Cessna 441 Conquest II

Cessna 441 Conquest II
Role Utility monoplane
National origin United States
Manufacturer Cessna
First flight 1975
Introduction 1977 Paris Air Show
Status Production completed
Primary users corporate owners
charter flight operators
Produced 1977-1987[1]
Number built 362[1]


The Cessna 441 Conquest II was the first turboprop powered aircraft designed by Cessna and was meant to fill the gap between their jets and piston-engined aircraft. It was developed in November 1974, with the first aircraft delivered in September 1977. It is a pressurized, 8-9 passenger turbine development of the Cessna 404.

Design and development

The aircraft has retractable tricycle landing gear and on takeoff has a ground roll of 1,785 ft (544 m). The high aspect ratio wings use bonded construction techniques.[2]

The Conquest is powered by two Garrett TPE331 turboprops powering two four-bladed McCauley propellers. A 441 with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-112 turboprops was flown in 1986 but did not enter production.

Modifications

The majority of Cessna 441s have been modified by installing Garrett TPE331-10 engines in place of the earlier versions of this same engine that it was delivered with. This modification reduces maintenance costs while increasing horsepower, service ceiling, fuel efficiency and range. Cessna 441s with this conversion tend to have higher resale values than aircraft that have not been converted.[3][4]

Converting from the standard three blade propellers to smaller diameter Hartzell four blade propellers results in a climb rate improved by 200 fpm (1.01 m/s) and a 5 kn (9 km/h) increase in cruise speed as well as reducing cabin noise and improving ground clearance.[4]

Airframe Limitations

The Cessna 441 is limited to 22,500 hours of air time by a Cessna Supplementary Inspection Document (SID). This life-limit SID is mandatory in the USA for air carriers operating the aircraft but is advisory only for private operators.[5]

Operational use

The second Cessna 441 to be built at Brussels National Airport in 1977 before sale to Norway

The Conquest is operated by corporate owners, air charter operators and previously by the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Australia. Examples of the type have been exported to many countries including Austria, Australia, Canada, Ecuador, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Mexico, Norway, Peru, South Africa, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Many remain in service.

Designation

The ICAO designator for the Cessna Conquest as used in flight plans is C441.

Further developments

A smaller aircraft was marketed as the Cessna 425 Conquest I, itself a turbine development of the Cessna 421.

Specifications (Conquest II)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83[6]

General characteristics

Performance

Avionics

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Simpson, 2005, p. 97
  2. ↑ Alan Healy (October 1977). "The New Cessna Conquest". Air Progress.
  3. ↑ Honeywell International (2009). "TPE 331 Engine Conversions". Retrieved 2009-03-21.
  4. 1 2 Hubber, Mark (October 2008). "Business Jet Traveler - Cessna 441 Conquest II". Retrieved 2016-02-24.
  5. ↑ AVweb.com - FAA Clarifies Cessna's Life Limit For The 441 Conquest II accessed 24 February 2016
  6. ↑ Taylor 1982, pp. 353–354.

Bibliography

External links

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