Cessna 408 SkyCourier explained

The Cessna 408 SkyCourier is an American utility aircraft designed and built by the Cessna division of Textron Aviation.It was launched on November 28, 2017, with an order for 50 from FedEx Express, with the aircraft designed for the needs of its FedEx Feeder service.It made its first flight on May 17, 2020, and was type certified on March 11, 2022. FedEx took delivery of the first production model on May 9, 2022.[1]

The SkyCourier is a twin-turboprop, high-wing aircraft, available with a 19-passenger accommodation, or in a cargo variant sized for three LD3 sized unit load devices.The non-pressurized design is built from aluminum and is equipped with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A engines and fixed landing gear. The 19000lb MTOW airplane can cruise up to 210knots, with a range of 386nmi with 19 passengers.The passenger version is outfitted as a combi aircraft that can be rapidly converted to an all-freight configuration.

Development

The Model 408 was launched on November 28, 2017, by Textron Aviation, with an introduction planned for 2020, as a FAR Part 23 type certified design.[2] Like the earlier Cessna 208 Caravan, the 408's design was developed with FedEx Express to match the needs of FedEx Feeder service; FedEx requested an aircraft that could haul, twice the payload of the 208, and could accommodate entire LD3 sized unit load devices.[3] [4]

FedEx Express was the launch customer, with an order of "50 cargo aircraft and options for 50 more".[5] [6] Its unit cost then was $5.5 million.[7]

Initial wind tunnel tests were completed in March 2018.[8] The first flight was originally planned for 2019 and first deliveries anticipated in 2020.[9] FedEx initially planned to take monthly deliveries over four years starting in 2020, and a similar pace for a second batch, if it agrees to that option.[10] A full-scale mockup of the 19-passenger cabin was displayed at the October 2018 National Business Aviation Association convention.[11]

The mating of the wing and fuselage of the first aircraft was completed in December 2019.[12] By March 2020, initial ground testing was completed, checking the fuel system, engines, avionics interfaces and electrical systems.[13] The first flight was completed on May 17, 2020, operating from Beech Factory Airport for a 2-hour and 15-minute flight. The prototype aircraft, along with five additional flight and ground test articles, will be used for testing leading to certification.[14] The second prototype, which first flew in August 2020, was the first production-conforming aircraft and was used for testing the engines, propellers, environmental controls and avionics.[15] A third test aircraft first flew in September 2020.[16]

In April 2021, the company anticipated that certification would be completed by year's end and initial deliveries would occur in spring/summer 2022.[17] The SkyCourier made its first public appearance at the EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh in 2021.[18] [19]

By early 2022, the three test aircraft had accumulated over 2,100 flight hours as the first production aircraft for FedEx was rolled out on February 3, 2022.[20] Cessna was aiming for certification in the first half of the year before first delivery later in 2022.[21] Federal Aviation Administration type certification was granted on March 11, 2022,[22] [23] after 2,100 hours of flight tests.[24] Certification by the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil was granted on August 8, 2023.[25]

The first production aircraft was delivered to FedEx Express in May 2022.[26] Mountain Air Cargo, which operates flights for FedEx, operated the first revenue flight of the type on January 3, 2023.

In February 2023, a gravel runway operations kit was approved for the aircraft.[27] In 2023, its equipped price was $7.195M for the freighter and $7.745M for the passenger version.[28]

The first 19-seat passenger variant was delivered in April 2023 for use by Western Aircraft, Inc. doing business in Hawaii as Lāna’i Air.[29] [30]

In 2024, the price was $8.35M for the passenger variant and $7.75M for the cargo variant.

Design

The SkyCourier is a twin-turboprop, high-wing, utility aircraft.It is available in a 19-passenger variant with large cabin windows and separate crew and passenger doors, or in a cargo variant sized for three LD3s and of payload, featuring a "large cargo door and a flat floor cabin". Its cruise speed is up to, with a maximum range of . Single-point refueling will speed turnarounds.[5]

The aircraft was designed to offer better cabin flexibility and payload capability, superior performance and lower operating costs than its competitors; notably, the cabin was designed to accommodate heavier and bulkier cargo than comparable new aircraft.[5] The airframe consists of traditional aluminum materials and is equipped with proven Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65 engines, fixed landing gear and Garmin G1000 avionics. The non-pressurized cabin is tall and wide, with a flat floor and an cargo door.[2] The cabin of the passenger version is designed for quick conversion to a freight configuration; using patented quick-release fixtures, two people can remove the passenger seats and interior bulkheads in about one hour.[31]

Operational history

, a total of 33 model 408s were registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration.[32]

Operators

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hagl . Chase . Textron Aviation Delivers FedEx's First Cessna SkyCourier . AirlineGeeks . 22 July 2022.
  2. News: Textron Launches Cessna SkyCourier with 100-Plane Deal. Kerry Lynch. November 28, 2017. AIN.
  3. Web site: Cessna And FedEx Renew Their Vows. December 15, 2017. Bertorelli. Paul. AVweb. November 30, 2017.
  4. Web site: FedEx Express Introduces New Feeder Aircraft - Modernization of feeder fleet continues with Cessna SkyCourier 408 designed for FedEx. 27 June 2021. FedEx. FedEx. newsroom.fedex.com. 28 November 2017. https://archive.today/20210627235621/https://newsroom.fedex.com/newsroom/fedex-express-introduces-new-feeder-aircraft/ . 27 June 2021. live.
  5. Textron Aviation unveils new large-utility turboprop, the Cessna SkyCourier; FedEx Express signs as launch customer for up to 100 aircraft. November 28, 2017. Textron Aviation Inc..
  6. Web site: FedEx to be launch customer for new Cessna turboprop. November 28, 2017. Air Cargo News. October 15, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191015222324/https://www.aircargonews.net/airlines/freighter-operator/fedex-to-be-launch-customer-for-new-cessna-turboprop/ . October 15, 2019. live.
  7. News: Textron Launches New SkyCourier Turboprop With Cargo, Pax Versions. 28 November 2017. Molly McMillin. Aviation Week Network.
  8. Web site: Cessna SkyCourier completes initial wind tunnel testing. Duane Frazier. 18 March 2018. Textron SkyCourier. 16 July 2021.
  9. Web site: Textron Reports On SkyCourier Progress. March 14, 2018. Grady. Mary. AVweb. March 13, 2018.
  10. News: Textron launches Beech 1900-sized SkyCourier with FedEx order. November 28, 2017. Stephen Trimble. FlightGlobal.
  11. News: Textron Debuts SkyCourier Mockup in Pax Config. James Wynbrandt. October 17, 2018. AIN.
  12. Textron Aviation marks successful wing and fuselage mate of the first Cessna SkyCourier aircraft; begins next phase in development. Textron Aviation. December 19, 2019.
  13. News: SkyCourier completes initial ground testing. Kate Sarsfield. March 23, 2020. FlightGlobal.
  14. First Cessna SkyCourier twin utility turboprop takes flight. May 17, 2020. Textron Aviation . https://web.archive.org/web/20200518021538/https://txtav.com/en/newsroom/2020/05/first-cessna-skycourier-twin-utility-turboprop-takes-flight. May 18, 2020.
  15. Web site: Testing, Testing: Second Cessna SkyCourier Flies. 12 August 2020. Cook. Marc. AVweb. 11 August 2020. https://archive.today/20200812133253/https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/testing-testing-second-cessna-skycourier-flies/. 12 August 2020. live.
  16. Web site: Boatman . Julie . Textron Aviation Adds Third SkyCourier to Program . Flying . October 1, 2020.
  17. Web site: With Its New SkyCourier, Textron Will Try To Top One of the Most Successful Cargo Aircraft Ever. 16 April 2021. Eric Tegler. Forbes. 16 July 2021.
  18. Web site: Cessna SkyCourier Makes Public Debut At AirVenture 2021. Mark. Phelps. July 26, 2021. AvWeb.
  19. Web site: Cessna 408 SkyCourier Debuts at EAA AirVenture. Flying. July 27, 2021.
  20. Web site: First Production SkyCourier Rolled Out. 7 February 2022. Niles. Russ. AVweb. 5 February 2022. https://archive.today/20220207130916/https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/first-production-skycourier-rolled-out/?MailingID=827. 7 February 2022. live.
  21. News: First production Cessna SkyCourier breaks cover . Dominic Perry . 4 February 2022 . Flightglobal.
  22. News: O'Connor . Kate . Cessna SkyCourier Earns FAA Type Certificate . 15 March 2022 . AVweb . 14 March 2022.
  23. Web site: Type Certificate Data Sheet No. A00016WI . 15 March 2022. Federal Aviation Administration. Federal Aviation Administration. 11 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220315125902/https://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgMakeModel.nsf/0/36a209e87d536cd186258805006de974/$FILE/A00016WI.pdf. 15 March 2022. live.
  24. The next big thing in flight has arrived – Cessna SkyCourier twin utility turboprop earns FAA type certification . 14 March 2022 . Textron Aviation.
  25. Web site: Cessna SkyCourier Receives Approval From Brazilian Aviation Authority. 9 August 2023. Phelps. Mark. AVweb. 8 August 2023. https://archive.today/20230809104859/https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/cessna-skycourier-receives-approval-from-brazilian-aviation-authority/. 9 August 2023. live.
  26. News: O'Connor . Kate . Textron Aviation Delivers First SkyCourier . 10 May 2022 . AVweb . 9 May 2022. https://archive.today/20220510013508/https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/textron-aviation-delivers-first-skycourier/. 10 May 2022. live.
  27. News: Cessna's SkyCourier Gets Down And Dirty With New 'Gravel Kit' . Phelps. Mark. AVweb. 7 February 2023. 8 February 2023. https://archive.today/20230208123801/https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/cessnas-skycourier-gets-down-and-dirty-with-new-gravel-kit/. 8 February 2023. live.
  28. News: Purchase planning handbook - turboprops table . Second Quarter 2023. Business & Commercial Aviation.
  29. Web site: Aircraft Services & Management Western Aircraft Boise, ID . 2023-05-03 . Western Aircraft.
  30. Web site: First Passenger-Centric Cessna SkyCourier Delivered. 15 May 2023. Phelps. Mark. AVweb. 23 May 2023. https://archive.today/20230524114406/https://www.avweb.com/uncategorized/first-passenger-centric-cessna-skycourier-delivered/. 24 May 2023. live.
  31. Web site: How Textron Aviation’s SkyCourier utility turboprop is positioning in the market . Larkin . Frederick K. . 3 January 2024 . skiesmag.com . 7 May 2024.
  32. Web site: 25 July 2022 . Make / Model Inquiry (Search Textron 408) . 25 July 2022 . Federal Aviation Administration.
  33. Web site: FedEx Express Fleet Details and History . June 6, 2020 . planespotters.net.
  34. Web site: Textron Sells SkyCourier Airliners To Mexican Startup. 22 December 2022. Niles. Russ. AVweb. 21 December 2022. https://archive.today/20221222132905/https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/281339/. 22 December 2022. live.
  35. Web site: Aircraft Services & Management Western Aircraft Boise, ID . 2023-05-05 . Western Aircraft.
  36. Web site: Bering Air Plane Charters for Western Alaska . 2024-01-05 . Bering Air . en-US.

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