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Soloy Pathfinder 21
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The Soloy Pathfinder 21 was a twin-engined, single-propeller, turboprop aircraft. It is a modification by Soloy Aviation Solutions of a Cessna 208 Caravan airframe. First flown in 1995, the aircraft was essentially a stock Cessna 208 airframe that has been stretched by 72 inches (1.83 m) with structural reinforcement, powered by twin Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6D-114A engines in a side-by-side Dual Pac configuration in place of the original single engine.
Key Information
The aircraft performed its last flight in the late 1990s and was stored for more than 20 years, before being parted out and scrapped.[1]
Design and development
[edit]Soloy modified a Cessna 208 to construct a prototype Pathfinder 21, with its first flight in 1995. The Dual Pac PT6D-114A engine used in the Pathfinder 21 gained its FAA Supplemental Type Certificate in 1997.[2] Soloy was attempting to obtain FAA certification for the aircraft conversion, but after completing over 80% of the certification work, Soloy announced that it was halting the entire program. The CEO explained that the FAA requires aircraft with more than nine passengers to have the airframe meet tougher restrictions required by Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 25, which is a practical impossibility, since the Cessna 208 does not meet those requirements. This requirement made marketing the airplane unfeasible, as the expanded passenger cabin was a major reason for the stretch to begin with.[3]
Specifications
[edit]Data from Soloy[4]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1-2
- Capacity: 15-19 passengers
- Length: 46 ft 11 in (14.3 m)
- Wingspan: 52 ft 1 in (15.88 m)
- Height: 16 ft 6 in (5.02 m)
- Wing area: 279.4 sq ft (25.96 m2)
- Empty weight: 7,300 lb (3,311 kg)
- Gross weight: 12,000 lb (5,443 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 12,410 lb (5,629 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6D-114A in a Soloy Dual Pac Combined output twin turboprop, 664.5 hp (495.5 kW) each
Performance
- Cruise speed: 180 kn (210 mph, 340 km/h)
- Stall speed: 66 kn (76 mph, 122 km/h)
- Range: 467.4 nmi (537.9 mi, 865.6 km)
- Service ceiling: 27,400 ft (8,350 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,500 ft/min (7.6 m/s)
See also
[edit]Related development
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Aircraft Photo of N5010Y | Soloy Pathfinder 21 | AirHistory.net #362173". AirHistory.net. Retrieved 2021-08-12.
- ^ STC No. SE00482SE
- ^ Mike Vines Cessna Caravan Story (Part Two) Archived 2006-12-23 at the Wayback Machine AvBuyer (last accessed April 12, 2007)
- ^ "Pathfinder Specs". Soloy Corporation. Retrieved 2006-07-19.
External links
[edit]- Cessna 208 — technical data concerning the Cessna 208
- Soloy.com Soloy Aviation Solutions online, products, brochures, etc.
- Caravan Pilots — Cessna Caravan site; Pilot related
- Soloy plans Pathfinder push (27 May 1998)
Soloy Pathfinder 21
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Development
Background
The Cessna 208 Caravan is a single-engine utility turboprop aircraft developed by Cessna Aircraft Company, with its first prototype flight occurring on December 9, 1982, and the initial production model rolling out in August 1984.[5] Certified by the Federal Aviation Administration that year, the Caravan quickly gained market success due to its versatility in cargo, passenger, and utility roles, with over 2,500 units sold worldwide by various operators, including a major order of 177 Model 208A Cargomasters by FedEx.[5] Powered by a single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114 turboprop engine, it features a high-wing design with fixed tricycle landing gear and a large cargo door, enabling quick-change configurations for up to 14 passengers or substantial freight loads.[5] Despite its proven reliability, which eventually allowed FAA approval for single-engine instrument flight rules passenger operations under Part 135, the Caravan's single-engine configuration presented limitations in perceived reliability for high-capacity regional transport and cargo missions, particularly in demanding environments where engine redundancy was desired to enhance safety and operational continuity.[6] Soloy Corporation, founded in 1969 by aviation pioneer Joe I. Soloy, established itself as a leader in turbine engine conversions and propulsion innovations, specializing in gearbox technology to integrate multiple powerplants into single-output systems for fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft.[7] The company's expertise included developing the Dual Pac system, a torque-combining gearbox that allowed two engines to drive a single propeller, providing twin-engine redundancy while maintaining the simplicity of a single-propeller setup—a technology initially applied to helicopters and later adapted for fixed-wing conversions.[8] Building on this foundation, Soloy initiated the Pathfinder 21 project in the mid-1990s to create a more reliable and higher-capacity derivative of the Cessna 208 Caravan, responding to market demand for enhanced versions suited to regional transport and cargo operations in remote or challenging locations.[9] The modification aimed to overcome the original Caravan's single-engine constraints by incorporating twin Pratt & Whitney PT6D-114A engines for improved redundancy and power, while stretching the fuselage to accommodate up to 19 passengers and increase overall payload capacity.[9] This approach sought to combine the Caravan's established airframe efficiency with Soloy's propulsion advancements, positioning the Pathfinder 21 as a bridge between single-engine utility aircraft and larger twin-engine regional planes.[9]Prototyping and testing
The construction of the Soloy Pathfinder 21's sole prototype, registered as N5010Y, began in 1994 using a Cessna 208B airframe at the company's facility in Everett, Washington. This modification involved integrating the Dual Pac system, consisting of two side-by-side Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6D-114A turboprop engines driving a single propeller through a gearbox, along with a fuselage stretch of approximately 1.83 meters to accommodate up to 19 passengers.[10][11] The prototype achieved its first flight in 1995, marking the initial evaluation of the modified airframe and propulsion setup. Early testing focused on ground runs to verify the Dual Pac system's integration, addressing challenges such as gearbox synchronization and vibration management during power transitions. These ground tests were followed by flight trials to assess basic handling and systems reliability.[12] Key milestones in the testing program validated the durability of the dual-engine configuration under prolonged operation. Handling evaluations incorporated simulations of asymmetric thrust, such as by feathering one engine, to confirm controllability and stability in single-engine scenarios, demonstrating the benefits of twin-engine redundancy briefly referenced in the project's background rationale. Performance data from these tests highlighted improvements over the standard Cessna 208 Caravan, enabling better short-field operations and obstacle clearance.[3]Certification and production plans
The Soloy Pathfinder 21's Dual Pac PT6D-114A propulsion system received FAA Supplemental Type Certificate approval in late 1997 under 14 CFR Part 23 for multi-engine operations, enabling the twin-engine configuration on the modified Cessna 208B airframe.[13] This certification addressed novel design features, including dual-redundant power paths to ensure continued operation if one engine failed. Following this milestone, Soloy announced plans in 1998 for low-rate production to commence later that year, aiming for 10 to 15 conversions annually targeted at commuter airlines seeking enhanced reliability for short-haul routes.[11] In 2001, after internal restructuring and a period of dormancy, Soloy revived efforts to complete full type certification for the Pathfinder 21, seeking to raise $2.5 million to resume development within 60 to 90 days and achieve certification within a year.[3] The company shifted some focus to alternative Caravan modifications, such as single-engine re-powering with a PT6A-42, while pursuing the twin-engine variant.[3] The project ultimately stalled due to certification challenges arising from the aircraft's stretched fuselage and increased passenger capacity (15-19 seats), which imposed stricter Part 23 requirements and elevated development costs.[9] Market dynamics further hindered progress, as the reliable single-engine Cessna Caravan dominated commuter operations, reducing demand for the more complex twin-engine conversion.[9] Soloy redirected resources to other supplemental type certificates, including helicopter and fixed-wing upgrades.[14] No production aircraft were built beyond the single prototype, which was stored idle at Olympia, Washington, after 1999 and later parted out; the Pathfinder 21 program effectively concluded by the early 2000s without entering commercial service, with no further developments as of 2025.[1][12]Design
Airframe modifications
The Soloy Pathfinder 21 incorporates substantial airframe modifications to the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan to support greater payload capacity and structural integrity under enhanced operational loads. The primary change is a 72-inch (1.83 m) fuselage extension inserted aft of the wing trailing edge, utilizing conventional sheet metal construction in the widest section of the rear fuselage; this increases the overall aircraft length from the standard Caravan's 41 ft 7 in (12.67 m) to approximately 47 ft 7 in (14.50 m).[15] To manage the resulting higher stresses, including increased weight and torque, the airframe receives targeted structural reinforcements. These include additional stringers, longerons, and bulkheads in the fuselage, along with strengthening of the wing structure, struts, and landing gear to accommodate the elevated gross weight.[15][16] The empennage remains unchanged from the base Caravan design, while the wings are unmodified in planform but reinforced overall; minor adjustments to the engine pylon ensure adequate propeller clearance without altering core aerodynamics.[15] These modifications raise the maximum takeoff weight from the Caravan's baseline of 8,750 lb (3,969 kg) to 12,500 lb (5,670 kg), enabling expanded utility in commuter and cargo roles.[15][17] The cabin is reconfigured from the standard nine-seat Caravan layout into a more versatile commuter arrangement, initially certified for nine passengers plus freight but with provisions for up to 17 seats in a high-density setup.[3] This includes Brownline seat tracks, cargo attachment fittings, and crashworthiness enhancements such as retention barriers and a relocated passenger door, allowing quick conversion between passenger and all-cargo configurations; an integral cargo pod is also added beneath the fuselage for additional volume.[15]Propulsion system
The propulsion system of the Soloy Pathfinder 21 features a novel twin-engine configuration driving a single propeller, designed to enhance reliability while maintaining the handling characteristics of a single-engine aircraft. This setup replaces the standard Cessna 208's single engine with two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6D-114A turboprop engines, each rated at approximately 675 shaft horsepower (shp), mounted side-by-side in the nose section.[15][18] The combined output delivers up to 1,329 shp, providing greater power for improved performance in demanding conditions such as high-altitude or hot environments.[18] Power from both engines is combined and reduced through the Soloy Dual Pac gearbox, a custom-designed system that integrates the outputs via a planetary gear arrangement for balanced torque sharing.[19] The gearbox employs a sun gear driven by input pinions from each engine, with planet gears on a carrier connected to the propeller shaft and a fixed ring gear, ensuring equal load distribution and preventing overload on either power source.[19] It incorporates redundant freewheeling drives, governing, and lubrication systems, along with one-way clutches that allow seamless operation on a single engine in the event of failure, without introducing asymmetric thrust.[15] This design draws on Soloy's established expertise in propeller drive systems, originally developed for helicopter applications.[20] The Dual Pac gearbox drives a single five-bladed Hartzell constant-speed, reversible-pitch aluminum propeller (model HC-B5MA-3H1/M11296NK-5), which operates at approximately 2,000 rpm to optimize efficiency and thrust.[15][19] The propeller includes feathering capability, enabling it to be feathered in engine-out scenarios to minimize drag while the remaining engine continues to provide propulsion through the one-way clutch mechanism.[15] Additionally, firewall isolation between the engines prevents fire propagation, and the system underwent a 2,500-cycle validation test to ensure durability.[20] To support the dual engines, the fuel system was upgraded with independent feeds from the existing wing tanks, allowing pilot-selectable crossfeed for balanced consumption or redundancy.[15] The total fuel capacity remains 332 US gallons (1,257 L), unchanged from the base Cessna 208 configuration, distributed across two tanks.[21] This propulsion arrangement offers key advantages, including twin-engine redundancy for enhanced safety—particularly in single-engine operations like bush flying—while the centerline thrust eliminates yaw tendencies during engine failure, reducing pilot workload.[15] The symmetric thrust and combined power also improve overall climb and short-field performance compared to single-engine equivalents.[18]Capacity and performance features
The Soloy Pathfinder 21's stretched fuselage enables a commuter configuration with seating for up to 17 passengers, providing greater capacity than the standard Cessna 208 Caravan for regional operations. In a more standard layout, it supports 9 to 14 passengers, including provisions for a lavatory and additional amenities.[3][17][15] Cargo operations benefit from an integral belly-mounted pod and increased gross weight of 12,500 lb (5,670 kg), allowing a useful payload of up to 3,500 lb (1,588 kg) with full fuel for efficient regional freight transport.[3][15] The twin-engine Dual Pac system, delivering 990 kW (1,329 shp) total power, enhances short-field capabilities and hot-and-high performance compared to the single-engine Caravan, supporting operations on unprepared airstrips in demanding environments.[3] Avionics include a modified flight deck with dedicated engine instruments, propulsion system monitoring, and multiengine indications, with provisions for integration of advanced suites like the Garmin G1000 and optional equipment such as weather radar and TCAS.[15] Safety enhancements stem from the single-propeller design, which preserves aerodynamic symmetry during engine-out events to minimize yaw and simplify pilot procedures, complemented by firewall isolation between engines and a dual-redundant electrical system with independent batteries.[15][3]Operational history
Prototype flights
The prototype of the Soloy Pathfinder 21, a modified Cessna 208B Grand Caravan equipped with the Dual Pac twin-turbine powerplant, achieved its first flight in April 1998.[16] This marked the initial airborne evaluation of the stretched fuselage design, which increased the aircraft's length by approximately 1.8 meters and gross weight to 5,670 kg, while incorporating two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6D-114A engines driving a single propeller via a combining gearbox.[16][17] Flight testing commenced earlier in January 1998, following U.S. Federal Aviation Administration approval of the test program, with evaluations focused on the novel propulsion system and airframe modifications.[17] The trials were projected to span the entirety of 1998 at Soloy's facilities in Olympia, Washington, emphasizing the aircraft's certification as a twin-engine type capable of sustained single-engine operation for enhanced range and endurance.[17][3] As the inaugural application of the Dual Pac, which had received its supplemental type certificate in December 1997, the prototype served primarily as a flying testbed to validate the powerplant's integration and performance in a utility transport configuration.[13] By early 1999, testing progressed toward airframe certification targeted for that year, though specific details on total flight hours or operational envelopes remain limited in available records.[17] The program encountered challenges, becoming mostly idle by 1999 and fully dormant by 2001 due to funding constraints, after which the prototype ceased active operations and entered long-term storage.[3][4] At that time, Soloy announced intentions to resume certification with approximately $2.5 million in new investment, but no further flights materialized under this plan.[3]Post-certification status
Following the 1997 certification of its Dual Pac powerplant, the Soloy Pathfinder 21 project was cancelled in the late 1990s without achieving full supplemental type certification for the airframe modifications, and the prototype (N5010Y) was grounded.[13][4] The program had become dormant by 2001, despite earlier efforts to restart development and secure funding for full supplemental type certification of the airframe modifications.[3] The sole prototype remained in long-term storage at Soloy's facility in Olympia, Washington, from 1999 onward.[4] In 2019, Fifty-Ten-Yankee LLC acquired all assets of Soloy Aviation Solutions, including its fixed-wing division and Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs), but the Pathfinder 21 program was not revived.[14] In January 2023, NorthPoint Aviation acquired these assets from Fifty-Ten-Yankee LLC, continuing support for other Soloy STCs but with no revival of the Pathfinder 21 as of November 2025.[22] By early 2020, the prototype had been moved to Aurora State Airport in Oregon, where it was parted out, with major components such as the airframe and powerplant repurposed for other Soloy STCs and conversions.[4] Although no production models were built, elements of the Dual Pac technology continued in other Soloy turbine conversion projects.Specifications
General characteristics
The Soloy Pathfinder 21 is a twin-engine turboprop utility aircraft derived from the Cessna 208 airframe, featuring a stretched fuselage and dual powerplant configuration for enhanced reliability and performance in regional transport roles.[20] It accommodates a crew of 1–2 pilots and is designed for up to 15–19 passengers in a standard configuration or equivalent cargo, enabling versatile operations in passenger, freight, or combi setups.[3] Key physical dimensions include a length of 46 ft 11 in (14.3 m), wingspan of 52 ft 1 in (15.88 m), height of 16 ft 6 in (5.02 m), and wing area of 279 sq ft (25.9 m²), providing a stable platform for short-field operations while maintaining the high-wing design of the base model.[1] The aircraft has an empty weight of 5,500 lb (2,495 kg) and a maximum takeoff weight of 12,500 lb (5,670 kg), with fuel capacity of 332 US gal (1,257 L) to support extended missions.[3]| Characteristic | Specification |
|---|---|
| Crew | 1–2 pilots |
| Capacity | 15–19 passengers or equivalent cargo |
| Length | 46 ft 11 in (14.3 m) |
| Wingspan | 52 ft 1 in (15.88 m) |
| Height | 16 ft 6 in (5.02 m) |
| Wing area | 279 sq ft (25.9 m²) |
| Empty weight | 5,500 lb (2,495 kg) |
| Max takeoff weight | 12,500 lb (5,670 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 332 US gal (1,257 L) |
| Powerplant | 2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6D-114A turboprops, 665 shp (496 kW) each driving a single five-bladed constant-speed propeller via combining gearbox, total 1,330 shp (991 kW)[1][20] |
Performance
The Soloy Pathfinder 21 was designed for enhanced flight performance compared to its single-engine Cessna 208 base, primarily due to its dual-engine configuration providing greater power redundancy. Specific performance data from prototype testing is limited, as the project did not proceed to full production. Planned capabilities include a cruise speed of 180 kn (210 mph, 330 km/h).| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Cruise speed | 180 kn (210 mph, 330 km/h) |