208 Caravan cost of ownership
What does it cost to own and operate the Cessna / Textron Aviation 208 Caravan? The calculator below estimates annual cost and fully-burdened cost per flight hour, pre-filled with assumptions typical for its class and fully editable to your operation.
- Class
- Utility
- Engines
- 1 × Turboprop
- Seats
- 9
- Max range
- 1,070 nm
Your assumptions
Edit any field — the estimate updates instantly.
Where the money goes (annual)
- Other$1,387,293
- Maintenance$520,000
- Fuel$480,000
- Crew$280,000
- Insurance$90,000
The complete ownership & ROI analysis
The figures above are indicative. The complete model — built on verified data and current market pricing for a specific aircraft, and extended to financing, charter economics, a five-year projection and full ROI, NPV and IRR analysis — is prepared for our members and partners.
5-year ROI projection
Year-by-year cash flow, equity & ROI
Financing & amortization
Down payment, interest, balance owed, true cost of debt
Charter revenue & break-even
Utilisation, occupancy, break-even hours
NPV / IRR + client-ready PDF
Discounted returns and an exportable report
An account shows cost per flight hour and annual cost. Membership adds the five-year ROI, financing, charter economics, NPV/IRR and report exports.
These figures are indicative — class-typical starting values for the 208 Caravan, not its price or a quotation. A precise, data-backed analysis with current market pricing is available through a HangarMart membership on the 208 Caravan page, or prepared with our advisors.
About the 208 Caravan
The Cessna 208 Caravan is the workhorse of single-engine utility aviation — a rugged, simple, do-everything turboprop that forms the backbone of regional passenger, cargo and special-mission flying in developing markets around the world. It trades the speed, pressurisation and range of executive turboprops for sheer hauling ability and the kind of mechanical robustness that tolerates hard daily use from short and unprepared surfaces.
Powered by the ubiquitous and widely supported PT6A engine, the Caravan carries a substantial passenger or freight load at around 175 knots and is available in configurations from airline feeder and skydiving to float-equipped and cargo-pod variants. Its high wing, fixed gear and straightforward systems keep maintenance approachable and dispatch reliability high, which matters enormously to commercial operators whose revenue depends on the aircraft being available every morning.
The Caravan is the rational choice when the mission is moving people or cargo short-to-medium distances at the lowest practical operating cost and a pressurised cabin is not required. Buyers wanting executive comfort, higher speed or longer range will look to a PC-12 or TBM instead; buyers wanting maximum utility-per-cost will find little that matches it. For NSOPs and regional operators building out a network, the Caravan's combination of low cost, ruggedness and global PT6 support makes it one of the safest fleet decisions available.
208 Caravan cost of ownership: FAQs
How much does it cost to own a 208 Caravan?
Total cost of ownership for the 208 Caravan depends mostly on how much you fly it. The largest drivers are crew, the engine/maintenance program, fuel, insurance and hangarage. Enter your own annual hours in the calculator above for an estimated annual cost and a fully-burdened cost per flight hour, then talk to our advisors for a precise model built on current market data.
What is the 208 Caravan's operating cost per flight hour?
Hourly cost is driven by fuel burn, engine and airframe maintenance programs, and reserves. As a utility with turboprop powerplant, the 208 Caravan sits in that class's cost band — variable (hourly) costs rise with utilisation while fixed costs are spread across more hours. Use the calculator to see the cost per hour at your expected annual hours.
What are the biggest costs of owning a 208 Caravan?
Ownership costs split into fixed costs that you pay regardless of flying (crew salaries, insurance, hangar, management and scheduled maintenance reserves) and variable costs that scale with hours flown (fuel, engine-program charges and maintenance). For a utility like the 208 Caravan, crew and the engine program are typically among the largest line items.
Is it cheaper to charter or to own a 208 Caravan?
At low or variable annual utilisation, chartering or leasing is usually more economical because you avoid the fixed costs of ownership; above a breakeven level of annual hours, owning the 208 Caravan tends to win. Model your hours in the calculator, then compare against our charter and leasing options to find your breakeven.
Are these 208 Caravan cost figures exact?
No — the defaults are indicative, class-typical starting values, not the price of the 208 Caravan or a quotation. They are there so the estimate is sensible for the aircraft's class; adjust every input to your operation. A precise, data-backed ownership model with current market pricing is available through our acquisition advisory team.
Thinking about the 208 Caravan?
Our advisory team can build a precise ownership model for the 208 Caravanand tell you, independently, whether it's the right aircraft for your mission.