When Cessna launched development of the Caravan I in 1981 it could not have foreseen that the rugged single turboprop-powered design would pioneer a new class of transport aircraft. Yet almost a quarter of a century later, and with deliveries running well into four figures, some certification authorities still question the case for using such an aircraft on scheduled services by day and night. When the centenary of powered flight was celebrated last year, much was written about the aviation classics which had marked the progress of aircraft design, but comparatively little notice was taken of the crucial part played by their engines. While many passengers on the No 9 bus will know that it was the Wright brothers who designed the first successful aircraft, even the majority of aviation buffs could not say for sure who made the 12hp (8.9kW) engine that powered the Wright Flyer into the air. In fact, the ever-resourceful Wright brothers designed the engine themselves, although it was largely built bv their mechanic Charlie Taylor.
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