 Caravan |  Super Caravan STANDARD DATA: (Model 675) Seats 2-14. Empty wt. 3,973 lbs. Maximum Useful Load 4,062 lbs. Fuel capacity 335 gallons. Engine Pratt & Whitney PT6A-114A, 675 shp. STANDARD DATA: (Grand Caravan) Seats 2-14. Empty wt. 4,285 lbs. Maximum Useful Load 4,500 lbs. Fuel capacity 335 gallons. Engine Pratt & Whitney PT6A-114A, 675 shp. |
Cessna's biggest single was in a class all by itself from the very beginning. The square-cabin design was roomier than many twins, and the bulletproof Pratt & Whitney turboprop up front made the Caravan 675 reliable and comparatively inexpensive to operate. It could haul a staggering amount of people or cargo, land on virtually any runway surface and gleefully take to the water on floats (the Caravan Amphibian).
In 1987, Cessna introduced the Super Cargomaster, with an additional 340 cubic feet of space, and 720 more pounds of load carrying capacity. The same fuselage would eventually appear as the more refined Grand Caravan in 1990. At 15 feet tall, 41.6 feet long with a 52.1-foot wingspan, it remains the largest Cessna single ever. In 2004, the Caravan was optionally available with an Oasis interior, which allowed the single engine turboprop to compete with the luxuries of any pure jet on the market.
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