Cessna 404 Titan

The Cessna 404 Titan is a twin piston aircraft with a cabin for a whole group: the usual charter layout has nine passenger seats. Some aircraft carry cargo, fly aerial photography or work as air taxis. For six to nine people on a regional leg it is one of the cheapest ways to fly privately, counted per passenger.

A cabin for the group, few comforts

The cabin is about 5.50 m long, 1.40 m wide and 1.30 m high, without pressurisation. In passenger charter the seats usually stand singly on each side of an aisle. With nine on board the cabin is full; six people sit most comfortably.

Cessna built several versions:

There is no enclosed toilet, no galley and no cabin crew. Some aircraft have air conditioning, which helps on the ground in summer. Engines and propellers are louder than in a turboprop, and seats, avionics and Wi-Fi vary, so we ask the operator for cabin photos.

Baggage: plenty of space, but weight decides

With four or five passengers there is room for suitcases, skis and golf bags, and versions with a cargo door also take larger equipment. With nine on board weight is the limit: the more people, the less fuel and baggage, and the shorter the leg without a stop.

In practice:

• Nine people: a small soft bag each
• Six people: a suitcase each and a golf bag or two
• Four or five people: skis, bicycles or camera equipment by arrangement

Engines, weather and airfields

The maximum cruise speed is 393 km/h, economy cruise about 302 km/h. The range of 3,410 km applies with full tanks at economy speed and a light load, so with a full group a leg of about two hours is realistic. The type uses runways from about 760 m if the operator approves the airfield.

Usually one pilot flies, with some operators two. The aircraft is approved for flight in icing conditions when the individual aircraft has the full de-icing equipment, which we ask about for every winter booking.

Flying a piston twin in Europe

Routes from European hubs

Thirty-one one-way legs from all thirteen hubs, from Amsterdam - Brussels at 158 km to Geneva - Menorca at 725 km, all without a fuel stop. Prices are for the whole aircraft with pilot and fuel, without airport fees and passenger taxes.

Up to two hours: what a piston twin does well

Two to four hours: possible, but a turboprop is quicker

• Under about 1:30 h, as on Hamburg - Sylt (0:59 h) or London - Jersey (1:11 h), the price per person is lowest
• Nice - Palma (2:06 h), Paris - Nice (2:23 h) and Geneva - Menorca (2:28 h) are non-stop, but with nine on board and bags the operator may plan a fuel stop
• Rome or Sardinia from London, Greece from Western Europe or the Canary Islands need a fuel stop in the Titan, so a King Air, a PC-12 or a jet suits better

The calculator gives an indicative price for a Titan or a similar aircraft for your group on the route you choose.

What a Cessna 404 Titan charter costs

The indicative rate is EUR 1,600 per flight hour for the whole aircraft with pilot and fuel. On a one-hour leg the price is more than three times the rate: Hamburg - Sylt takes 0:59 h and starts at EUR 5,500, because the operator adds a minimum charge and positioning from the aircraft's base.

Further on, the fixed part weighs less. Nice - Olbia (1:28 h) starts at EUR 6,500, Vienna - Split (1:53 h) at EUR 7,000 and Paris Le Bourget - Nice (2:23 h) at EUR 8,000. With nine people the share per person is low for a private flight, but the advantage shrinks on long legs, because the aircraft is slow.

The quote covers the whole aircraft; shared between the passengers, London Farnborough - Jersey comes to:

When it pays off

The type is most worthwhile with six to nine people, light bags and a leg of up to about two hours, ideally out and back the same day, which saves the pilot's hotel and a second positioning. Since few aircraft fly in Europe, the one closest to you decides the price: let us quote a Grand Caravan or a King Air at the same time, and keep the departure time flexible by a few hours.

Empty Legs on the Titan

Empty Legs on this type are rare, usually a return to base after a one-way group trip. When one fits, it can be 30-60% cheaper than a normal charter, but these figures are examples: the date and route are fixed, and the operator may cancel the leg if the aircraft is booked. Send your route and a date window to empty-legs@jets.flights or through the Empty Legs page.

Titan or a turboprop

Clients usually compare the Titan with pressurised turboprops, a single-engine turboprop with as many seats and the turbine version of the same fuselage.

What to include in a request

For an offer we need:

• route, date and departure time
• number of people
• baggage, especially equipment, skis and bicycles, with number and size
• a dog on board
• whether the group accepts a turboprop if the forecast is poor

With a full cabin the weight decides whether the leg can be flown without a stop, so tell us rather too much about the bags than too little. We always try to find an aircraft close to you, but each case depends on the operator's availability and contract.

Questions about the Cessna 404 Titan

• • How much does a Titan cost from London to Jersey?

  • From EUR 6,000 for the whole aircraft one way, with a flight time of 1:11 h according to the table. With nine on board that is about EUR 700 per person; airport fees and passenger taxes are added.

• • What makes up the price?

  • Flight time at the hourly rate, positioning from the aircraft's base, pilot costs on a return another day, airport and handling fees, passenger taxes and winter de-icing.

• • Why does a one-hour flight cost more than the hourly rate?

  • Because of the minimum charge and positioning. Amsterdam to Brussels takes 0:56 h and starts at EUR 5,500, while Geneva to Menorca (2:28 h) starts at EUR 8,000, so per hour the longer leg is cheaper.

• • How can I fly more cheaply?

  • Fill the cabin, keep bags light, return the same day and let us compare turboprops based closer to you.

• • Are there Empty Legs on the Titan?

  • Rarely, as few aircraft fly passengers in Europe. A matching leg can be 30-60% cheaper, but the date is fixed and it can be cancelled.

• • How many passengers can a Titan take?

  • Usually nine. With a full cabin there is little baggage allowance and less fuel, so a large group with suitcases should plan shorter legs.

• • Is there a toilet on board?

  • There is no enclosed toilet. On legs over two hours we plan a stop or suggest a turboprop with a toilet.

• • Is the cabin pressurised?

  • No. The aircraft normally flies at a height where passengers need no oxygen, and therefore more often in cloud and turbulence than a pressurised type.

• • Can it land at a small airfield?

  • Often, yes. It needs about 720 m to clear 15 m on take-off, so many local airfields are usable. The operator checks the runway, avgas supply and passenger handling.

• • Is such an old aircraft safe?

  • Its condition depends on maintenance rather than age, and a commercial operator follows a programme approved by the authority. Age can affect comfort and the chance of a technical delay before departure, so we ask about a back-up aircraft.