Texas Turbine Conversions Inc. has begun delivering the first of its Cessna Caravan engine mods, and it’s a doozy. For $495,000, the owner of a model 208 or 208B (Grand Caravan) can exchange his or her stock, 675-shp Pratt & Whitney PT6A-114A turboprop engine for a 900-shp Honeywell TPE-331-12JR powerplant. Texas Turbines calls this mod the Supervan 900, and it comes with new engine mounts, a new cowling, new starter-generator, and a new Hartzell 110-inch diameter, four-blade propeller.
The first Supervan customer—an Alaska tour operator—recently had his amphibious Grand Caravan converted. Seven more Caravans are on deck for the conversion, including airplanes that will be based in Australia, Mexico, and Germany.
Texas Turbines’ Bobby Bishop says that compared to standard-issue Caravans, Supervan takeoff distances are cut by 25 to 30 percent. “I went up to Leadville [Colorado] and saw a 40-percent reduction in takeoff distance up there at 9,000 feet,” Bishop said. Texas Turbines says the Supervan’s ground run is 1,054 feet; standard Caravans list a 1,405-foot ground run.
supervanBut the performance improvements don’t end there. Max cruise at 10,000 feet is 198 knots, says Texas Turbines; standard Grand Caravans fly at 175 knots. Climb rate is 1,510 fpm at sea level and max takeoff weight, and max endurance is up to 1,000 nm, the company says. Another boost comes with the Honeywell engine’s 7,000-hour time between overhaul; the standard Caravan’s PT6 has a 3,600-hour TBO. The Hartzell propeller gives an extra inch of ground clearance on straight, non-amphibious Caravans.
(This post was edited by skydived19006 on Oct 16, 2009, 9:35 AM)
What the world really needs is a cheap tailgate jump ship.
Fixed it for you.
Maybe you haven't spent 50 minutes climbing to oxygen altitudes in a Skyvan.
if the focus is on skyvans- I'd like a quieter tailgate jump ship. The Perris Skyvan is so painful that I'd rather go to a Pac, despite the short ceiling and side exit.
What the world really needs is a cheap tailgate jump ship.
Fixed it for you.
Maybe you haven't spent 50 minutes climbing to oxygen altitudes in a Skyvan.
if the focus is on skyvans- I'd like a quieter tailgate jump ship. The Perris Skyvan is so painful that I'd rather go to a Pac, despite the short ceiling and side exit.
(Casa noisy seems fine)
The Deland skyvan has 5-bladed props that are MUCH quieter.
“I went up to Leadville [Colorado] and saw a 40-percent reduction in takeoff distance up there at 9,000 feet,” Bishop said. Texas Turbines says the Supervan’s ground run is 1,054 feet; standard Caravans list a 1,405-foot ground run.
"9,000 feet" is being conservative. Leadville Airport is just 73' shy of 10,000' (9927' MSL).
Sounds like a fun ride. I bet it would get to 12,5 in 9-10 minutes from take off, maybe get 4 loads an hour. As much as I like Twin Otters, I'm quite happy jumping from Grand Caravans.
Indeed! The Torontoians got lucky to become the world's first dropzone with this running this summer!!!
I wasn't able to go yet, but I helped a local skydiver organize their first-ever big-way camp which was a big success.
They say they are easily able to take 21 people to altitude if the skydivers cramp in there (yes, 21, in a Caravan, and yes, new engine in front is slightly heavier so the rear doesn't tip!) .... but limited the big ways to 18 people plus video (19 people). The 900 horses really bring all of them up there.
(This post was edited by mdrejhon on Oct 17, 2009, 10:12 AM)
Actualy im pretty sure that is the same plane that was flying down in texas after the install but before it went up there for there summer. I jumped it before them. The pilot that was flying it was getting used to it. SDD's caravan was faster than this one. But the pilot wasn't pushing it so a i cant give a true comparison.
As a airplane dealer, I think the future will see the Dornier 228 STOL plane being used for jump ships. With the cost lower than the Otters in many cases a lot cheaper, they climb like a scalded dog. (see pix) They are made with a variety of engines and horsepower ranges and getting older, their are readily available.
(This post was edited by captain1976 on Oct 18, 2009, 4:05 PM)
I find it VERY HARD to believe that any engine, no matter what it is, is going 7000 hours TBO. Cranking more horsepower out of powerplants, whether in cars or airplanes, takes a lot of stress on components.
they wear and they wear faster than 'stock' engines. I would be interested to see what the real TBO times are going to be. It is a lot of money for a few minutes of climb time.
. The pilot that was flying it was getting used to it. SDD's caravan was faster than this one. But the pilot wasn't pushing it so a i cant give a true comparison. 
dornier228.jpg
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