unchanged until the Grand Caravan EX was unveiled in 2007. The EX came with Garmin G1000 avionics, TKS Ice Protection and all-importantly, a more powerful engine. The ever-reliable Pratt & Whitney PT-6 engine was upgraded to the PT6A-140, generating 867 shaft horsepower (shp), or 200 more horsepower than its predecessor. Of the Grand Caravans sold, more than 400 have been the EX.
The formula may seem relatively straightforward. Single pilot operations, simple systems, a high degree of reliability, versatile in its capability and possessing low operating costs. A simple formula, but a challenge for any manufacturer – Cessna seem to have got it right.

‘The formula to this success may seem relatively straightforward.’

Behind the Numbers

Whether an aircraft is a private tourer or a commercial workhorse, there are certain facts and figures that are particularly meaningful to the operation. It may be the range of an aircraft with the entire family on board, or it may be whether the available payload is enough to make a freight company profitable. With its vast range of applications, the Grand Caravan EX has to answer these questions for multiple scenarios, including when the aircraft is equipped as a floatplane.

The EX with an external cargo pod has a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 3,995kg and offers a useful load of more than one-and-a-half tonnes at 1,607kg. This aircraft can, and does, use that available payload in a variety of ways. In a maximum seating configuration of 14 x 77kg people on board, the aircraft can still carry XXXX of fuel and offer a range of XXXX on commuter or scenic runs. In doing so, it runs at a miserly 38 cents per seat mile.Configure the aircraft more spaciously to carry 11 in a commuter configuration and the range extends to XXXX nautical miles.

If a special mission is called for such as police surveillance, it has an outstanding endurance of eight hours and with excellent slow flight characteristics can hold station and loiter with efficiency.
The numbers for the task-specific Super Cargomaster are even more impressive as the absence of seats logically lowers the empty weight and avails a greater payload – nearly 1,800kg in fact. Not immediately evident by the numbers is the volumetric efficiency of the cabin. It’s angular, rather than tubular, cross-section provides a a better fit for the boxes it is asked to lift. No wonder FedEx loves them!
In its own right the cargo pod carries XXXX kg in its 111 cubic feet capacity. Its four compartments are accessible by large individual doors, with the central compartment holding the anti-icing fluid if the TKS system is fitted.
Even when loaded to its capacity, the Caravan EX can take-off from 2160 feet and land in only 1870 feet. While the aircraft is not pressurised, fitted with supplemental oxygen it has a ceiling of 25,000 feet, but to be honest that’s not where the Caravan calls home. At 10,000 feet, it is free to ply its trade at a very respectable 185 knots.
With a maximum range of over 900 nautical miles, the Caravan EX has long legs, but its versatility is the most impressive aspect of its performance figures. Fast or slow, long range or loiter, comfort or cargo, the aircraft can fit the bill.

Standing Tall

The heat from the ramp outside the Hawker Pacific facility at Bankstown Airport can be felt through the soles of the shoes. The low cloud and rain of the previous day has been replaced by a cloudless sky and a sun that is beating down. While the Caravan EX is approved for flight into known icing conditions (FIKI), the current conditions are more reflective of the environment in which the aircraft would be called to operate in around Australia’s top end.
The most striking first impression is how tall the Grand Caravan sits on its fixed tricycle undercarriage – it dominates the other light aircraft around it. However, sheer size and capacity is not its only strong point as I begin an external walkaround with Textron pilot, Jeremy Schrag. This is a very well thought-out aeroplane.
The almost Cessna trademark wing struts extend up from the fuselage just in front of the main landing gear. Nearby is the filler port for the anti-icing fluid and single-point refuelling station if it is fitted – a greatly appreciated option for floatplane operations. Sensibly, this all takes place about the aircraft’s centre of gravity and the strut extends up to the wing on both sides at a junction which houses fresh air intakes for the cabin. Some aircraft have these intakes, or ducts, on the aft fuselage where they are still susceptible to harvesting the scent of engine exhaust – not the Caravan. They are well removed and definitely in the free airflow.
The wing itself is the first hint that the Caravan EX is “just a big Cessna 182” as so many people state. It is a big wing, true, but aside from the streamlined weather radar pod on the leading edge of the right wing and LCD nav lights, there’s nothing fancy. Big solid flap hinges, relatively highly cambered aerofoil, dual pitot-static probes and so on. The sprung-steel undercarriage has a broad gait and little more. The aeroplane looks built to work, but the subtle fact is that it still cruises at 185 knots. Clydesdales aren’t often racehorses.

The nose gear is also deceptive. At first glance it appears to be the standard nose oleo arrangement, but it is actually a dampening arrangement engineered with a slightly arced drag link and a snubber system. This is good news for outback operators as there is no integral seal that can fail and leave the nose strut compressed. No oil – no worries. Very clever.
There is very little that needs to be said about the venerable Pratt and Whitney PT-6. Beneath the cowls is a very well laid out turbo-prop engine turning out XXXX shaft horsepower. Manually activated inertial separator to the rear, ‘sight glass’ oil level gauge, easily accessed hot section for maintenance and an even easier-to-access and remove battery. For the record, in a situation where electrical power is lost, the battery can provide up to 60 minutes of power with some shedding of services.
The exhaust is channeled out via a single exhaust stack beneath the fuselage on the right hand side. This not only rids the forward field of view of an exhaust on each side of the cowling, but removes the distortion of visibility that such a configuration can cause and consequently interfere with surveillance duties. That exhaust scent is also dispatched down and away from the passenger cabin.
Head-on the Caravan EX boasts a four-bladed Hartzell propeller with a great deal of clearance from dirt airstrips that it could be called to operate from. Like a number of highly powered single-engine turboprops, the engine is slightly offset to counter the yaw on take-off that such a powerful engine-power combination can generate.
Stepping back and continuing to walk around the Caravan EX, the ‘stretch’ from its predecessor is apparent. A two-foot section, both fore and aft of the wing root separates the EX from its predecessor. Logically, the stretch is either side of the Centre of Gravity, so one could assume that there was minimal impact upon the balance characteristics of the aircraft when it was extended.

The aft section of the aircraft has a towering, but conventional, tailplane. The entire empennage is solid and practical, with both the rudder and elevators horn-balanced. There is a control lock evident on the port-side for use when parked in gusty conditions, although this automatically disengages when… On the underside is the port for the ‘pogo-stick’ to avoid any possible chance of the Caravan EX sitting on its tail during loading.
Entry to the cabin can be achieved through three major means – the passenger air-stair on the right side, the huge two-part freight door on the left side and the crew door. Although the Caravan sits tall, the passenger air stair extends low to the ground allowing ease of access. On the opposite side, the cargo door can accept a pallet, but there’s more to it than that. With the single exhaust located underneath and on the other of the fuselage, the Caravan is able to load and unload with the engine running, that is achieve ‘hot turnarounds’, without the exhaust flowing straight back at the ground crew.
From a pilot’s perspective, the crew door allows boarding via a small self-contained ladder. Once standing at the entry to the cockpit there is a handle to brace with, allowing an excellent view of the wing’s upper surface and one last peace-of-mind check that the fuel caps are in place and secure. This is a very well planned aeroplane.

Taking Flight

Within the cabin, the Caravan EX is a chameleon. Its interior can range from a spartan freighter interior through to the ‘Oasis’ suite of executive luxury. In between lies a range of variations that offer commuter passenger comfort, while a ‘combi’ option can plug windows and remove seats to quickly ready the aircraft to carry cargo.

‘Within the cabin, the Caravan EX is a chameleon.’

Seated in the cockpit, the Caravan EX has a presence. This is partially due to the height the pilot sits above the tarmac and reinforced by the excellent visibility. The outlook is achieved by the expansive windscreen supported by a large side window with a low sill. Furthermore, the leading edge of the wing sits some distance back and so as to not obscure the view.
Inside, the cockpit is well laid out and functional. Switches are grouped logically, everything is within easy reach and the fuel selectors are big and obvious, located overhead – minimising the piping to the tanks one would suspect. Everything has a substantial feel and it does actually feel like a big ‘182’ – but that’s a good thing as that aircraft has a reputation for reliability and getting the job done.

One distinguishing feature of the latest EX is the Garmin 1000 NXI avionics suite. It has increased processing capability which means that it ‘boots up’ more quickly after start. Additionally, it has an enhanced HSI with various overlay options, a vertical profile display, numerous charts and an optional ‘Surface Watch’ function which offers various cues and warnings relating to the runway for take-off or landing.

Jeremy and I are both keen to get underway and allow the air conditioning to cool us down, so without fuss we start the PT-6 with the simplicity that these amazing Pratt and Whitney engines are started around the world. In no time at all, the engine is stable and the NXI avionics come to full life in a fraction of the time normally associated with the G1000.

Taxiing the Caravan is simple and the rudder pedal forces are well in line with the aircraft’s size. The brakes don’t need to be touched either until approaching the run-up bay as the speed is simply controlled by easing into ‘Beta’ range to slow down. Preflight procedures are minimal and straightforward, lending the aircraft favourably to multiple sectors and short turnarounds. Soon we are cleared for take-off to the west and entry into controlled airspace.
Jeremy had advised me that the performance figures were conservative and he wasn’t kidding as we became airborne just beyond the numbers and climbed away at an impressive angle. From the outset, the aircraft handles without vice. It has to be positively flown and trimmed, but when it is sitting in its slot, it is a very stable aeroplane. This makes for a smooth ride for passengers and a stable platform for the special missions to which the aircraft can also be adapted.
Level at 6,000 feet it’s the prop RPM at 1750 we have a True Airspeed (TAS) of 184 knots, just as advertised. I also note a blue ‘bug’ on the torque gauge, colloquially known as the ‘cruise bug’. This clever blue indicator appears to show the optimal torque to be set, taking into account the actual ambient conditions in a way that the tables in the performance manual cannot.
Clear of controlled airspace, I fly a series of manoeuvres including steep turns and I am very impressed with the handling of the aircraft, both with and without the yaw damper engaged. Throughout, the aircraft responds in pitch and roll in the right measure for the inputs through the yoke and once an attitude is set, it holds it. In the slow speed regime this is particularly evident and it is easy to see why the aircraft is well suited to surveillance operations with such good low speed handling and extensive endurance.

‘Once an attitude is set, it holds it.’

Moving through the flap range, in both extension and retraction, there are definite pitch changes, but these can be easily trimmed out. In fact, Jeremy showed me the ideal way to manage the situation with ease by starting the electric trim as soon as the flap is selected and holding it until the flap reaches the selected position. The timing of flap and trim is virtually identical and makes for very smooth transitions.
All too soon we begin a descent to return to the circuit and although the Caravan EX looks like a workhorse, as we said, looks can deceive. I can personally attest to the fact that the aeroplane can quite quickly approach its limiting airspeed when it is pointing downhill.
The aircraft’s excellent handing characteristics hold true in the circuit. On downwind behind much slower aircraft, the aircraft can be reeled right in to conform to the traffic and with a little extra width, save air traffic controllers a headache. Aiming for around 80 knots over the threshold, the speeds are comparative to a much smaller distance and the propeller disc serves as a tremendous aid in speed control.
Raising the nose cowling to the horizon sets the attitude for the flare and the wide sprung undercarriage offers a great degree of forgiveness. Even with only Beta selected, the landing roll is short, so it is easy to see how the landing distance quoted in the manual can be achieved, if not beaten, when reverse is employed.
Taxing back to the parking bay, Jeremy reminds me of a light shudder the undercarriage can sometimes be produced under braking due to the geometry of the landing gear. However, despite our best efforts, we are unable to replicate the effect, so I suspect its occurrence may be the result os a particular taxiing technique.
With the brakes parked, I shut the Caravan EX down and its propeller slowly spools down to a halt. I open the crew door and extend the ladder. This has been a most enjoyable flight.

Exquisite Simplicity

The numbers in which the Grand Caravan has been produced and the minimal differences the latest EX bears compared to the original model stand testament to the designers ‘getting it right’ in the first place.
It is a relatively simple aircraft, but able to perform a broad range of roles with reliability and cost efficiency. It could be anticipated that a commercial pilot with some hours in the log book could transition onto the aeroplane without too much difficulty. This not only reduces training costs, but allows the Caravan EX to comfortably slot in as the turboprop flagship of an otherwise piston-engined fleet.

From its favourable handling characteristics and operating envelope to its practically thought-out nose gear assembly and exhaust system, the Grand Caravan EX exudes exquisite simplicity in an aircraft that will please those that operate then as well as those that are fortunate enough to fly them.