Airvan aircraft

Pilot, copilot and 9 pax????

The one I flew had a total of 8 seats. Where did they put an
additional 3? For that matter, where would they have put one more
unless it was in the aisle? All of the Airvans I've seen have no more
than 8 seats.

You must have had things pulled way back to be at 105 KTAS, or was
that KIAS? The one I flew cruised at about 125-130 KTAS.

It is a very good airplane. Airline that runs them in Central America
reported that pax preferred them to the Cessna 206s and 207s.

All the best,
Rick


wrote in message ...
In rec.aviation.piloting John Pelchat wrote:
I was watching Discovery Wings when I saw a spot about the CAP
celebrating it's anniversary and I saw a scene with an Airvan in CAP
colors (lots of bright red and blue). I have seen nothing in the
aviation publications about this aircraft. Does anyone here know
anything about it beyond what is on the Airvan-USA website regarding
costs, handling and attributes of the plane?

I am in CAP in Colorado. I got to fly one!
This one was configured for pilot and copilot and 9 passengers.
It has a HUGE cargo door... we rode a motorcycle up the ramp
and into the airplane.

I own a 1/4 share of a Cessna-206... the only thing lacking
in the AirVan is speed... cruise is about 105 KIAS.

They were at Buena Vista, Colorado, doing a demo to CAP, and doing
high altitude operations. It flys amazingly like a 180hp supercub...
roll down the runway to 45 KIAS, rotate and climb at 60 KIAS.
Very docile, very forgiving. It does AWESOME "canyon turns"...
the emergency maneuver we teach in Idaho to turn away from rising
terrain and fly down-canyon.

Jer/ "Flight instruction and mountain flying are my vocation!" Eberhard