Cessna Sky Courier certified

[riggerrob 558]

Cessna just received FAA type-certification for their new, twin-engined 408 Sky Courier cargo plane. The cabin is sized for a trio of LD3 baggage containers holding up to 6,000 pounds of cargo, loaded through a large door on the left side, immediately aft of the high-mounted wing. The high cruxiform tail will challenge truck drivers to hit it. It is powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65SC turboprop engines turning McCauley C779 propellers. Launch customer FedEx Express had ordered 50 Sky Couriers with an option to purchase 50 more. Cessna also plan to offer a passenger version with 19 seats.

Edited March 15, 2022 by riggerrob
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[ryoder 1,380]

Now that is a door!

 

[riggerrob 558]

7' 3" long by 5' 9" tall.

2.2 meters x 1.75 meters

That tall a cabin means that most skydivers will be able to stand upright in Sky Courier.

[wolfriverjoe 1,339]

4 hours ago, ryoder said:

Now that is a door!

 

 

3 hours ago, riggerrob said:

7' 3" long by 5' 9" tall.

2.2 meters x 1.75 meters

That tall a cabin means that most skydivers will be able to stand upright in Sky Courier.

Any word on it being certified for operations with the door off, or mods for an in-flight door?

I know some planes have the closed and latched door part of the 'structure'. That is, having the door open or removed can compromise the structural integrity.
Or at least they don't demonstrate that it doesn't.

[riggerrob 558]

Even before Sky Courier starts, the Pentagon is already mumbling about including it in foreign military sales. Guess they want to sell them to replace Cessna Caravans, Shorts Skyvans and PZL Skytruks in allies' air forces.

[riggerrob 558]

Skydive Wichita got a sneak-preview of Cessnas' new Sky Courier jump-plane when they borrowed it for a half-day of testing on April 1.

"It is super easy to load" reported Skydive Wichita's ground crew member Dick Shovinski. We just pre-load the pallets beside manifest. Straight out the door and into the pallet with zero chance of passengers wandering into propellers. Then the automated truck drives them down to the end of the taxiway and shoves the pallets into the plane. Integrated cargo tie-downs secure pallets to the airplane automatically. "I tried riding along for the first few loads, but got bored and spent the rest of the morning hooking up with a cute passenger who has big ..... "

Tandem instructors report that strapping in is a no-brainer with the automatic securing system. "I only had one problem with one student who was busy taking selfies and got her foot (don't ask) entangled with a seat-belt. But we quickly sorted that out. I love the way the seat-belts completely retract out of the way before the door opens. The powered door is great too. Exits are a breeze with no handles for students to cling to. Even my worst, clingy student could not delay the exit when the pallet floor tilted. Yee! Hah! Out the door!"

Shovinski reported that Sky Courier pallets are easy to clean. "We had one student lose her 3:00 am. pizza, but we just tilted the pallet and hosed it out. Nothing sticks to that Teflon lining!"