Piper PA-31 Navajo Twin engine aircraft commonly used for offshore oil & gas exploration, modified for seep, mag, gravity and radiometric surveys
Canada • Singapore • India • South Africa
A Neterwala Group Company
Fixed-wing Aircraft
A fixed-wing aircraft has a number of advantages in addition to its lower operating costs. First, it has a payload and cabin space larger than a helicopter and thus can carry more instrumentation. Second its operating range is generally three or four times greater than that of a helicopter. Surveys can be flown farther from population centres, thereby reducing some of the logistical problems of a helicopter-borne survey.
McPHAR operates Piper PA-31 Navajo's, Cessna 210 and if required the Cessna Grand Caravan to carry out its survey operations. The choice of aircraft will depend, among other things, on the survey technique to be applied, the terrain to be flown over, fuel availability and safety considerations.
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Cessna 210 Single engine aircraft commonly used for mineral exploration, equipped for gradiometer, mag, and radiometric surveys
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Cessna Grand Caravan Single turbine aircraft commonly used for mineral exploration equipped with gravity, gradiometer, mag and radiometric for on and offshore surveys
CESSNA 210
| Registration | ZS-KRB & ZS-MXF |
| Engines | CONTINENTAL IO-520 (300 BHP – 285 BHP CONTINOUS) |
| Gross Weight | 3800lb – 1723kg |
| Empty Weight | 2528lb – 1147kg |
| Useful Load | 1272lb – 577kg |
| Useful Fuel Capacity | 540lb – 245kg |
| Typical Survey Speeds | 120 knots |
| Flight Duration (no reserves) | 5h30 |
| Cruise Speed - Ferry | 125 knots |
| Cruise Range | 560 km – 650 km |
| Stall Speed | 57 knots |
| Maximum Operating Altitude | 12,000' |
| Climb Performance @ Sea Level | 500fpm |
| Power Available for Equipment (28 VDC) | |
| Typical Balanced Field length (@ gross weight) | 3,280' – 1,000m (Sea level) |
Piper Navajo PA-31
| Registration | N370RC, N477PM, N478AP |
| Engines | 2 x Textron Lycoming TIO-540-A– each 310 BHP |
| Gross Weight | 6,500 lb / 2,955 kg |
| Empty Weight | 3.759 lb / 1,709 kg |
| Useful Load | 2,741 lb / 1,246 kg |
| Useful Fuel Capacity | 350 gallons / 1,330 litres |
| Typical Survey Speeds | 120 – 160 knots / 220 – 295 kph |
| Flight Duration (no reserves) | 7.45 hours |
| Cruise Speed - Ferry | 185 knots / 340 kph |
| Cruise Range | 1,295 nm / 2,380 km |
| Stall Speed | 66 knots / 120 kph |
| Maximum Operating Altitude | 26,300 ft / 8,092 m |
| Climb Performance @ Sea Level | >1,395 ft/min / >429 m/min |
| Power Available for Equipment (28 VDC) | 150 amps |
| Typical Balanced Field length (@ gross weight) | 2,280 ft / 701 m |
CESSNA caravan
| Registration | Varies (Leased in Aircraft) |
| Engines | Pratt & Whitney PT6-114A |
| Gross Weight | 8,750lb – 3,969kg |
| Empty Weight | 4,570lb – 2,073kg |
| Useful Load | 4,180lb – 1,896kg |
| Useful Fuel Capacity | 2,224lb – 1,009kg |
| Typical Survey Speeds | 125 – 135 knots |
| Flight Duration (no reserves) | 6h15 (Sea level) |
| Cruise Speed - Ferry | 135 knots (Survey config) |
| Cruise Range | 742nm – 1,375km |
| Stall Speed | 61 knots |
| Maximum Operating Altitude | 25,000’ |
| Climb Performance @ Sea Level | 770 fpm |
| Power Available for Equipment (28 VDC) | |
| Typical Balanced Field length (@ gross weight) | 2,280 ft - 701 m |
- Cessna 210
- Piper PA-31 Navajo
- Cessna Grand Caravan