Tag Archives: 208

Grand Caravan Go Around – Thank-you

AE7I0734.jpgWe spent a day in Stanley Park in Vancouver.  This was not a day for photographing aircraft but there are so many operating in the area that it is hard to avoid.  As we were walking along the shore, a Grand Caravan made an approach.  I didn’t have the camera to hand so just watched it.  Having made a dive at the final approach, it floated long (in the air, not on the water) and the pilot elected to go around.  This gave me an opportunity to get the camera out.

AE7I0742.jpgMeanwhile, I could hear it coming around.  It seemed rather loud for the approach path it had taken previously.  Indeed, this time they took a path right across the bottom of the park.  I got out from under a tree just in time to get some shots of it turning on to final.  A far better angle than its first approach.  Maybe the pilot deliberately went around because he knew what I wanted?

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Grand Caravan is Not the Smoothest!

AE7I0299.jpgIt might seem a bit absurd but, when watching all of the floatplane activity down in the harbor in Vancouver, you can get a bit used to the Otters and Beavers and hope for something a little different.  One operator was using a Cessna Grand Caravan on floats and this got my interest.  I saw it coming in on the approach and watched it all through the touchdown and slowing down to taxi speed.

AE7I0272.jpgThe transition off the step and onto the floats did not seem to be a very smooth process.  As the speed decayed, the aircraft pitched up and then oscillated between level and very nose high.  The tail seemed to get very close to the water and there was plenty of spray.  I have no idea whether this is the normal transition or whether this one got a bit out of sorts due to the conditions but it did no look like it would have been very comfortable inside.  All was well, though.  They flew out again a little while later with no issues.

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