"Found Aircraft"-ever seen one of these?

[Jim K]

I dropped the Lance off at the MX shop this morning because I haven't spent enough money on it this year, so the avionics are acting up.
Anyway.
They were working on this transient (pipeline patrol):



Pretty cool if you're into bushplanes. 5 seats (although the 3 across the back would be real tight), IO-580, all metal, 1550 useful, 4(!) bubble window doors. Kinda slow, but still super cool. Pilot says their owner got into a spat with Cessna and bought several of these. Seems like kind of a lot of airplane for pipeline. She also said it was originally designed as a tailwheel. The alternator came apart and the company overnighted in a new one to get her back in the air. Rudder looks way too small; not sure what that's about.

Fun to see something different.

 

[Sierra_Hotel]

Buddy of mine has one in DFW. He loves it.

 

[Dan Thomas]

Made in Canada, off and on for the last 60 years. I think Expedition Aircraft has the TC now.

I did a bit of work on one. Nice airplane. Note the cantilever wing.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Found FBA-2 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[baboss]

It’s on our ramp at KBMI often and I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it at Pekin before. I dig it.
Interestingly enough there’s a pipeline a couple miles east of BMI that runs North/South but this guy doesn’t patrol it. Maybe there’s another one around here I don’t know about that they patrol, as much as he’s here. They used to patrol it with a Hughes 500, then a Jet Ranger, then an A-Star, and now a friggin Caravan 500 off the deck hauling @ss. Pipeline is less than a quarter mile east of my house so it’s fun to watch them buzz on by.

 

[Skymac]

They are a beast, super flying airplanes and very capable. 140ktas or a little more at cruise and stall in the 40’s.

Rudder is super effective. Barely have to touch it. You can actually do steep turns and never touch the ailerons.

 

[AA5Bman]

Those are basically 206 specs but I’ve seen them in person and it’s a much bigger (and presumably thirstier) airplane. I have never really understood what this plane is about in a world where 206s and Beavers exist.

 

[Dan Thomas]

I have never really understood what this plane is about in a world where 206s and Beavers exist.

Big difference between a 206 and a Beaver. And Beavers aren't made anymore, haven't been for a long time. No comparison between a Beaver and the Found.

As far as the 206 versus the Found:

CESSNA T206H SPECIFICATIONS​

Powerplant Lycoming TIO-540-AJ1A, 310 hp @2,500 rpm​

Length 28 ft 3 in​

Height 9 ft 3 in​

Wingspan 36 ft​

Wing area 174 sq ft​

Wing loading 20.7 lb/sq ft​

Power loading 11.6 lb/hp​

Seats 6​

Cabin length 12 ft 1 in​

Cabin width 3 ft 8 in​

Cabin height 4 ft 2 in​

Empty weight 2,274 lb Empty weight, as tested 2,355 lb​

Maximum ramp weight 3,617 lb​

Maximum gross weight 3,600 lb​

Useful load 1,343 lb​

Useful load, as tested 1,262 lb​

Payload w/full fuel 815 lb​

Payload w/full fuel, as tested 734 lb​

Maximum takeoff weight 3,600 lb Maximum landing weight 3,600 lb​

Fuel capacity, std 92 gal (88 gal usable)552 lb (528 lb usable)​

Oil capacity 11 qt​

Baggage capacity 180 lb​

PERFORMANCE​

Takeoff distance, ground roll 910 ft​

Takeoff distance over 50-ft obstacle 1,740 ft​

Max demonstrated crosswind component 20 kt​

Rate of climb, sea level 1,050 fpm​

Maximum level speed, 17,000 ft 178 kt​

Cruise speed/endurance w/45-min rsv, std fuel (fuel consumption)@ 75% power, best economy 20,000 ft 164 kt/3.5 hr(114 pph/19 gph)​

@ 65% power, best economy24,000 ft 153 kt/4.1 hr(97 pph/16.2 gph)​

Specifications for the Expedition 350, the current iteration of the Found:



The Expedition has better short-field performance, some of that because of 40 more HP. I believe it is less expensive than the 206. Useful load is a bit better, probably due to the heavier empty weight of the restart 206s. And if I remember right, that Found/Expedition has a nice flat, strong floor in it, with no ledge at the aft door to hamper loading of heavy/bulky stuff. One less seat. Cruise of the turboed version is a bit higher than the turboed T206H.

 

[AA5Bman]

For hauling and work, the comparison wouldn’t be a post-restart 206, it would be a legacy 206 of almost any kind, but if you have to compare new to new, you don’t really have a choice so fair enough. I’m making some broad generalizations, but my point is that the Found feels like it’s the size of a Beaver (it’s not, but it is a big plane), with the performance specs of a legacy 206 (in particular in UL), so pick a Beaver or a 206 and you’re better off in at least one dimension.

If you don’t like the Beaver comparison, which is admittedly a bit of a stretch, you’d still have to convince me why an operator would buy an Expedition vs a legacy 206, at much less cost for more or less the same performance. I suppose the answer is out there because I know of tons of working 206s, and no working Expeditions.

 

[Skymac]

Lots of working Expeditions outside of the US. If you’re moving people, the 206 has more comfy seats and interior. If you need to carry a couple of people and a load, the Expedition is a better option. It’s also built way stronger than a 206 and way more accessible to work on, pretty straightforward. I’ve loaded a top and bottom 172 cowling into the back of an Expedition before and still had room for my luggage. The huge doors are quite nice.