Cessna Caravan & Grand Caravan EX Getting Enhanced Flight Deck

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Beginning with 2019 production models, Textron Aviation is adding enhanced flight deck features to its Cessna Caravan and Grand Caravan EX turboprop aircraft. The standard and optional features are part of Garmin’s G1000 NXi next-generation flight deck and will give pilots greater control and connectivity in the cockpit. (Photo courtesy of Textron Aviation.)

Textron Aviation, owner of the Cessna, Beechcraft, and Hawker brands, will add enhanced flight deck features to its single-engine Cessna Caravan and Grand Caravan EX turboprops beginning with new 2019 production models. Offered as standard and optional equipment, the features are part of Garmin’s G1000 NXi next-generation flight deck, which provides pilots with greater control and connectivity in the cockpit. Caravan aircraft serve passenger, cargo, and special mission applications conducted by private owners, global regional airlines, charter operators, and cargo carriers.

What’s In Store

Rob Scholl, Textron Aviation senior vice president of sales and marketing, says the enhanced abilities will ensure customers have access to “the latest technology needed to succeed as pilots and operators.” Optional equipment for the Caravan series will include Garmin’s E-AFCS (Enhanced Automatic Flight Control System), which provides automated features that help pilots “retain an optimal envelope.” Those features include ESP (Electronic Stability and Protection), USP (Underspeed Protection), EDM (Emergency Descent Mode), Coupled Go-Around, and an auto-level function.

Other options include Garmin’s GSR 56 Iridium Satellite Data Transceiver Link, which provides “near worldwide” access to downlink weather services and satellite voice communication and text message abilities. Textron also announced that Flight Stream 510 is now a standard feature for Caravan cockpits. Besides enabling two-way flight plan transfers, the tool enables pilots to stream traffic, weather, and GPS data from the flight deck to supported mobile devices.

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The new standard equipment that Textron Aviation will include with 2019 production models of its Cessna Caravan and Grand Caravan EX aircraft includes dual audio panels that provide 3D-audio abilities that will let flight crews focus on a preferred audio source, as well as enhance situational awareness by “reducing confusion or delayed response time” related to hearing multiple audio sources simultaneously. (Photo courtesy of Textron Aviation.)

Sounds Good

Among new standard equipment Textron announced are dual audio panels with 3D-audio abilities that will enable flight crews to “focus their attention on a preferred audio source” while also enhancing situational awareness by “reducing confusion or delayed response time” that’s possible when simultaneously hearing multiple audio sources.

You’ll find hundreds of new and used Cessna, Beechcraft, and Hawker aircraft for sale every day on Controller.com, including a wide selection of Caravan and Grand Caravan EX models.

Source: Textron Aviation

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