Will Include Enhanced Training For Icing Conditions

Representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Cessna Aircraft Company and the Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association (RACCA) announced Monday they have formed a coalition to increase awareness on Cessna Caravan 208 operational safety. Cessna and RACCA will pool their engineering and operational resources to enhance existing operational procedures in harsh environments, including operations in icing conditions.

"Cessna Caravans are an integral tool to many companies who deliver cargo by air and, in turn, are crucial to businesses everywhere that rely on the availability of packages that can be delivered overnight or in short timeframes," said RACCA President Stan Bernstein. "The Caravan fleet of 1,500 aircraft has accumulated more than 8 million flight hours, averaging about 70,000 hours per month. The Caravan is a reliable aircraft with a remarkable 99.8 percent dispatch rate. Recent changes to the Caravans have been made to improve operational safety, and through this new coalition, we will work to encourage further advances in Caravan safety through education."

RACCA reports Caravans form the backbone of the US domestic cargo fleet -- and, that RACCA members fly the overwhelming majority of Caravans on a daily basis. Cessna and RACCA believe enhanced pilot training will more than address Caravan operational recommendations of the US National Transportation Safety Board and FAA.

Cessna and RACCA have agreed to meet regularly in an effort to develop a comprehensive training program designed to enhance pilots' awareness of the effects of airframe icing on aircraft performance. The program will also demonstrate how the Caravan should be flown in such conditions while demonstrating actions to ensure safe operations in icing.

Cessna and RACCA formally agreed to form the partnership in February, and, along with FAA engineers, held the first meeting in March. The organizations plan to meet monthly while proposing and developing elements of the pilot training program between meetings.

"We expect to have significant developments and progress to report from these committees at RACCA's annual Spring Conference this June," said Bernstein.

RACCA represents more than 350 Caravans and 50 operators in North America, providing parcel support to rural locations through companies and organizations like FedEx, DHL, UPS and the US Postal Service, plus the Federal Reserve System.

FMI: www.raccaonline.org, www.cessna.com, www.faa.gov