Textron, through its subsidiary Cessna, has just delivered the 3,000th single-engine aircraft in the Cessna Caravan family. The aircraft was handed over to Brazilian airline Azul Conecta, a subsidiary of Azul Airlines based at Jundiai airport in São Paulo.
3,000th Cessna Caravan family aircraft delivered…
Textron Aviation announced today that it has delivered a Cessna Grand Caravan EX to the Brazilian airline Azul Conecta, a subsidiary of Azul Airlines based at Jundiai airport in São Paulo. This aircraft represents the 3,000th Cessna Caravan turboprop family delivered worldwide. Azul Conecta transports travelers from small towns and remote locations across Brazil.
…In Brazil, to the Brazilian airline Azul Conecta
Textron Aviation employees and Azul Conecta representatives celebrated this milestone with a special delivery ceremony at the Textron Aviation site in Independence, Kansas. Designed as a rugged utility aircraft with low operating costs, the Caravan was designed for use in remote areas with extreme weather changes, mountainous terrain and harsh landing conditions. The aircraft’s versatility has become legendary, and the Caravan continues to be widely used in global markets by a variety of customers, including government agencies, law enforcement and military, ambulance operators airlines, freight carriers, businesses and humanitarian organizations.
The Caravan, a story that dates back to 1981
Four Cessna Caravan models are currently offered: the Caravan 208, the Grand Caravan EX 208B, the Caravan Amphibian and the Grand Caravan EX Amphibian. The program was launched in 1981 and the Caravan 208 made its first flight in 1982. In 1984, the Caravan 208 received its certification while its marketing began a year later, in 1985. In that year, the aircraft was equipped, with FAA approval, with floats. In 1986, the Caravan 208B Super Cargomaster, a four-foot stretched version in a freight-specific configuration, received FAA type certification. In 1998, the Caravan crossed the bar of 1,000 aircraft produced and delivered. But the “real” takeoff of sales will be at the beginning of the 2000s, after the aircraft is equipped with a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A engine with a nominal power of 675 horsepower. Currently the device is the subject of various attempts to re-engine with an electric or hybrid electric powertrain. Dante is the latest to offer an electric version of the Caravan, whose certification has been announced for 2025