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.