Operated by MAF in Chad, Madagascar, Tanzania and Uganda, the Cessna 208 Caravan carries up to 13 passengers or 1,150kg of supplies and cruises at a speed of 170mph.
This single engine jet fuel powered aircraft is fitted with sturdy landing gear, able to take abuse from the rough airstrips on which it lands. The larger tyres, mud flaps, rubber scraper for the nose tyre, and slighter longer nose gear help prevent mud and rocks being thrown into the propellor on landing.
The simple design and construction along with a reliable turbo-prop (turbine PT6A-114) engine combine to keep maintenance time and costs to a minimum.
Fully equipped for instrument flying, with Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) and weather avoidance equipment (weather radar and storm scope), the Caravan is reliable and can still operate safely in more challenging conditions, such as storms and during the rainy season.
The large cabin enables the transportation of bulky items such as timber, prefabricated doors, corrugated iron sheets, fuel drums, and even motorbikes.
Cargo pods fitted underneath the plane, ease loading of freight, and mean dangerous goods such as fuel can be carried without endangering the passengers in the cabin.
MAF operates the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan in Kenya, Sudan, Mongolia, South Africa and Tanzania. This is a larger model of the 208 with a more powerful engine, a longer airframe, a bigger cargo pod, and higher maximum take off weight. The Grand Caravan can carry up to 1,250kg and cruises at a slower speed of 165mph.
In Mongolia, where ground temperatures can drop as low as -40ºC in winter, the Grand Caravan is fitted with full de-icing equipment.
With an impressive range, the Grand Caravan is capable of covering over 900nm and still lands with a 1½ fuel reserve. This is especially important for operations in southern Sudan where fuel is often in limited supply. Pilots regularly carry 50 gallon fuel drums to supply the camps they fly to, and also to supply our own aircraft when they land.