Cessna Caravan Twin Conversion?

[Dan]

I was wondering where I could find any information about a twin engine
caravan conversion. I remember seeing this a while back where someone
had geared to turbines together to keep a single prop. Does anyone
know who did the conversion?

Thanks,

Dan

[[email protected]]

Dan wrote :
>I was wondering where I could find any information about a twin engine
>caravan conversion.

I believe you're referring to the Soloy Pathfinder 21 conversion.
See this site :

http://www.soloy.com/path21.html

It's a 208B with 2 P&W PT6 turbines linked to a common gearbox.
John Galban=====>N4BQ (PA28-180)

[C Kingsbury]

Hmmm... Cui bono? The PT-6 is about as reliable as you can hope for, and the
'van hauls one heck of a load as it is now and has good range. If you want
to go faster, get a PC-12. Really need twin-engine reliability with
rough-field/STOL capability? Twin otter.

-cwk.

"Dan" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> I was wondering where I could find any information about a twin engine
> caravan conversion. I remember seeing this a while back where someone
> had geared to turbines together to keep a single prop. Does anyone
> know who did the conversion?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dan
>

[kage]

At least three PC-12s have gone down due to engine failure. The PT-6 is a
fragile but expensive engine with a completely unknown failure rate. Usually
the failures occurred in King Airs, since there are so many of them.

In just under 7000 hours flying a BE-200, I had two complete engine
failures. On my field alone there were three more PT-6 complete failures,
all in King Airs. Nobody EVER counts engine failures of airplanes that come
limping home on one.

The PC-12/PT-6 is a joke. I'd be just as happy over the mountains at night
in my Cessna 185. For the same money you can buy a much better King Air.
Every PC-12 owner I've ever run into has one common trait, they are all
CHEAPSKATES!

Karl
BE-30 CE-500, LR-Jet, DA-50



"C Kingsbury" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> Hmmm... Cui bono? The PT-6 is about as reliable as you can hope for, and
> the
> 'van hauls one heck of a load as it is now and has good range. If you
> want
> to go faster, get a PC-12. Really need twin-engine reliability with
> rough-field/STOL capability? Twin otter.
>
> -cwk.
>
> "Dan" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> I was wondering where I could find any information about a twin engine
>> caravan conversion. I remember seeing this a while back where someone
>> had geared to turbines together to keep a single prop. Does anyone
>> know who did the conversion?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Dan
>>
>
>

[Dale]

In article >,
(Ditch) wrote:

> It is pretty much a dead idea. As far as I know, it hasn't been certified and
> a
> prototype has been flying for like 10+ years. Not to mention, there doesn't
> seem to be a whole lot of interest in it, even in the Caravan community.
>

Wasn't the whole idea of the twin-pak Caravan so that they could haul
passengers for hire IFR?

--
Dale L. Falk

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing around with airplanes.

http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html

[kage]

>>
>
> Wasn't the whole idea of the twin-pak Caravan so that they could haul
> passengers for hire IFR?
>
> --
> Dale L. Falk

Yes, But now they allow that in specially equipped singles.

Karl

[C Kingsbury]

"kage" > wrote in message
...
> At least three PC-12s have gone down due to engine failure.

Sounds a hell of a lot better than the rate for piston singles.

> In just under 7000 hours flying a BE-200, I had two complete engine
> failures. On my field alone there were three more PT-6 complete failures,
> all in King Airs. Nobody EVER counts engine failures of airplanes that
come
> limping home on one.

I was under the impression that turbine engine failures are supposed to be
reported to the FAA, are you saying this doesn't happen? Wouldn't shock me.

> Every PC-12 owner I've ever run into has one common trait, they are all
> CHEAPSKATES!

Hmm... wonder if that maybe has something to do with it? What are the
failure rates like on the Caravna and/or TBM-700? Same principle but
different owner profiles. The PC-12 does seem to be a perfect candidate for
cheapskate syndrome.

Best,
-cwk.

[Greg Faris]

I remember reading about this some years ago, and I had the impression it
was well on its way to Multi/IFR certification. Now, whenever I mention it
people seem to roll their eyes, as if wondering whether they should
recommend a mental health professional! No one believes this ever existed.

This should not be confused with the twin PT6 conversions done in France,
and often called CARAVAN II.
These were not Caravens at all, but TITANs (C401's?) re-engined at the Reims
Aviation facility. Still quite a few operating

G Faris



"Dan" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> I was wondering where I could find any information about a twin engine
> caravan conversion. I remember seeing this a while back where someone
> had geared to turbines together to keep a single prop. Does anyone
> know who did the conversion?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dan
>