BeechTalk - BT - Caravan or Kodiak Quest as a personal airplane

Username Protected · **Posted:** 03 Dec 2014, 15:00

Username Protected wrote:

http://www.maf.org/about/aviation

Michael, these guys fly the Kodiak into places no bonanza would ever go!

That's what people always say about the Bonanza. I would have to see the specs of the Kodiak.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 03 Dec 2014, 15:05

Check out this video!

[youtube]http://youtu.be/QBEVFz__zuY[/youtube]

Username Protected · **Posted:** 03 Dec 2014, 15:05

Username Protected wrote:

No Citation policy would be that much even if a 1000 hrs owner pilot was allowed to be PIC on his own Citation X. $38k for the Caravan is possible however with a lower time pilot - I can see that on a new amphib Caravan in certain situations.

Maybe the guy had the Citation on floats

Username Protected · **Posted:** 03 Dec 2014, 15:11

Username Protected wrote:

I'm definitely coming out in the summer. Winter, too cold. I got no warm clothes.
:peace:

Make that spring or fall. Density altitude has bitten a lot of folks at these otherwise relatively benign strips we have in Idaho.

Both Scott and Mike are more capable/braver pilots than I am (their planes are also making a lot more HP than my weenie E-225). However, I think they would agree that there are times when it would be good to wait for some time cooler to go fly.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 03 Dec 2014, 15:13

Username Protected wrote:

Check out this video!

Notice what you don't see...obstacles. Most of those runways are in the open. Hard to tell how long they were. I wouldn't want to land when there's water splashing around. All I see there is a big clean up job.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 03 Dec 2014, 15:22

try this for obstacles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ_mciV6AvE

Username Protected · **Posted:** 03 Dec 2014, 15:32

Username Protected wrote:

Check out this video!

[youtube]http://youtu.be/QBEVFz__zuY[/youtube]

Brave pilot, far braver cameraman.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 03 Dec 2014, 16:11

Not trying to hi-jack.

The Caravan and Kodiak are fantastic machines for what they are made for.

But if you don't need room for 10, or want to pay the commensurate insurance bill and still have a high wing turbine heavy hauler....

The Rolls Royce powered Soloy turbine MKII (not the MKI) 206 is an incredible conversion with engineering and installation that is second to none.

Pound for pound its unbeatable on floats...

http://soloy.com/Products/Fixed+Wing+Ai ... fault.aspx

Username Protected · **Posted:** 03 Dec 2014, 16:15

Username Protected wrote:

Not trying to hi-jack.

The Caravan and Kodiak are fantastic machines for what they are made for.

But if you don't need room for 10, or want to pay the commensurate insurance bill and still have a high wing turbine heavy hauler....

Scary part is I almost always need 8 seats with 30-40% of the time needing one to two more.

I've an entourage

Username Protected · **Posted:** 03 Dec 2014, 16:17

Username Protected wrote:

try this for obstacles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ_mciV6AvE

Andy, please keep that away from Scott and Mike. They start me in the hard spots just to show me up ;-)

Username Protected · **Posted:** 03 Dec 2014, 17:16

We were in Botswana two years ago. The airplanes of choice there were the Caravan, C206 and Gippsland Airvan. We rode in Caravan with 2 pilots, 12 passengers, 12 large duffles, and carry ons. The flight was short and I am sure the fuel was far from full. Still, the Caravan has the ability to carry the load. They were operating out of 3,000 ft gravel strips without obstructions. Most of the take-offs I saw were made with partial power.

At heavy weights, the Caravan is not a great short field performer. The Pilatus has better runway performance, and I suspect the Kodiak does as well. At light weights, I have gotten the Caravan off in about 700 feet.

The Caravan was designed to haul boxes and passengers, the Kodiak was designed for missionary bush aviation. For flying in South American mountains, give me the Kodiak. For our flying around Texas with lots of friends and family, the Caravan excels. The Pilatus and TBM are in a different league. The Pilatus is awesome, but costs twice as much. The TBM is also awesome, but I don't know anyone that will take one off pavement.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 03 Dec 2014, 18:59

How about a throw away Excalibur Queen Air?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 03 Dec 2014, 19:08

Username Protected wrote:

How about a throw away Excalibur Queen Air?

Those are good airplanes.

I'm believing I want simplicity and single engine turbine reliability. I'd also prefer newer (2005 and up).

I've also gotta a landing contest that I gotta help the team win

Username Protected · **Posted:** 03 Dec 2014, 19:39

Quote:

I've also gotta a landing contest that I gotta help the team win

Man has gotta dream sometimes.
Keep hope alive

Username Protected · **Posted:** 03 Dec 2014, 19:52

Username Protected wrote:

At heavy weights, the Caravan is not a great short field performer. The Pilatus has better runway performance, and I suspect the Kodiak does as well. At light weights, I have gotten the Caravan off in about 700 feet.

Please explain or substantiate the above.

I have about 1,000 hours of Caravan time, with a significant portion of that time in Alaska, operating out of "runways" 1,500' length or less a lot of the time. Likewise, I have about 750 hours in the PC-12. As such, I feel pretty comfortable commenting on your statement above.

The Caravan has FAR better short field performance than the PC-12. Neither one is bad, but if I had a short field to operate in/out of, I'd choose to do it in the Caravan over the PC-12 without much thought. I think you'll find the C208 can be operated in/out of 1,000' comfortably. The PC-12, I'd want 2,000' minimum.

The shortest field I operated the PC-12 from was 2,200'. Perhaps I am missing something here; Have any of the PC-12 flying BT'ers flown their PC-12 into a 1,000' strip? Would you?