CESSNA SKYCOURIER C408
The Model C408 was launched on 28 November 2017 by Textron Aviation and the first successful flight followed in May 2020. The 408’s design was developed to match FedEx Express requirements, like the earlier Cessna C208 Caravan. FedEx Express will be the launch customer, with an order of 50 cargo aircraft and options for 50 more. Initial wind tunnel tests were completed in March 2018.
The design will be certified to FAR Part 23 standards. FedEx plans to take monthly deliveries over four years starting in 2022 and a similar pace for a second batch, if it agrees to that option. A full-scale mock-up of the 19-passenger cabin was displayed at the October 2018 National Business Aviation Association convention. The mating of the wing and fuselage of the first aircraft was completed in December 2019.
By March 2020, initial ground testing was completed, checking the fuel system, engines, avionics interfaces and electrical systems. The first flight was completed on 17 May 2020, operating from Beech Factory Airport for a two-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. The second prototype first flew in August 2020. It is the first production-conforming aircraft and will be used for testing the engines, propellers, environmental controls and the avionics. A third test aircraft first flew in September 2020. The company anticipated that certification would be completed by 2022 and initial deliveries would occur in spring / summer 2022. The SkyCourier made its first public appearance at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh in 2021.
Reliably lifting off day after day with heavy payloads requires real performance and capability. The all-new Cessna SkyCourier turboprop has been designed for fully loaded high frequency operations and maximum efficiency. Built for high utilisation operations, the Cessna SkyCourier C408 will be offered in cargo and passenger variants. The cargo variant will feature a large cargo door and a flat floor cabin that is sized to handle up to three LD3 shipping containers with an impressive 6,000 pounds of maximum payload capability. The aircraft will also afford a maximum cruise speed of up to 200 knots and a 900 nautical-mile maximum range.
The efficient 19-passenger variant will include crew and passenger doors for smooth boarding, as well as large cabin windows for great natural light and views. Both configurations will offer single-point pressure refuelling to enable faster turnarounds. Entry into service for the clean-sheet design Cessna SkyCourier is planned for late 2022.