Textron Aviation ushered in the next generation of its legendary King Air turboprop family on Tuesday with the introduction of the Beechcraft King Air 360/360ER. (dcnewsroom.blogspot.com) 更多...
That glass cockpit looks nice. Long live the King Air Beechcraft designed a winner. A nice fun fact is the King Air made its first flight 5 years 10 months prior to the Queen of the sky 747.
I flew the -200 (C-12)when I was in the Army in the late '70's. Sweet, sweet flying airplane and very capable. The only downside I remember was trying to climb to a mid-level FL .with the engine ice vanes activated. Climb performance was not very impressive ;-) other than that I can't think of anything I didn't like about the C-12. Loved that airplane. Also flew the U-21 and U-21F. Good, dependable, rugged airplanes.
They once planned a four engine King Air, it went like hell but only for 30 minutes. Kidding. 6000 hours King Air ( 90-100-200). Vacuum came from the pneumatic system (no pump) on each engine, either engine could power the vacuum system through a venturi. PT-6 is an example of excellence, bullet-proof. A joy to fly. 250 would be my choice for a personal aircraft.
I would have thought more than 7600 total King Airs would have been produced in the 56 years since the first was introduced. That is only about 136 per year. But when you look at it as one every 2-1/2 to 3 days, it seems more reasonable.
I can't find any information on how much the 65-90 cost in 1964, but I'm guessing the cost of the newest model has far outpaced the rate of inflation, which since 1964 is about 8.32 (832%).
"I can't find any information on how much the 65-90 cost in 1964,"
I looked in an old(er) Aviation Bluebook (from my aviation insurance days) and it shows that the cost of a 1964 King Air 65-90 to be $320,000.00. What it doesn't say is what equipment that included. E.g. flight director, wx radar, dme, etc.
The 65-90 King Air was simply a 65-88 Queen Air (the only pressurized Queen Air) with turbine engines (P&W PT6-6s) vice the Queen Air which was powered by two Lycoming IGSO-540 recip. engines. The 65-88 had round windows and the -70s and -80s had square windows.
The rise in cost would certainly more than inflation due to the enhanced equipment and other upgrades. Kind of like a Model T would be to a Ford Fusion, both are basic transportation. The cost of a Model T in 1927 was $360, which would adjust for inflation to about $5,300 today.
My ground school instructor told a story about the King Air having only one vacuum pump. If that failed, you were toast, unless you could tell what the plane was doing by looking at the other instruments. His point was that a 'good pilot' should be able to read the instruments, if needed, and be able to see if they were climbing or descending. Work on your piloting skills. Know what the instruments are telling you.
King Airs have no vacuum pumps. jthyland, in his/her post, is correct.
Here are few words from my old King Air B200 Flight Manual:
Beechcraft King Air 200/B200 Flight Manual
SYSTEM DESCRIPTION AND LOCATION CHAPTER 9 PNEUMATICS Pneumatic and Vacuum Systems Page 9-1
High-pressure bleed air regulated to 18 psi, supplies pressure for the surface deice system and the vacuum source (Figure 9-1). Vacuum for the flight instruments, pressurization controller, and surface deice originates through a venturi (bleed air ejector) which is exhausted overboard (Figure 9-2). One engine can supply sufficient bleed air for all associated systems. In addition, the brake deice system receives bleed air that is tapped off downstream of each instrument air valve Engine bleed air is ducted from each engine to its respective L or R flow control unit mounted on the firewall. A pressure supply line tees off the engine bleed-air line forward of the firewall and flow control unit. This supply line contains pneumatic pressure to operate the surface deicer, rudder boost, door seal, brake deice (hot brakes) system hydraulic reservoir (BB1193 and after, including BB-1158 and 1167).
From the official FAA Hawker Beechcraft Corporation Beechcraft Model 200 and F90 MMEL
System 37, Vacuum/Pressure
2 systems provided.
1 systems may be inoperative provided that the aircraft is not operated in known or forecast icing conditions.
Both systems may be inoperative provided: a)Affected Valve remains selected INSTR & ENVIR OFF, b)Affected Valve is verified closed prior to each Takeoff, and c)Aircraft is not operated in known or forecast icing conditions.
Correction, King Air is a brand owned and built by Textron. The model is the 250. I know as I am a professional branding designer. Similar thing occurs in the car industry with RAM trucks that are made by Chrysler, but no one calls it the Chrysler Ram 1500.
King air is not a brand it's a series/model created by Beechcraft and now owned by Textron. Beechcraft also created other series/models like the B1900, Baron,Bonanza etc... I know as I am a passionate of aviation :P
There is only one thing I don't like about the King Air and that is it has props on it. A couple of over the wing pylons like the Honda Jet and they'd really have something.
Look up Beechcraft King Air BB-1 That was the plan all along. The PT6 turbopropeller engine is a bullet proof design and has added to the success of the airframe.
That might be, but I will take a. Turbo prop versus any pure jet. I flew Sabre liners (T39) and C130 Hercules in the US Air Force and enjoyed the turbo prop a lot more. Just my opinion. In the C130 The props give the pilot instant power since the jet engines are running at near 100% in flight.
Which model(s) 130s did you fly? When I started with the Coast Guard we had Bs and Cs and got Es just before I left.
You are correct about running at 100%. the During flight, the T-56 runs at a constant 100% RPM (13,820 RPM), so torque (force times distance) is proportional to horsepower. The C-130 T-56 installation uses torque as the primary indication of engine output. The most important operational limitations for the C-130 engine are: - Torque: 19,600 in-lbs. maximum -Turbine inlet temperature (“TIT”): 1083º maximum.
It's amazing how much superfluous information the mind retains after so many years have past.I still like turboprops big and small.
Best
Capt J Buck
ATP DC-9 B757 B767 Flight Instructor Ground Instructor Aircraft Dispatcher A&P Mechanic Air Traffic Controller FAA Aviation Safety Inspector (Ret.) FAA certified accident investigator (Ret.) ICAO Panel Member
Yes, the King Airs (all 7000+ of them) have props attached to their always reliable PT-6 engines. As a professional pilot I am more interested in the performance numbers. The HondaJet (for example) can climb to FL430, cruise at 422Kts and carry 6 people 1420 miles. The King Air 350ER (or the newer 360ER) can climb to FL310 (lower than the HJ), Cruise at 305Kts (slower than the HJ) but carry 8 folks 2700 miles (vice the HJs 6 folks and 1220 miles.)
That last number is an important one. I'd much rather have an airplane that had double the range than go higher and faster. Take a Boston-Dallas route (1560 miles) for example. The King Air 350 or 360 can make the tripe non-stop. The HondJet is going to have to stop enroute, refuel and then continue on.
Turboprops have a real distinct advantage over jets especially when operating short to mid-range flights, flights that require takeoffs and landings on a short(er) runways and flights that are as inexpensive as possible in terms of fuel, maintenance, etc.
Of course for those really long range flights you'll want a Airbus A350 or Boeing 777X.
King Air is a model of aircraft, not a maker of aircraft. Textron/Beechcraft make the King Air, just like Ford makes the Explorer. By your aviation brilliance, you must think that 747 makes great products as well! Society is doomed with people like you on the loose.
This is funny. In college, a determined dunce thought that 'Solid State' was a brand, and that 'the company' was producing ALL of the products with 'their name' on it. Nothing anyone said could dissuade his opinion.
Some idiots are fun to watch. I would have liked to be there when he realized he had been incredibly wrong for so long, and had professed his idiocy to so many people. I'm sure he just laughed it off, and kicked a dog or something...