It has been suggested that this article be split into articles entitled Beechcraft King Air and Beechcraft Super King Air, accessible from a disambiguation page. (Discuss)

Beechcraft King Air
Type	Civil utility aircraft
Manufacturer	Beechcraft
Maiden flight	May 1963
Introduced	1964-09-09
Status	Active service
Number built	>6000
Unit cost	US$3,000,000-$7,000,000 (2006)
Developed from	Beechcraft Queen Air
Variants	C-12 Huron Beechcraft Model 99 Beechcraft 1900

The Beechcraft King Air is a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation (now the Beechcraft Division of Raytheon Aircraft). The King Air has been in continuous production since 1964, the longest production run of any civilian turboprop aircraft. It has outlasted all of its previous competitors and as of 2006 is one of only two twin-turboprop business airplanes in production (the other is the Piaggio Avanti). Image File history File links Derived from public domain images featured at: http://commons. ... Image File history File links KingAir350. ... An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing, building, testing, selling, and maintaining aircraft, aircraft parts, missiles, rockets, and/or spacecraft. ... The Beech Aircraft Corporation, purchased by Raytheon Aircraft on February 8, 1980, and often called Beechcraft after the name they give their aircraft, is a manufacturer of general aviation and military aircraft, ranging from light single engine aircraft to business jets and light military transports. ... The Maiden flight of an aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... September 9 is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years). ... ISO 4217 Code USD User(s) the United States, the British Indian Ocean Territory[1], the British Virgin Islands, Cambodia, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Panama, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the insular areas of the United States Inflation 2. ... The Beechcraft Queen Air is a twin engined light aircraft produced by Beechcraft (now Raytheon) in several different versions from the sixties to the seventies. ... The C-12F Huron provides logistics support between Navy air stations. ... The Beechcraft Model 99 is similar to the King Air 200 but is not presurized civilian aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation (now Raytheon). ... A Sunwest Airlines Beech 1900D at Vancouver International Airport. ... A schematic diagram showing the operation of a turboprop engine. ... An Airbus A380, currently the worlds largest passenger airliner An aircraft is any vehicle or craft capable of atmospheric flight. ... The Beech Aircraft Corporation, purchased by Raytheon Aircraft on February 8, 1980, and often called Beechcraft after the name they give their aircraft, is a manufacturer of general aviation and military aircraft, ranging from light single engine aircraft to business jets and light military transports. ... Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) is a major United States military contractor based in Waltham, Massachusetts. ... The Piaggio P.180 Avanti is twin engine business aircraft made by Piaggio Aero. ...

As of 2006, there are three models in production: the small, conventional-tail C90GT; the mid-sized, T-tail B200; and the large, T-tail 350. Historically, the King Air family comprises a number of models that fall into four families, the Model 90 series, Model 100 series, Model 200 series and Model 300 series. In addition, two other aircraft series, the Beechcraft Model 99 and the Beechcraft 1900 were derived from the King Air family. The Beechcraft Model 99 is similar to the King Air 200 but is not presurized civilian aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation (now Raytheon). ... A Sunwest Airlines Beech 1900D at Vancouver International Airport. ...

Development

Model 90 series

In May of 1963 Beechcraft began test flights of the first King Air. On September 9, 1964 the first production Model 90 rolled off the line. By the end of 1968 more than 400 had been delivered with the original Pratt & Whitney Canada PT-6A turboprop engines, rated at 500 shaft horsepower (shp). The Beech Aircraft Corporation, purchased by Raytheon Aircraft on February 8, 1980, and often called Beechcraft after the name they give their aircraft, is a manufacturer of general aviation and military aircraft, ranging from light single engine aircraft to business jets and light military transports. ... September 9 is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years). ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ...

Further refinement of the 90-series resulted in the A90, B90, C90, C90-1, C90A, C90B, C90SE, C90GT, E90, F90, and F90-1. The F-models featured the T-tail of the Model 200 King Air, while differences among the other 90-series models are confined primarily to the engines used.

In July 2005, during the Oshkosh Airshow, Beechcraft introduced the C90GT. This is a more powerful version of the C90B, which it replaces. The C90GT uses PT6A-135A engines of 750 shp, but flat rated to same 550 shp as in the C90B. This engine change increases performance due to lower operating temperatures, improving both cruise speed and climb rate. With a 275 knot cruise speed, the C90GT is highly competitive with the new generation of Very Light Jets over short to medium distances, while providing a larger and more luxurious cabin. Aerobatic team performs at EAA AirVenture The Oshkosh Airshow (officially EAA AirVenture Oshkosh) is an annual gathering of aviation enthusiasts held each summer at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. ... When an engine is Flat rated it means that an engine of high Horsepower rating, is constrained to a lower Horsepower rating. ... Eclipse 500 VLJ A Very Light Jet (VLJ) is a small jet aircraft approved for single-pilot operation. ...

Military versions of King Air 90

Navy T-44A

U.S. military used King Air 90 in various roles, primarily VIP and liaison transport, resulting in designations including the C-6 Ute and U-21 Ute. U-21 Ute is the more common version. Most U-21s are unpressurized King Air Model 90's (developed from the piston-powered Model 65 Queen air; the U-21's civilian type-certificated model number is BE-65-A90-1), with the exception of U-21J, which is Super King Air Model 200's. A trainer version, T-44A Pegasus, was used to train Navy and Air Force pilots to fly multi-engine, turbo-prop aircraft such as the P-3 Orion and the C-130 Hercules. Image File history File linksMetadata T_44_4LR.jpeg‎ US Navy photo from http://pao. ... Image File history File linksMetadata T_44_4LR.jpeg‎ US Navy photo from http://pao. ... The multinational Combined Task Force One Five Zero (CTF-150) The British Grand Fleet, the supreme naval force of World War I A rare occurrence of a 5-country multinational fleet, during Operation Enduring Freedom in the Oman Sea. ... Aircraft of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing and coalition counterparts stationed together at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, in southwest Asia, fly over the desert. ... The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a maritime patrol aircraft of the United States military used primarily for maritime patrol, reconnaissance, and anti-submarine warfare. ... The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop cargo aircraft and the main tactical airlifter for many military forces worldwide. ...

In August, 2006, the Navy announced that, after 29 years of operation, the T-44A fleet will be upgraded with modernized avionics systems, and upgraded to a T-44C designation.^[1]

Air Force One

VC-6A used as Air Force One

During the administration of President Lyndon Johnson, the United States Air Force acquired a B90 to transport Johnson between Bergstrom Air Force Base (near Austin, Texas) and the Johnson family ranch near Johnson City, Texas. When Johnson was aboard, the aircraft used the callsign Air Force One. The military designation of the B90 used for executive transport was VC-6A. This aircraft is now on display, with other presidential aircraft, at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. Image File history File links VC6A_Presidential_Aircraft. ... Image File history File links VC6A_Presidential_Aircraft. ... The presidential seal was first used by President Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ... Lyndon Baines Johnson (August 27, 1908–January 22, 1973), often referred to as LBJ, was an American politician. ... Aircraft of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing and coalition counterparts stationed together at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, in southwest Asia, fly over the desert. ... Bergstrom AFB, Texas - 1962 Bergstrom Air Force Base (1942-1993) was located seven miles southeast of Austin, Texas. ... Nickname: Live Music Capital of the World Location in the state of Texas Coordinates: Country United States State Texas County Travis County  - Mayor Will Wynn Area    - City 669. ... Johnson City is a city located in Blanco County, Texas. ... Air Force One is the air traffic control call sign of any U.S. Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. ... The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official national museum of the United States Air Force and is located at Wright-Patterson AFB, east of Dayton, Ohio. ... Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force base in Greene and Montgomery counties, adjacent to Fairborn and Dayton, Ohio. ... Nickname: Gem City Coordinates: Country United States State Ohio County Montgomery Founded April 1, 1796 Incorporated 1805  - Mayor Rhine L. McLin Area    - City 146. ...

Model 100 series

Beechcraft King Air 100 (BE10)

On May 23, 1969 the Model 100 was introduced, offering a larger cabin than the Model 90. Later 100-series models included the A100, a military version, and the B100, which featured 715 shp Garrett AiResearch TPE-331 engines as a result of Pratt and Whitneys inability to provide engines. The 100 series was discontinued in 1984. The Model 99 series was based on the Model 100 airframe. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1632x1232, 746 KB) C-GSYN Adlair Aviation Ltd Beechcraft King Air 100 (BE10) Picture taken 14th June 2005 at 14:03 MDT (14th June 2005 20:03Z) at Cambridge Bay Airport, Nunavut, Canada File links The following pages on the English... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1632x1232, 746 KB) C-GSYN Adlair Aviation Ltd Beechcraft King Air 100 (BE10) Picture taken 14th June 2005 at 14:03 MDT (14th June 2005 20:03Z) at Cambridge Bay Airport, Nunavut, Canada File links The following pages on the English... TPE-331 Engine This is a Gas Turbine Turboprop Engine originally designed by AiRsearch and now produced by Honeywell. ...

Model 200 Super King Air

Demand for a King Air with greater capacity than the Model 90 or 100 led to development of the Super King Air 200, certificated in 1973 with PT-6A-41 engines rated at 850 shp. The improved B200 model, with PT-6A-42 engines (a more efficient variant of the earlier -41), entered production in 1980, and is still produced today as the King Air B200 (the "Super" name was dropped in 1996). In addition to being longer than either the 90- or 100-series, the 200-series features a T-tail and increased wing area and span. 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ...

A variant, the 200HDC (High Density Configuration), was marketed by Beechcraft as a commuter airliner under the designation Model 1300. A number of commuter carriers, including Mesa Airlines operated them configured to carry 13 passengers. Mesa Airlines (IATA: YV, ICAO: ASH, and Callsign: Air Shuttle), a subsidiary of Mesa Air Group, is a US airline headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona which operates flights as Air Midwest, United Express and US Airways Express. ...

Military versions of the Super King Air 200

Main article: C-12 Huron

The US Army, US Air Force, US Navy, and the US Marine Corps all fly the B200 today. The designation varies from service to service, but most are called C-12 Huron or UC-12. These are used for personnel transport. The Army also operates the RC-12 Guardrail series of aircraft for military intelligence missions. The C-12F Huron provides logistics support between Navy air stations. ... The C-12F Huron provides logistics support between Navy air stations. ...

Model 300 Super King Air

Beechcraft Super King Air 350 at Meadows Field Airport, Bakersfield, California

The 200-series proved so popular that Beechcraft began work on a successor, initially called the Super King Air 300. The B200's aerodynamic form was cleaned up dramatically and even more powerful engines (PT-6A-60A, rated at 1050 shp) installed, with the aircraft beginning flight testing in 1982. By 1988, Beechcraft had begun work on the replacement for the 300. The fuselage of the 300 was stretched by nearly three feet and winglets were added to create the Super King Air 350, introduced in 1989 and still sold today (also without the "Super" name). Meadows Field Airport (IATA: BFL, ICAO: KBFL) is the primary airport of Bakersfield, California and is owned by Kern County, California. ... City nickname:Californias Country Music Capital County Kern County, California Area  - Total  - Water 296. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Production notes

Beech 200 Super King Air of 1977

On June 24, 1996, the 5,000th King Air was delivered. Thousands of King Airs are in service around the world. Beech 200 Super King Air (G-OWAX) at Cardiff (Rhoose) Airport, Cardiff, Wales. ... Beech 200 Super King Air (G-OWAX) at Cardiff (Rhoose) Airport, Cardiff, Wales. ... June 24 is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 190 days remaining. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ...

In early 2005 Raytheon added the Collins Proline 21 avionics package to the King Air B200 and 350 (the C90B was not changed). This modernized the cockpits to three large EFIS tubes similar to most jets.

The King Air's intended replacement was the Starship, a very advanced aircraft that proved to be too far ahead of its time, although many of its design concepts can be seen in the current Piaggio Avanti. While the Starship fleet has been largely decommissioned, the King Air continues into its fifth decade. Beechcraft 2000 Starship (NASA) Beechcraft Starship (NASA) The Beechcraft Starship is a futuristic-looking aircraft designed by Burt Rutans Scaled Composites and produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation. ... The Piaggio P.180 Avanti is twin engine business aircraft made by Piaggio Aero. ...

Operators

Military King Air operators

The King Air has more than 6,000 aircraft operated by corporate, commercial and special mission operations in more than 94 countries.^[2]

Military

• Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia (Army, Air Force), Bolivia,Botswana, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Greece, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand (RNZAF),Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Republic of Macedonia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, United Kingdom (Royal Air Force), United States (Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy), Uruguay, Venezuela

The Australian Army is Australias military land force. ... The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. ... Côte dIvoire (often called Ivory Coast in English; see below about the name) is a country in West Africa. ... The Royal New Zealand Air Force or RNZAF is the air operations arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. ... For an explanation of terms related to Macedonia, see Macedonia (terminology). ... RAF redirects here. ... Aircraft of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing and coalition counterparts stationed together at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, in southwest Asia, fly over the desert. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... The UKs Royal Marines in a Rigid Raider assault watercraft A marine corps (from French corps de marine) is a branch of a nations armed forces incorporating Marines, intended to be capable of mounting amphibious assaults using infantry, armour, aircraft, and watercraft. ... The multinational Combined Task Force One Five Zero (CTF-150) The British Grand Fleet, the supreme naval force of World War I A rare occurrence of a 5-country multinational fleet, during Operation Enduring Freedom in the Oman Sea. ...

Non-Military

• Government Flying Service (Hong Kong)

Government Flying Service is the flying services unit of the Hong Kong Government, mainly for search and rescue, air ambulance, firefighting, and police operations. ...

Other information

The ICAO designator, such as might be used in a PIREP or a flight plan, for the various King Airs are BE90 (various model 90s), BE10 (model 100), BE20 (model 200), BE30 (model 300), and B350 (model 350). The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), an agency of the United Nations, develops the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth. ... A Pilot Report (PIREP) is a report of weather conditions encountered by an aircraft during a flight. ... Flight plans are plans filed by pilots with the local Aviation Authority (e. ...

Specifications (King Air C90B)

Data from Airliners.net, Jane's All the World Aircraft, Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory ^[3], ^[4], ^[5]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1-2
• Capacity: 8 passengers
• Length: 35 ft 6in (10.82 m)
• Wingspan: 50 ft 3 in (15.32 m)
• Height: 14 ft 3 in (4.34 m)
• Wing area: 294 ft² (27 m²)
• Empty weight: 6,702 lb (3040 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 10,100 lb (4580 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-21 turboprops, 550 shp (410 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 286 mph (249knots, 461 km/h) at 16,000 ft
• Cruise speed: 284 mph (247 knots ,457 km/h)
• Stall speed: 90 mph (78 knots, 145 km/h) IAS (flaps down)
• Range: 1474mi (1282nm, 2375km) at economical cruising speed at 24,000ft
• Service ceiling: 28,900ft (8,810 m)
• Rate of climb: 2,003 ft/min (10.2 m/s)
• Wing loading: 34.3 lb/ft² (170 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 0.099 hp/lb (179 W/kg)

The distance AB is the wing span of this Aer Lingus Airbus A320. ... In aviation, the Maximum Take-Off Weight (or MTOW) is the maximum weight with which an aircraft is allowed to try to achieve flight. ... The PT6 is a turboprop aircraft engine manufactured by Pratt & Whitney Canada and is the most popular turboprop in history [1]. It has an unusual design in that the air enters from the rear of the engine and the power section is at the front. ... A schematic diagram showing the operation of a turboprop engine. ... VNO of an aircraft is the V speed which refers to the velocity of normal operation. ... Airspeed Indicator in a light aircraft The VC of an aircraft is the V speed which refers to the velocity of cruising. ... Stall speed is an aerodynamic term. ... The maximal total range is the distance an aircraft can fly between takeoff and landing as limited by its fuel capacity. ... In aeronautics, the service ceiling is the maximum density altitude where the best rate of climb airspeed will produce a 100 feet per minute climb(twin engine) and 50 feet(single engine) at maximum weight while in a clean configuration with maximum continuous power. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ... In aerodynamics, wing loading is the loaded weight of the aircraft divided by the area of the wing. ... Power-to-weight ratio is a measure commonly used when comparing various vehicles (or engines), including automobiles, motorcycles and aircraft. ...

Specifications (King Air B200)

Data from Airliners.net, Jane's All the World's Aircraft^[6], ^[4] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1145x669, 45 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Beechcraft King Air ...

General characteristics

• Crew: 1-2
• Capacity: 13 passengers
• Length: 43 ft 9 in (13.34 m)
• Wingspan: 54 ft 6 in (16.61 m)
• Height: 15 ft 0 in (4.57 m)
• Wing area: 303 ft² (28.2 m²)
• Empty weight: 7,755 lb (3,520 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 12,500 lb (5,670 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-42 turboprops, 850 shp (635 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 339 mph (294 knots, 545 km/h) at 25,000 ft (7,600m)
• Cruise speed: 333 mph (289 knots ,536 km/h) at 25,000 ft (max cruise)
• Stall speed: 86 mph (75 knots, 139 km/h) IAS (flaps down)
• Range: 2,075 mi (1,800 nm, 3,338 km) with maximum fuel and 45 minute reserve
• Service ceiling: 32,800 ft (10,700 m)
• Rate of climb: 2,450 ft/min (12.5 m/s)
• Wing loading: 41.3 lb/ft² (201.6 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 0.14 hp/lb (220 W/kg)

The distance AB is the wing span of this Aer Lingus Airbus A320. ... In aviation, the Maximum Take-Off Weight (or MTOW) is the maximum weight with which an aircraft is allowed to try to achieve flight. ... The PT6 is a turboprop aircraft engine manufactured by Pratt & Whitney Canada and is the most popular turboprop in history [1]. It has an unusual design in that the air enters from the rear of the engine and the power section is at the front. ... A schematic diagram showing the operation of a turboprop engine. ... VNO of an aircraft is the V speed which refers to the velocity of normal operation. ... Airspeed Indicator in a light aircraft The VC of an aircraft is the V speed which refers to the velocity of cruising. ... Stall speed is an aerodynamic term. ... The maximal total range is the distance an aircraft can fly between takeoff and landing as limited by its fuel capacity. ... In aeronautics, the service ceiling is the maximum density altitude where the best rate of climb airspeed will produce a 100 feet per minute climb(twin engine) and 50 feet(single engine) at maximum weight while in a clean configuration with maximum continuous power. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ... In aerodynamics, wing loading is the loaded weight of the aircraft divided by the area of the wing. ... Power-to-weight ratio is a measure commonly used when comparing various vehicles (or engines), including automobiles, motorcycles and aircraft. ...

References

Airliners. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... February 8 is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Airliners. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... July 30 is the 211th day (212th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 154 days remaining. ...

External links

• Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum - Beechcraft King Air 65-90
• National Museum of the US Air Force - Beechcraft VC-6A
• Beechcraft King Air website
• Beech King Air timeline from Wings of Kansas

Related content

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Beechcraft King Air

Related development

• Beechcraft Queen Air
• C-12 Huron
• Beechcraft 1900
• Beechcraft Model 99

Comparable aircraft

• Cessna 425
• Cessna 441
• Mitsubishi Mu-2
• Piper PA-31T Cheyenne
• Embraer EMB 121 Xingu

Designation sequence

• Beechcraft:
  • 77 - 80 - 88 - 90 - 95 - 99 - 100 - 200 - 300 - 350
• US DoD:
  • T-42 - T-43 - T-44 Pegasus - T-45 - T-46 - T-47

Related lists

• List of active United Kingdom military aircraft

See also

• The 2000 Queensland King Air crash