Cessna is standing by its airplane. Spokeswoman Bree Cox told AVweb the approximately 1,500 Caravans have accumulated more than eight million flight hours with a 99.8 percent dispatch record. “The Caravan was certified by Cessna for flight into known icing to FAA standards and, if operated in accordance with our Pilot’s Operating Handbook, is capable of safe flight in known icing,” she said in an e-mail to AVweb. She said Cessna officials are studying the NTSB recommendations and preparations are underway to ensure parts are available for compliance with the AD. The icing issue has also kept Cessna’s legal department hopping. Cessna won a major court victory in November when an Alaska jury determined the design of the Caravan wasn’t to blame for a fatal accident there in 2003. However, a Chicago law firm representing victims and families of victims in five Caravan crashes was recently granted a request to combine the cases into one action to be heard in Cessna’s home state of Kansas.
Cessna Says Caravan Is Safe In Ice
Key Takeaways:
- Cessna maintains the Cessna Caravan's safety record is excellent (99.8% dispatch rate, over 8 million flight hours).
- The Caravan is certified for flight into known icing conditions, according to Cessna, provided the Pilot's Operating Handbook is followed.
- Cessna is addressing NTSB recommendations and ensuring parts availability for any related Airworthiness Directives (ADs).
- Cessna is involved in ongoing legal proceedings related to several Caravan crashes, with some cases consolidated in Kansas.
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