N900SA

N900SA is a 2000 Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, construction number 208B0816, that was operated in the United States in skydiving and utility roles and later modified to a Texas Turbine Supervan 900 configuration. The airframe was converted from its original PT6A-114A powerplant to a flat‑rated 900 SHP Honeywell TPE331 engine and a 4‑blade/110" Hartzell prop as part of the Supervan 900 program, improving climb, payload and cruise performance while extending TBO. Registered in U.S. civil service as N900SA during the 2010s and assigned to operators including Pacific Skydiving / Sky‑Med, the airframe was ferried from Hawaii through Majuro and Cairns and was exported and re‑registered in Australia (VH‑XA3) at the end of January 2023. The aircraft configuration—single‑engine turboprop, high wing, rugged cargo/cabin layout—makes it well suited to skydiving, geophysical survey and utility missions where short‑field performance and large useful load are priorities. As a Supervan 900 the aircraft offers substantially higher static thrust and faster climb than a stock PT6‑powered Caravan while reducing some fuel burn and increasing engine TBO.

The airframe typically operated in a skydiving/utility interior with up to a dozen passenger seats fitted for jump operations and rapid egress; this airframe carried operator titles consistent with Pacific Skydiving and later Sky‑Med style operations. The avionics fit on record for this serial includes a mixed panel (Avidyne/IFD and legacy Garmin radios, audio panel and transponder/ADS‑B out), and the Supervan conversion includes new engine instrumentation, modified cowlings, starter/generator and electrical upgrades. Typical mission profiles have included high‑frequency skydiving cycles (rapid climb to jump altitude), remote cargo and survey flights with long endurance and the occasional ferry leg for repositioning. The Supervan 900 modification increases useful load and climb performance, shortens takeoff ground roll and is commonly paired with a 4‑blade Hartzell composite prop for improved static thrust and noise characteristics.

The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan is a decades‑proven single‑engine turboprop platform valued for its rugged simplicity, large payload, flexible interior options and low direct operating costs compared with twin‑engine turboprops. The airframe family competes in utility, commuter and special‑mission roles against types such as the Pilatus PC‑12 and smaller twin‑engine commuter aircraft, but its lower acquisition cost and straightforward maintenance make it the favored choice for skydiving operations, feeder cargo and austere airfield work. The Supervan 900 conversion is a specialist aftermarket upgrade that targets operators needing higher climb and payload for jump operations or remote work, offering a higher flat‑rated shaft horsepower, longer engine TBO and improved climb/short‑field metrics; buyers should consider the conversion's effect on maintenance programs, resale markets and weight/balance for specific mission profiles.