Beechcraft King Air
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| 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) |
King Air is the name for 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).
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.
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[edit] Development
[edit] 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 and Whitney PT-6A turboprop engines, rated at 500 shaft horsepower (shp).
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.
[edit] Military versions of King Air 90
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 term; 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. 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.<ref>Vendrasco, Stephanie, "Transforming the Pegasus"</ref>
[edit] 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.[edit] Model 100 series
Image:C-GSYN Adlair Aviation Ltd Beechcraft King Air 100 (BE10) 03.JPG 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.
[edit] 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.
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.
[edit] Military versions of the Super King Air 200
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 series aircraft which are used for military intelligence missions. They are used throughout the world, including Operation Iraqi Freedom.
[edit] Model 300 Super King Air
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).
[edit] Production notes
On June 24, 1996, the 5,000th King Air was delivered. Thousands of King Airs are in service around the world.
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.
[edit] Operators
The King Air has more than 6,000 aircraft operated by corporate, commercial and special mission operations in more than 94 countries.<ref>Aerospace technology.com, retrieved July 30, 2006</ref>
[edit] Military
- Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia (Army, Air Force), Bolivia, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand (RNZAF), 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
[edit] 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).
[edit] Specifications (King Air B200)
Data from Airliners.net<ref name="airliners.net">Lundgren, Johan (1996-2006). Raytheon Beechcraft King Air 200. Airliners.net. AirNav Systems LLC. URL accessed on 2006-07-30.</ref>, <ref name="Janes">Jackson, Paul, Munson, Kenneth; Peacock, Lindsay. Jane's All the World's Aircraft. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0-7106-2684-3.</ref>
General characteristics<h3>
- 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
<h3>Performance<h3>
- Maximum speed: 333 mph (289 knots, 499 km/h) at 15,000 ft (4,600 m)
- 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)
[edit] References
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