Reims-Cessna F406 Caravan Ii

Twin Turboprop· 4 globally registered

The Reims F406 Caravan II is a twin-engine piston utility aircraft developed by French manufacturer Reims Aviation in the 1980s as a pressurized, more capable derivative of the Cessna 337 Skymaster push-pull design. Unlike its predecessor, the F406 features conventional wing-mounted engines and a distinctive high-wing configuration optimized for surveillance, cargo, and passenger operations in austere environments. First flown in 1983, it found a niche with government agencies, air ambulance operators, and small charter services requiring unpressurized-cabin endurance and short-field performance. Powered by two Continental TSIO-520 turbocharged engines producing 350 horsepower each, the F406 cruises at around 230 knots and can operate from runways as short as 2,300 feet. Its large cabin windows and underwing hardpoints made it popular for maritime patrol, fisheries enforcement, and border surveillance missions across Africa, the Caribbean, and Pacific island nations. The type's rugged landing gear and generous fuel capacity (up to 8 hours endurance with auxiliary tanks) allowed operators to reach remote airstrips that larger twins could not serve economically. Production ended in the late 1980s after fewer than 100 airframes were built, but the F406 remains in active service with specialized operators who value its combination of twin-engine reliability, pressurization, and operating economics superior to turboprop alternatives in low-utilization roles. SkyMeter has tracked 42 flights across 12 airframes and 4 operators over routes, with AGAPE FLIGHTS INC the largest observed operator.