Caravan Gouge?
- Thread starter ppragman
- Start date
USMCmech
Well-Known Member
It's a 182.
Seriously, it flys EXACTLY like a 182, except it sits a little higher off the ground. It handles like a dumptruck, but it's built like a brick outhouse.
The PT6-114 is just about pilot proof. The only way you can really hurt anything is with the emergency power lever, which mannually controlls fuel and you will never use it unless the automatic fails for some reason.
Reverse prop pitch is not as usefull for stoping on the runway as I woudl have thought. Since all the reverse thrust is way out front, it causes all the weight to shift to the nose wheel resulting in difficulty in directional controll. Mostly, I pull it back into Beta for taxiing to help save on the brakes.
With the prop feathered, it glides quite well. With the prop high, it comes down like a bank safe.
You'll hear all sorts of horror stories about ice, and the van. The caravan dosen't handle ice any better or worse than any other turboprop. However you are more limited in your options to get away from the ice. Be smart, and request an altitude change as soon as you start picking up any of the cold stuff.
Over all, it's a fun plane. Very simple to fly while you master your instrument skills, and gain real world experiance.
Seriously, it flys EXACTLY like a 182, except it sits a little higher off the ground. It handles like a dumptruck, but it's built like a brick outhouse.
The PT6-114 is just about pilot proof. The only way you can really hurt anything is with the emergency power lever, which mannually controlls fuel and you will never use it unless the automatic fails for some reason.
Reverse prop pitch is not as usefull for stoping on the runway as I woudl have thought. Since all the reverse thrust is way out front, it causes all the weight to shift to the nose wheel resulting in difficulty in directional controll. Mostly, I pull it back into Beta for taxiing to help save on the brakes.
With the prop feathered, it glides quite well. With the prop high, it comes down like a bank safe.
You'll hear all sorts of horror stories about ice, and the van. The caravan dosen't handle ice any better or worse than any other turboprop. However you are more limited in your options to get away from the ice. Be smart, and request an altitude change as soon as you start picking up any of the cold stuff.
Over all, it's a fun plane. Very simple to fly while you master your instrument skills, and gain real world experiance.
I'll disagree with this. Unless, you mean "...other single engine turboprop".
I've flown King Airs and they'll handle a the ice a LOT better than the caravan. The van just isn't fast enough to deal with ice using boots. You need the speed...and at 150-160 knots, the boots are losing effective ness especially on those big wings.
Now, the nice thing is...it's a PT6 and it'll take you as high as you want to go (up to FL200 in ice) if you can keep it above 120.
When I'm flying the van, I don't fly it over large bodies of water (great lakes) and always have an out in case of engine failure or ice. It's a single engine airplane and I treat it as such.
Having said all of that.............it's a 182 with a PT6 up front. I'll second the recommendation of taxing in beta and being cautious of using reverse on the runway. I usually just put it in beta once I'm on the ground...the brakes are good enough that if you don't slam on 'em you aren't going to blow a tire or lock one up.
The systems are pretty simple. It seems like everything is electric or run on bleed air.
We run ours at max tq, 700 ITT or max NG......whichever comes first. I've seen about 165-170 TAS on average which is 150-160 IAS at 5-9k.
It's a fun airplane when it's day VFR, but that's because I'm very uncomfortable with single engine IFR operations. I really don't like it. YMMV.
It's easy, you'll have no problems. Good luck.
-mini
ackeight
Well-Known Member
haha a "little" understatement. You need a freaking ladder to get in! :laff:
Ok on about the Caravan. I'm with mini on this one. Even though it has the MIGHTY PT6 up front I would still treat it as a piston single engine airplane. We have had some engine failures in it before and they probably won't be the last unforntunatly. Again like mini said, ALWAYS leave yourself a way out. You are not flying this bird at 20K+ like other single engine turbs out there. Oh and one last thing I don't like about it, I ABSOLUTLY HATE the caravan in turbulance/WS. It does not take it very well.
On to the good stuff. It is a freight MACHINE (no pun intended) when everthing is running smoothly (WX, MTX, ect.) Sure you won't be going very fast or high, but you are building your turbine PIC time:rawk:. Very simple to use aircraft just as long as you don't get an engine fire, chip detector, or low fuel resevior light you'll be fine.
anic:...as long as you don't get an engine fire, chip detector, or low fuel resevior light you'll be fine.
At least if it's one of those annunciators, you don't have to worry about options. Your decision will be made for you if you can't make it yourself very soon.
-mini
BajtheJino
I'm looking at you.
I wouldn't worry about knowing too much for ground school. Theres not too much to learn. Theres what, one or two flows? One thing I have learned after flying this ugly duckling for the last year-make sure you get a newspaper or a good book to take with you-you are going nowhere fast!
BajtheJino
I'm looking at you.
Just like any other dog. Just carry the extra airspeed and you'll be alright. It's really not as bad as you hear. Direct crosswinds on the other hand...DOOM AND GLOOM!
Coming from the 1900 systems you'll probably keep thinking-Is that all? But yes. That is all.
Coming from the 1900 systems you'll probably keep thinking-Is that all? But yes. That is all.
USMCmech
Well-Known Member
With the huge slab sides, it handles crosswinds like a sailboat. It's not so bad if you carry some speed to the runway, but taxing can be another matter. I've found myself sliding around on wet pavement when taxing on numerous occasions.
It is a single engine, but it is as redundant as a single can possibly be.
When in turbulence, SLOW DOWN. It rides MUCH better at 120-130 than it does at 150. This is not a high speed/high altitude wing.
Re: iceing.
The ice protection will protect you long enough to get out of the iceing conditions, nothing more. Which is all any deice system is designed to do. You can't simply camp out in icing and expect to survive in ANY airplane.
BajtheJino
I'm looking at you.
WHAT!? No way, it takes long enough to get there as it is!:buck:
ackeight
Well-Known Member
True Dat
haha I had Center ask me to slow for "spacing" into PHX in the van a few weeks ago.
"Starcheck xxx slow as much as practical, I need 30 miles in-trail for Phoenix"
"uh....as much as practical....really? This is a caravan."
"Uhm...I'll tell you what, just slow 20 knots. That should work."
I was kind of hoping to see how slow I could get it.
ackeight
Well-Known Member
I REALLY like screwing with approach when they say slow to approach speed while I'm comming in for an ILS. I have like a 180-200 G.S. and then I slow to the caravans "approach" speed of like 100 G.S. They start throwing a caniption(sp) when I do that. That will teach them a lesson. Tell me a damn speed to hold and I'll do it!
mnixon
Well-Known Member
Make sure the pods are closed. You don't want to be at the end of the runway and have someone tell you that you have a pod open. Not that I would know that from experience.
USMCmech
Well-Known Member
Both have happened at my company.
I had the pod A door pop open on take off last night.
I watched one of our mechaincs close the door, and checked it myself. Unfortunetly It wasn't actually latched, it just looked like it was.
My apologies to the Flexjet Challenger crew who had to circle ADS for 20 minutes while the fire dept cleared the runway and returned my intake plugs.
DOOOPPPHHH!!!
I had the pod A door pop open on take off last night.
I watched one of our mechaincs close the door, and checked it myself. Unfortunetly It wasn't actually latched, it just looked like it was.
My apologies to the Flexjet Challenger crew who had to circle ADS for 20 minutes while the fire dept cleared the runway and returned my intake plugs.
DOOOPPPHHH!!!
BajtheJino
I'm looking at you.
My stuff is laying out in some field in W. Kentucky! Oops.
On a side note-my pitot tube heat went out last night, and I look up from the Letters to the Editor and I'm thinking Huh, airspeed at zero but gs as 160. Su-weet! Some nasty stuff in central and south AL last night in the soup. Mod Ice, wind shear all over, snow, rain-wtf?!
mnixon
Well-Known Member
Did that too. I was wondering why the rampies were laughing and pointing when I pulled on the ramp at LCKOr how about a tail stand still on...
First day in the caravan after the checkride, second leg. I hop in and am about to hit the start switch when I see another pilot (different company) running at my plane waiving his arms.
"WTF?" Says I.
Had the intake plugs and prop anchor still in and secured.
...that could have been "embarrassing" to say the least.
-mini