Designed to replace extensive fleets of ageing utility aircraft still in wide service throughout the world such as the DH Canada Beaver, Otter and Cessna 180, 185 and 206 types, the Model 208 was conceived in 1980/81 as the first all-new turboprop powered general aviation aircraft. The prototype Cessna 208 Caravan I flew for the first on 9 December 1982, and the first production aircraft rolled out in August 1984. FAA certification followed in October 1984 and the type is now in service with military air arms in Brazil, Liberia, Thailand and with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as amphibians.

The higher gross weight Model 208A, ordered in December 1983 by the US small parcel airline Federal Express and called Cargomaster by them, is fitted with more comprehensive all-weather avionics and an underfuselage pannier, but has the fuselage windows deleted.

Following experience with the 208A, Federal Express ordered the Model 208B Super Cargomaster with the fuselage stretched by four feet, also built without windows and equipped with a pannier. Flight testing began on 3 March 1986, followed by certification and first delivery to Federal Express, who have ordered 210, in October the same year. By the end of 1989 more than 370 variants of the Model 208 had been delivered.

In 1985 Cessna released details of a quasi-military/special mission version of the Caravan I designated U-27A by the US Department of Defense and marketed as the Low Intensity Conflict Aircraft (LICA). Equipped with six hardpoints under the wing plus another on the fuselage centreline able to carry either a General Dynamics F-16 reconnaissance pod, or a cargo pannier, the LICA also has a electrically operated 'roll up' cargo door with slipstream deflector, openable in flight, and bubble windows for downward surveillance and observation. Cessna are also offering a similarly equipped version of the stretched Model 208B for special mission.

3-View

A three-view drawing of Model 208A Caravan I (1000 x 506)