Cessna 206

Operated by MAF in countries including, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Tanzania and Uganda, the Cessna 206 is the most common aircraft in MAF’s fleet, with the capacity to carry up to 5 passengers or 400 kg of freight and cruise at a speed of 140 mph.

Its piston powered single engine (Continental IO-520-F or IO-550-Bon) produces 300hp and drives a three-bladed propeller. One of the smallest aircraft in the fleet, it is durable and reliable, with a good takeoff performance from the short and rough bush airstrips used by MAF.

All 206s flown by MAF have been modified to suit the environments in which they fly. Each has been retrofitted with a brace in the windshield area to reinforce the airframe, STOL (short takeoff and landing) capability, heavy-duty nose-gear to withstand the rough airstrips, emergency locator transmission, High Frequency (HF) radio, and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) receiver, improving safety standards and performance.

MAF C206 aircraft are fitted with Robertson STOL kits (Short Takeoff and Landing) which enable them to fly more slowly and, so, operate efficiently on shorter airfields.

Its durability and ability to land on rugged airstrips makes it ideally suited for operations in short and unimproved airstrips. MAF pilots have referred to the 206 as, ‘a real workhorse.’

Bulky and heavy cargo is loaded easily through the large double door at the rear. During medical emergency flights, this large door allows patients on a stretcher to be loaded and transported to hospital.