The
Beechcraft Super King Air
family is part of a line of twin-turboprop
aircraft produced by the Beechcraft. The
Super King Air family has been in continuous
production since 1974, the longest
production run of any civilian turboprop
aircraft in its class. It has outlasted all
of its previous competitors and as of 2009
the only other aircraft in its class is the
Piaggio Avanti. As of December 2009, the
B200,
B200GT and the larger
B300 are the production models.
Special mission derivative
versions of these models are also available
for order.
The 200 series proved so popular that
Beechcraft began work on a successor, with
the Beechcraft designation
Model 300
and marketed as the "Super King Air 300".
The B200's airframe was "cleaned up" and
even more powerful engines (PT6A-60A, rated
at 1050 shp) installed in redesigned
cowlings (known as "pitot cowlings" due to
the reshaped engine air intakes), with MTOW
increased to 14,000 lb (6,300 kg). A Model
200 (c/no. BB-343) was modified to develop
the updated systems to be used on the new
model and flew in this configuration on
October 6, 1981. The first flight of the
prototype Model 300 took place on September
3, 1983 and deliveries commenced the
following year. Because not all nations
would then allow an aircraft of this type to
be certified at an MTOW greater than
12,500 lb (5,700 kg), the
Model 300LW
was also developed at the same time, limited
to the lower MTOW. Nineteen examples of a
special version of the Model 300 were
delivered to the FAA in 1987 and 1988. The
first two were conversions of standard Model
300s, while the remaining 17 were
purpose-built; since they were delivered the
FAA has used the fleet to check the
extensive network of navaids in the United
States. 200 and 300 Series King Airs have
been used for similar duties in several
other countries, including Australia,
Germany, Hong Kong (a B200C used for navaid
calibration was the first aircraft to land
at the then-new Chek Lap Kok Airport in
1996), Norway, Sweden and Taiwan.
By 1988, Beechcraft had begun work on the
replacement for the 300. The fuselage of the
300 was stretched by nearly three feet with
two extra cabin windows on each side and
winglets added to the wingtips to create the
Model B300, introduced in 1990 and
initially marketed as the
Super King Air
350. MTOW was increased again to
15,000 lb (6,750 kg); as the same regulatory
situation that led to the development of the
300LW still existed, that model continued to
be produced until 1994. Like the 200 and
B200 before it, a version with a large cargo
door was developed, the
Model B300C
marketed as the "Super King Air 350C". The
first deliveries of this model also took
place in 1990. In 1998, the UltraQuiet
active noise canceling system, made by
Elliott Aviation, was added as standard
equipment on all B300s. In October 2003,
Beechcraft announced that it would deliver
future B300 and B300C King Airs with the
Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite.
The B300 model is still in production
today (now marketed simply as the "King Air
350", the "Super" being dropped in 1996),
while the B300C is available for order; four
were built in 2007 and Hawker Beechcraft
announced on November 11, 2007 that it would
deliver five to Saudi Arabia in 2008 for use
as air ambulances.
On June 13, 2005, Beechcraft announced at
the Paris Air Show that it was developing
the King Air 350ER version of the
B300, an equivalent to the earlier Model
200T and B200Ts of the 200 series. Changes
include an increase of MTOW to 16,500 lb
(7,430 kg), provision for surveillance
equipment in a belly pod, the landing gear
of the Beechcraft 1900 to handle the
increased weight and provide ground
clearance for the belly pod, and extra fuel
capacity in the engine nacelles to increase
range (because of the B300s winglets, it was
unfeasible to fit wingtip fuel tanks as
found on the 200T and B200T). On November
11, 2007, Hawker Beechcraft announced that
the 350ER had been certified by the FAA.
In October 2008, Beechcraft announced
updated versions of the B300 series, the
King Air 350i, with improvements to the
passenger cabin. The manufacturer claims
that the noise level and overall comfort of
the King Air 350i, 350iER, 350iC and 350iCER
are now competitive with those of light
jets. The cabin of the B300 series has been
updated with controllers in the passenger
seat armrests that dim the LED lights,
darken the windows and control an iPod dock
and a high-definition video monitor. The
cabin also includes Universal Serial Bus
(USB) ports, AC electrical receptacles and
fold-out tables for each passenger in the
eight seats fitted. Deliveries commenced in
December 2009.
Variants
Model 300
Two versions, the standard Model 300
with increased MTOW of 14,000 lb (6,300 kg)
and the Model 300LW with MTOW limited to
12,500 lb (5,700 kg) to meet the aviation
regulatory requirements of various
countries; 247 built including 35 Model
300LW and including two Model 300s modified
and another 17 built specifically for the
FAA for use in navaid calibration.
Model B300 (marketed as King Air
350)
Stretched model with two extra cabin
windows each side of forward fuselage and
winglets on wingtips; in production as King
Air 350i and King Air 350iER. 687 built as
of the end of 2009, including 42 extended
range versions delivered as 350ERs. Later
aircraft fitted with Pro Line 21 avionics.
Model B300C (marketed as King
Air 350C)
Version of B300 with cargo door;
available for order as 350iC and 350iCER. 35
built as of the end of 2009 including one
for the Swiss Air Force with modifications
for aerial surveillance and five aircraft
modified prior to delivery with underwing
hardpoints and delivered as 350CERs. Later
aircraft fitted with Pro Line 21 avionics.
Model B300 (marketed as King Air
350i)
Updated version of B300 with interior
upgrade; certified in December 2009.
Source: Wikipedia
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