Use twins to carry U.S. advisors over Colombia?

[Ernie Martin]

Last week's news had a Cessna 206 going down over rebel territory in Colombia with U.S. personnel (might have been defense contractors) due to engine failure. Some were executed at the site and others kidnapped, presumably because they were doing reconoissance for drug spraying and rebels.

Shouldn't these aircraft be twins (maybe Skymasters for their toughness in Vietnam)? Seems to me that twin-engine GA aircraft are cheap enough. Given what the Defense Dept. spends on equipment (isn't an unmanned Predator aircraft about $2 mil?) and the enormous efforts made to minimize U.S. casualties in conflicts, it seems ludicrous to fly U.S. personnel over rebel-held areas in single-engine planes.

Am I missing something here?

Ernie

[Bob Cook]

Ernie

It is obvious that fuel consumption is a factor (cost) and people are expendible.

Should have sent "Oli" North (south ?) <G>

an airconditioned super rocket would have been the cats "___"

Bob

[Jose L. Ichaso]

The plane was a Cessna 208 Caravan, very reliable, but sucumbed by an engine failure over hostile territory.