Turboprops · Cessna (Textron Aviation)
Cessna 208 Caravan / Grand Caravan C208
The Cessna 208 Caravan is a rugged single-engine turboprop utility aircraft with a high wing and fixed landing gear. It is one of the most versatile small aircraft ever built.
Caravans airborne over the US now
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of all airborne aircraftplus — on the ground
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Caravans in the air over the last 24 hours
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Specifications
- ICAO code
- C208
- First flight
- 1982
- Typical cruise
- 185 kt / 213 mph
- Service ceiling
- 25,000 ft
- Range
- 900 nm / 1,036 mi
- Capacity
- 9-14 passengers or about 3,000 lb of cargo
- Length
- 12.7 m / 42 ft
- Wingspan
- 15.9 m / 52 ft
Engines: 1 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop. Family: Caravan. Figures are typical published values, rounded; real performance depends on variant, weight and conditions.
What it does in US skies
Caravans carry packages for FedEx feeder routes, passengers on short commuter flights, skydivers and supplies to remote Alaskan villages. Many fly early-morning cargo routes between small towns and hub airports.
Main US operators: FedEx Feeder contractors, Skydiving operators, Alaska air carriers, Southern Airways Express.
How to recognize a Caravan
- High, strut-braced wing and fixed tricycle landing gear
- Single turboprop engine on a long nose
- Boxy fuselage, often with a cargo pod slung underneath
- Larger and more angular than a Cessna 172 or 182
How it looks on a flight tracker
Usually flies low and slow: 5,000 to 12,000 feet at 140 to 180 knots. Skydiving Caravans climb steeply then descend quickly near drop zones, and FedEx feeders often use company or contractor callsigns.
History
The Caravan first flew in December 1982 and entered service in 1984, launched with FedEx as a key customer. The stretched Grand Caravan (208B) followed in 1986, and more than 3,000 have been built.
Where Caravans are right now
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What is the ICAO code for the Cessna 208 Caravan / Grand Caravan?
The ICAO aircraft type designator for the Cessna 208 Caravan / Grand Caravan is C208. Flight trackers and flight plans use this four-character code.
How fast does the Caravan fly?
The Cessna 208 Caravan / Grand Caravan typically cruises at about 185 knots true airspeed (about 213 mph). Ground speed on a tracker varies with the wind.
How high can the Caravan fly?
Its service ceiling is about 25,000 ft.