Caravan 208 B

[flyndad]

Any helpful pointers for transitioning into this aircraft with no experience whatsoever?

[Dronepiper]

It’s essentially just a large C172 with a turbine.

- Pay attention while starting the engine to avoid a “hot start.” Usually a weak battery and short attention span is a common cause of hot starts, but you can also really screw up if you have the manual override lever in the wrong position, or if you decided to throw fuel at it too soon.

- Be carful loading the plane from the rear. Don’t assume the pogo stick will protect you from dropping the tail due to mis managing the loading. Make sure you always monitor passengers embarking or loading from the rear, and meter their flow as needed to ensure there isn’t too many people in the rear of the aircraft at once. This it true for most small aircraft with rear loading doors. Passengers cause 90% of tail drops on small planes.

- Avoid ice like the plague. Your boots are essentially just for show. So many Caravans have crashed because of ice accumulation. Don’t sit in ice, always look for a way out. Always leave your self a safe way out of any situation. If you need to approach and land with ice on the wings always add as much extra airspeed as safely possible. 10-15 kts at a min.

I know a lot of Caravans are getting TKS deicing installed. Hopefully your bird will have it.

[triplebarrel]

If you learn the engine you learn the plane. Hot starts are caused mostly by a lack of Voltage. Make sure you have the min to start. the POH is very good. Great machine to fly, stay on your numbers, and don't push yourself at the beginning. Everything said above was bang on! but I only used one with TKS, even with TKS you should not sit in the ice, always have an out/exit strategy. I typically just used the tks to get through/ out of ice or on appr. You don't wanna sit there and burn it. If you can't get it done safely then don't worry about it. Don't forget you have to decrease your take-off weight if you fly into known ice. With that being said with zero experience I don't think you are going IFR?

I don't know what "zero experience" means. Does it mean fresh cpl or no turbine, or just no 208 exp? I recommend some commercial experience with your company prior to flying it. Company procedures, routes, weather, loads, etc. If need more line indoc, take it!

Always monitor your pax embark and disembark. One at a time. Passengers do not listen so I always stood there while they embarked. The colder it is outside the less they like to listen lol

[PilotDAR]

As you should with any engine, treat the PT6 gently with power increase, squeeze the power lever, rather than pushing it. Too fast from low power to high, and the prop cannot change pitch to fine as fast, and will overspeed as it catches up at high power. Most Caravans will have some form of data recording, and maintenance will know you did it, so don't - eeeeasy with power applications.

On approach, ease the last bit of power off slowly. Though I am a fan of power off approaches for skill, not so much with the Caravan, until you're used to it. As the power reduces below 400 inch pounds, you'll feel quite a thrust reduction, which will surprise you, and you'll want to add in some power again. Go easy there, until you're used to the effect. Once you're used to it, it's really nice for dropping in over the fence.

Though I'm not using first letter to form new words to remember things (so I don't remember the word for doing it, 'cause I don't), I do remember "FBI" - Fuel/Boost/Ignition - to check and select in case of power loss.

Use the pre start checklist (well, use all the checklists) so you have everything selected correctly to prevent a hot start

Get ready for very heavy nosewheel steering, allow yourself room while taxiing to get used to it. Once you're used to really putting a whole leg into it, they steer well, and tight!

If you're flying it on floats, for heaven's sake, get training on blade latches, and really be sure of what the engine and propeller are going to do next, before you untie from the dock!

[FishermanIvan]

If you're flying it on floats, for heaven's sake, get training on blade latches, and really be sure of what the engine and propeller are going to do next, before you untie from the dock!

Calling Seair...

[NotDirty!]

On approach, ease the last bit of power off slowly. Though I am a fan of power off approaches for skill, not so much with the Caravan, until you're used to it. As the power reduces below 400 inch pounds, you'll feel quite a thrust reduction, which will surprise you, and you'll want to add in some power again. Go easy there, until you're used to the effect. Once you're used to it, it's really nice for dropping in over the fence.

All good advice, however I believe the tendency you’re referring to happens at more like 4800 inch-pounds, or 400 ft-lbs in units the torque meter indicates in.

Your advice against rapid power lever movements applies to all PT6 engines! Although it works as a demonstration of how/when the fuel topping governor works, I can’t imagine this is good for the engine!

[PilotDAR]

Yes, you're right, 400 foot pounds, not inch pounds. 400 on the torque meter.... it's been a couple of years since I rolled that over in my mind!

Don't expect to be trained on the standby power lever, and for certain, make sure it is stowed in it's gate. That said, though I never used it in the Caravan, I did get to use it during maintenance ground runs in the Turbo Beaver, and satisfied that I could get home with it no problem. You just have to be really gentle and slow while changing power. Needing to use it is not entirely out of the question, I once did shut down a Cheyenne engine at the point of an FCU failure. Had the Cheyenne had standby power levers (twins don't), we could have flown home on two rather than one. 'Saved the engine though!

Get a little time to yourself in the cockpit, particularly getting in and out, and closing the door. It's all straight forward, though making it look like you're an old pro at it takes a little practice. If the door is fully open, you probably cannot close it from the inside yourself (particularly with the chain still connected), so have the door started closed as you enter. The folding step requires a little practice pulling up too. And for heaven's sake, when you open the door and extend the step, do not just drop it out! It'll bang down, and piss off the airplane owner to no end! Fold the lower portion out first, then lower the whole thing down with grace - practice this! It sounds silly, but it's the little things you care about which will catch the eye of the training pilot and owner.

Make sure that the upper half of the left rear door is properly latched - they've been known to pop open in flight. Not critical, but not good either!

Understand the external rudder lock. Not a problem, but a unique feature you should understand.

Icing vulnerability aside, the Caravan is an awesomely well thought out airplane, and designed to be trouble free to fly, it really does handle like a giant 172.

[PT6-114A]

I have just a couple hours in this wonderful bird. I do have to ask those that talk about the standby power lever making sure it’s in cutoff for start. All the ones I flew it was always witness wired in the stowed position and the only time I have ever had to use it it would break the witness wire and was for maintenance checks. If you were needing to use it in flight it should only to be to get to the ground and some sort of maintenance was required. It’s definitely not a complicated airplane but I hate when people say it’s just a big 172. It’s much heavier, faster and if one is not paying attention it will bite you for sure.
Boots or TKS get the hell out of icing! I would alway try climbing to get out of ice because you can always go down. With boots airspeed is your friend cycle them lots! Keep them clean (All year round) and ice-exed.
The pilot, co-pilot finger bitters aka the ladders yes extend and let down gently!
The doors can definitely not be unchained when you have belted your self into the seat of leg 12 of the 13 hour day!!
Starts. I was always told add fuel at 10% (min RPM I believe) if you have a good battery it should give you 13-15% let it go there then add fuel makes a big difference to the start and is only a couple more steamboats on the starter. (This is for all PT6’s) Ya ya shitty battery all bets are off.
Taxiing I think if it’s loaded properly it taxis great. Nose heavy sluggish and heavy, tail heavy and it plows and super light.
Lots of people have run into trouble because it’s the first plane they fly with an auto pilot and they think it can be put on and the read the paper or a magazine (oh shit! That’s how old I am!!) I mean look at their phone or iPad now a days, and the airplane bites!
People like to compare it to the DHC-3 the wings on these planes are very different and were made for very different roles. One is a bush plane the other was made to haul boxes from strip to strip at a good speed.someone just brought it into the bush now it does a good job off a gravel runway Don’t ask it to be a STOL plane or get mad that it’s not a real shot field performer.

[PilotDAR]

All the ones I flew it was always witness wired in the stowed position and the only time I have ever had to use it it would break the witness wire and was for maintenance checks. If you were needing to use it in flight it should only to be to get to the ground and some sort of maintenance was required.

Agreed. And the DHC-3Ts I've been flying this week also have the standby power lever "softwired" off. That said, while doing the ground runs on a Turbo Beaver a few years back, I had the opportunity to ground run the engine using the standby power lever. It was not a big deal, but yes, sensitive. Carelessly used, you'd do expensive engine damage. I suggest that any PT6 single engine pilot seek out the opportunity during maintenance runs, to practice with the standby power lever.

It’s definitely not a complicated airplane but I hate when people say it’s just a big 172. It’s much heavier, faster and if one is not paying attention it will bite you for sure.

Not quite so agree. Okay, it's bigger and heavier than a 172, agreed, but it is very well designed to be simple to fly. There is nothing difficult about it, once you are properly trained. If it bites (other than airframe icing) I'd like to hear how, It is a very benign wing, and gives ample warning in all phases of flight if you're pushing things. That's not a suggestion that you should push it, but it's got no "close under the surface" vices, you gotta dig deep to anger it!

[digits_]

The c208 flies like a c172 if you don't transition from a c172 to a c208

If you jump in a 208 after only having flown a 172, it will take a while to get comfortable with it, before it feels 'like a 172'. I'd say that's true for most certified planes. The more types you have flown, the more of them will feel like a 172, and after less and less hours flown.

Even a citation feels like a 172 after having flown a metro

[Edo]

All the ones I flew it was always witness wired in the stowed position and the only time I have ever had to use it it would break the witness wire and was for maintenance checks. If you were needing to use it in flight it should only to be to get to the ground and some sort of maintenance was required.

Agreed. And the DHC-3Ts I've been flying this week also have the standby power lever "softwired" off. That said, while doing the ground runs on a Turbo Beaver a few years back, I had the opportunity to ground run the engine using the standby power lever. It was not a big deal, but yes, sensitive. Carelessly used, you'd do expensive engine damage. I suggest that any PT6 single engine pilot seek out the opportunity during maintenance runs, to practice with the standby power lever.

It’s definitely not a complicated airplane but I hate when people say it’s just a big 172. It’s much heavier, faster and if one is not paying attention it will bite you for sure.

If the aircraft came from the factory with trend monitoring the standby power lever will not be softwired, it will be free as the box records position. A good training program will demo this in flight at altitude. Its not as sensitive as its made out to be. Check the position on EVERY before start flow. If its not stowed it WILL hot start (too much fuel) unlike the power lever (its position is ignored during start sequence, but it will schedule more fuel after starter cutout)

Its NOT a big 172 - with upgross you are almost 10,000 lbs IFR float and strip capable with a high stall speed, below 80 on approach and it bottoms out in the flare.

Have fun

[TailwheelPilot]

I suggest that any PT6 single engine pilot seek out the opportunity during maintenance runs, to practice with the standby power lever.

If the aircraft came from the factory with trend monitoring the standby power lever will not be softwired, it will be free as the box records position. A good training program will demo this in flight at altitude. Its not as sensitive as its made out to be. Check the position on EVERY before start flow. If its not stowed it WILL hot start (too much fuel) unlike the power lever (its position is ignored during start sequence, but it will schedule more fuel after starter cutout)

Using the EPL from simulated FCU failure to a landing was standard where I flew the Caravan. It is a non-event. I am kind of surprised EPL use is not required in training.

[bcflyer]

Flew the Caravan for a few years in the late 90’s. Very capable airplane. Handles ice just fine if you follow the POH. Lower take off weight, don’t get below the published min speed in ice and nothing more than light icing. As mentioned above I wouldn’t sit in ice for very long, but if you follow the POH you’ll be fine.

PS it’s not a big 172.

[goldeneagle]

PS it’s not a big 172.

So true, the 208B I flew back in the 88/89 timeframe only had two seats, so it's just like a great big 152...

[bigredone]

Flap is everything as evident by how the wing looks extended versus without. As for icing conditions, when you decide it's time to bail follow these steps before the turn: Separator closed, max power and some flap. Once you're pointed down hill heading the right way you can reconfigure(separator first then flap) but we've lost more than a few 208s to stall spin. It is underpowered and under winged but that's needed to be an economical success.
I am a fan of the van but well aware of its dirty little secrets.