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Flying AOPA’s sweepstakes Cessna 206 ‘sport utility vehicle’ is a high-tech adventure aboard a big magic carpet
It’s not hard to imagine you’ve got the best of everything aboard the highly modified Cessna 206 that AOPA will award at the end of the year in the AOPA “Aero SUV” 1999 Sweepstakes.
Anyone who joins AOPA or renews their membership this calendar year is automatically entered in the sweepstakes, which closes at midnight December 31, 1999.
The grand prize aircraft will be on display at AOPA Expo ’99 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, October 21-23. Pilots will be most impressed with its advanced avionics that make every trip a pleasure.
Front and center are the two color moving maps of the dual Garmin GNS 430s, each combining communications, VOR navigation, and GPS in one unit. Pilots can set the two moving maps to different map scales, or view one map while the other screen displays navigation data such as continuous groundspeed, miles to go, time to destination, and ETA.
A nearby J.P. Instruments EDM-700 engine analyzer and fuel computer can continuously display fuel on board, fuel required to destination, or fuel reserve on arrival. It also displays EGT and CHT temperatures for all six cylinders and indicates peak EGT during the leaning process. It even records engine data for later analysis on your laptop computer.
Another panel innovation: the Sandel 3308 electronic HSI. It’s an affordable “glass cockpit” instrument replacing the mechanical directional gyro with color-coded representations in rear-screen projection. Lightning data from a BFGoodrich WX-500 Stormscope is presented right on the Sandell 3308, making thunderstorm data immediately relevant to current course and heading.
An advanced Garmin GMA 340 audio panel takes audio switching to a new level. The audio experience is even more luxurious with an Avionics Innovations AM/FM/CD player bringing radio news and music or your favorite CDs to headset jacks at all six seats.
It’s all the more relaxing with a new S-Tec System 55 autopilot, which can take steering commands directly from the GPS. Its vertical speed feature means you can order up any climb or descent rate at the twist of a knob and punch of the “VS” button. An AeroSafe standby vacuum system adds peace of mind.
Rpm is presented digitally for precise and easy management of Teledyne Continental’s all-new, blueprinted 300-horsepower Platinum IO-550 installed under the Atlantic Aviation STC and its six-point mounting system. The IO-550 means full power is available continuously in this 206, and there are no prop rpm yellow arcs. A special remote oil cooler keeps the Continental happy as it drives a new McCauley three-blade prop.
A Davtron M655 multifunction air-data computer presents density altitude, pressure altitude, OAT (Farenheit and Celsius), and electrical system voltage at the touch of a button. A Davtron M877 chronometer tracks UTC, local time, flight time, and elapsed time.
These and other bells and whistles are crowd pleasers, but the proof is in the flying. And the AOPA sweepstakes sport utility 206 really shines with the Horton STOL kit and an extra three feet of wing—part and parcel of the Flint tip tank installation. With a light load, take off (or land) at 55 knots and expect to hit 1,000 feet agl by the opposite end of a 5,000-foot runway. Or operate with confidence out of short, rough, or hot-and-high airstrips, all made easier with the largest wheels and “tundra tires” available for the 206.
The two 15-gallon auxiliary tanks bring total fuel to 106 gallons and endurance to six hours or more. The modification yields a 3,800-pound gross weight compared to the standard 3,600 for this 1976 U206 airframe.
The interior is another Dennis Wolter classic from Air Mod in Batavia, Ohio, which has made so many AOPA sweepstakes airplanes one of a kind. But beyond the Skandia soundproofing, quiet Wemac air ventilation, Osran gooseneck reading lights, B.A.S. four-point pilot and co-pilot harnesses, superb panel lighting, and even cup holders, the 206 sport utility vehicle has even more surprises.
Remove the third row of seats and there’s plenty of room for baggage and camping gear—including two Dahon folding bikes awarded with the sweepstakes airplane. Don’t be trapped at the airport ever again!
Remove two more seats for the night and deploy the platform bed that’s been neatly secured in the baggage area. It makes up to a seven-foot bed for two. Need more room? Pitch the custom tent that bridges the 206’s double aft door and the right wing to turn the Aero SUV into a real Winnebago!
Behind the rear bulkhead, there’s another surprise: a generous ski tube for four sets of skis. This is truly your go-anywhere vacation vehicle. And the view will be great with new LP Aeroplastics windshield and quarter-inch-thick windows. But everyone will be looking at you and your beautiful deep green, taupe, and white Acry-Glo paint job expertly applied by Ada (Oklahoma) Aircraft Painting.
The winner of the 1999 AOPA sweepstakes grand prize aircraft will be chosen at random by the accounting firm of Ernst & Young in January. AOPA will deliver the Aero SUV to the general aviation airport nearest the winner’s home.
99-3-053
September 28, 1999
