Seriously, why don't they put wheelpants on the SkyCourier and Caravan? Even if they only pick up a couple of knots, multiply that times the fleet size and hours flown and it's a significant chunk of savings. Yes, I know the forklift guy might hit them but I think it's still worth the effort. Does a wheelpant STC for Caravans exist? If not, I think there's a void there.

Guesses:
Easier preflight
Ramp rash
Weight vs speed benefit (they would not be small wheel pants!)

With their stage lengths, there won't be very much time savings. Also makes maintenance more challenging. Probably would take twice as long to change a tire with wheel pants than without. Line guy is a little too eager with the chocks, probably just bounce off the tire. If there are wheel pants, it will probably damage the pant, and now you have a maintenance issue.

And less problems if operated in snow or slush.

Same reason that most flight school aircraft have the wheel pants removed. Easily damaged, more difficult to service/inspect the wheels and brakes.

... and they're renting it out by the hour.

For rentals and schools there is zero incentive to put pants on the plane and multiple reasons to take them off, both practically and financially. I worked for a flight school/FBO that had a pile of them up in the loft of an old hangar collecting dust. They'd take them off when they bought a plane, and toss them up there never to be seen again.

Surely with as many Caravans as are flying, some of them have stage lengths long enough for operators to find benefit. What about all the owner-pilots or passenger shuttles? I get that the freight dogs don't want them.

If they were shaped correctly, wheelpants could seriously save some money. See this video copied from another thread:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftq8jTQ ... ata_player

We might be overlooking the obvious... It's the year 2020. During Quarantine, pants aren't required.

If you are regularly using a caravan for a mission where wheel pants make sense, you probably bought the wrong plane.

The bales may knock them off over the drop zone?

USAF thinks it can save $7million a year just by changing the resting angle of the windshield wipers on the KC-135.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/milita ... ld-wipers/

How many SkyCouriers is FedEx buying?

Their launch order is for 50 SkyCouriers.

Fedex & Cessna are mighty savvy. If there was a business case for wheel pants on the 208 and 408, they would have wheel pants.

I am a little surprised that removable ones aren't more popular. I understand the math behind flight time and block time, but fuel savings are fuel savings...

The real answer is as you pointed out, Doug, if the customer doesn't want it then that's that.

Fast forward you about 40 seconds. Looks like they’re available on a Kodiak.

https://youtu.be/qlpZ9gt4Cbw

Maintenance and preflight.

George