Cessna 207 info please

[Mark Lamberson]

Hi.

Anyone out there using a Cessna 207 regularly at a dropzone?

I would appreciate operational information.

# of jumpers/ usefull load
Turn times
Fuel consumption
Realistic service ceiling
Maintenance issues/ concerns
pilot issues / concerns
etc.

Thanks
Mark Lamberson

[Dash 2]

  If you get one you want the turbo charged model. A DZ near here had one that was not TC and it was a dog and it wouldn't hardly climb above 7K. The listed service ceiling was something like 13K.
  I jumped one when I was down in South Africa that was turbo charged and when it was cool they would put 8 in it. After the day got warmer it was 6 or maybe 7. The field elevation was also 4100ft so to get 9500 you had to go to 13600. It too was pretty slow, but it did get there.
  I would think that one of these with a Texas Skyways conversion to 350hp would make a pretty nice jump ship. Of course a Soloy conversion would be better but pretty pricey.

   Dash 2

[airtrash]

 I have flown a turbo 207 with jumpers quite a bit. it has it's ups and downs. I did like the plane and normally I carried 6 jumpers and myself.
  When the temperature got above about 95 deg f, the performance really started to fall off. I flew it in the mountains off of both dirt and paved strips and a few times it didn't seem like it was going to get off the runway.
 If you get a turbo charged one, on the first flight off the day even after it is warmed the oil into the green advance the throttle easy until you feel and hear the prop surge. thats oil that is still cold coming out of the govenor.
  I did like the plane. Inch per minute on decent until down to normally aspirated manifold pressures.