The Beechcraft King Air is a line of American utility aircraft produced by Beechcraft. The King Air line comprises a number of twin-turboprop models that have been divided into two families. The Model 90 and 100 series developed in the 1960s are known as King Airs, while the later T-tail Model 200 and 300 series were originally marketed as Super King Airs, with the name "Super" being dropped by Beechcraft in 1996 (although it is still often used to differentiate the 200 and 300 series King Airs from their smaller stablemates).

The King Air was the first aircraft in its class and was produced continuously from 1964 to 2021. It outsold all of its turboprop competitors combined. It has recently faced competition from light jet aircraft such as the Embraer Phenom 100, Honda HA-420 HondaJet and Cessna Citation Mustang; as well as from newer turboprop aircraft including the Piaggio P180 Avanti, and single-engine Piper Malibu Meridian, Pilatus PC-12, and Socata TBM.

Development

thumb|right|An E90 King Air taxis at the [[Mojave Spaceport]]

thumb|right|A King Air C90 at [[Centennial Airport]]

thumb|A T-tail F90 of the Guatemalan Air Force

Model 90 series

thumb|King Air B90 at [[Piedmont Triad International Airport]]

The Model 90 King Air was conceived as the Model 120 in 1961. In its original planned configuration, the Model 120 was to have been powered by two Turbomeca Bastan VI engines. On May 15, 1963, Beechcraft began test flights of the proof-of-concept Model 87, a modified Queen Air with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-6 engines. On July 14, Beech announced a new type, and a month later began accepting orders for the "King Air", with deliveries to commence in Autumn 1964. On January 24, 1964, the first definitive prototype, by now designated Model 65-90 and also fitted with PT6A-6 engines, flew for the first time. After 10 months of test flying, in 1964 the Model 87 was delivered to the United States Army as the NU-8F. The first production aircraft was delivered on October 8, and by the end of the month, 152 aircraft had been ordered; by year's end, seven had been built.

A total of 184 B90 models were produced before the Model C90 was introduced in 1971, The following year the F90-1 was put into production with redesigned engine cowlings, upgraded PT6A-135A engines, hydraulic landing gear, and triple-fed electrical bus; only 33 were built by the time production terminated in 1985. all in an effort to reduce cabin noise. This model also had PT6A-21s; the first production C90B was fitted with the 10,000th PT6 engine delivered to Beechcraft. In 1994 a cheaper version was introduced as the C90SE (Special Edition), with three-bladed propellers, standardised interior and mechanical instruments instead of the Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) fitted to the C90B. featuring the Rockwell Collins Proline 21 avionics package previously only offered for the B200 and B300 King Airs. Deliveries commenced in 2008 after 97 C90GTs were delivered to customers over the previous two years. In 2015, the C90GTx was introduced with additional upgrades. In 2019, the C90 unit cost was US$2.75M, and $4.2M (~$ in ) for the C90GTi.

In March 2021, Beechcraft discontinued the C90GTx, thus ending the Model 90 production run. Textron, Beechcraft's parent company, stated that it intends to support the existing 90 series fleet indefinitely given the large number of aircraft being actively operated.

Model 100 series

thumb|A Model B100 King Air with Garrett engines

thumb|right|[[Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force TC-90]]

The Model 100 is a stretched derivative of the Model 90 featuring five cabin windows instead of the Model 90's three; MTOW increased by 1,300 lb (590 kg) over the 90, to 10,600 lb (4,810 kg). The 100 used the wings, tail, and engines (two PT6A-28 engines, although rated at 680 shp) from the Model 99 airliner, itself a development of the Queen Air (as was the Model 90).

The Model 100 was flown for the first time on March 17, 1969, and unveiled to the public in May. A total of 89 Model 100s were built before it was superseded by the Model A100 in 1972, with a further increase in MTOW to 11,500 lb (5,220 kg), fuel capacity increased by , and four-bladed propellers. A total of 157 A100s were built by the time production of this model ceased in 1979. The next in the series was the B100, which featured Garrett AiResearch TPE-331 engines as an alternative to the Pratt & Whitneys offered on other King Airs, and another increase in MTOW to 11,800 lb (5,350 kg). The B100 was introduced in 1976 and was produced concurrently with the A100 for several years; manufacture ceased in 1983 after 137 were built. The Model 200 Super King Air was developed from the Model 100, with the same fuselage design being used for both models (with some differences, mainly associated with the different tails). The Model 200 had different wings and a T-tail and entered service in 1974.

Military King Air versions

Japan

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) has operated a total of 40 C90 and C90A King Airs, with deliveries beginning in 1973. These have been given various designations by the JMSDF and consist of 34 TC-90 trainers, five LC-90 transports, and a single UC-90 which is configured for photographic aerial survey. The TC-90s and the UC-90 are operated by the 202nd Naval Air Training Squadron (JMSDF) based at Tokushima Air Base, while the LC-90s are attached to various Lockheed P-3 Kokutai (Squadrons) and Air Transport Squadron 61 as liaison aircraft. In late 2005, the JMSDF marked 500,000 accident-free flying hours of the TC-90 trainer fleet. Philippine maintenance staff will also be trained.

The JMSDF made plans to lease at least five TC-90 aircraft to the Philippines to conduct maritime patrols. Two aircraft were transferred free of charge in March 2017. From November 2016 to November 2017, six Philippine Navy pilots were trained to fly the aircraft at Tokushima Airport. Maintenance staff are also being trained. There are plans to transfer three more aircraft. In 1993, the three surviving RU-21As that remained in military service were retired and sent to JW Duff Aircraft Salvage in Denver. On November 14, 2015, one of aircraft, (67-18113) was donated by Dynamic Aviation to the 138th Aviation Company Memorial to restore the aircraft to be displayed at Orlando International Airport. The majority of the U-21 series were retired in the second half of the 1990s and most are now owned by Dynamic Aviation of Bridgewater, Virginia. Some have been modified as spraying aircraft and are used on insect control work.

The T-44A Pegasus is a trainer version, designated the Model H90 by Beechcraft, used to train United States Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Air Force (USAF) pilots to fly multi-engine aircraft. A total of 61 were delivered to the US Navy between 1977 and 1980. In August 2006, the Navy announced that after 29 years of operation, the T-44A fleet would be upgraded with modernized avionics systems, and redesignated T-44Cs.

Two VC-6A aircraft were operated by the US military. One was a Model 65-A90 operated by the US Army and serialled 66-15361, the other a B90, designated as a VC-6A (66-7943), was operated by the USAF and used by President Lyndon Johnson.

Air Force One

thumb|right|VC-6A used as Air Force One

During the administration of Lyndon Johnson, the USAF acquired a commercial off-the-shelf Model B90 King Air. With the military designation VC-6A, the aircraft, serialled 66-7943, was used to transport President Johnson between Bergstrom Air Force Base (near Austin) and the Johnson family ranch near Johnson City, Texas. When Johnson was aboard, the aircraft used the callsign Air Force One. After Johnson left office, the aircraft continued to serve in the 89th Military Airlift Wing as a VIP transport until its retirement in 1985. 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.

Modification and upgrade programs

thumb|right|A B100 King Air modified with five-bladed propellers

A number of aftermarket modifications and upgrades are available for 90 and 100 Series King Airs. An engine upgrade involves earlier-build 90 Series aircraft being re-engined with the PT6A-135A engines of the C90GT. A more radical re-engining program involves the replacement of the PT6s in C90 and E90 King Airs with TPE-331s.

thumb|right|A King Air 90 with the full CargoLiner Conversion

Among the numerous airframe modifications available: a cargo conversion for the 90 model, the CargoLiner, which replaces the rear door with a large pallet accessible cargo door, a heavy duty floor structure and cabin cargo liner, also a crew hatch for cockpit access for the crew in the 90, 100, and 200; a Wing Front Spar Reinforcement Kit for both 90 and 100 Series aircraft, to house a baggage compartment as well as the avionics normally found in the noses of King Air aircraft. Modifications available for the King Air 100 include a belly cargo pod similar to those fitted to the Beech 99 and the Model 1300 version of the King Air 200 series.

Operators

In addition to its use by military and government users, the King Air is also used by many non-governmental organizations, as well as by corporate and private users. This includes commercial use by air-taxi and air charter companies.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia previously operated a large number of 90 Series King Airs, but retired the last example in 2006, standardizing on the King Air 200 Series and the Pilatus PC-12 for its fleet requirements.

Accidents and incidents

  • On November 19, 1996, a Beechcraft King Air collided on a runway with a United Express 1900C at Quincy Regional Airport in Illinois, killing all 14 people on board both aircraft.
  • On October 25, 2002, a Beechcraft A100 King Air crashed in Minnesota, killing U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone and 7 others.
  • On June 23, 2010, a Beechcraft A100 King Air operating as Aéropro Flight 201 crashed shortly after takeoff from Quebec City Airport, killing all seven people on board.
  • On January 19, 2017, a Beechcraft C90GT King Air crashed in Paraty, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, killing Teori Zavascki, the Minister of the Supreme Court of Brazil and 4 other people.
  • On June 28, 2018, a Beechcraft King Air C90 crashed in a suburb of Mumbai, India, killing all four aboard and one on the ground; three people sustained injuries.
  • On November 5, 2021, a Beechcraft C90A King Air crashed in Caratinga, Minas Gerais, Brazil, killing 3 passengers and 2 crew members, including Brazilian singer Marília Mendonça.
  • On February 23, 2026, a Beechcraft C90 King Air, owned by Redbird Airways and operating as an air ambulance, crashed close to Simaria in the Chatra district of Jharkhand, India, resulting in the deaths of all 7 people on board.

Variants

thumb|Cockpit of a T-44C Pegasus

A total of more than 3,100 King Air 90 and 100 series aircraft have been delivered as of August 2008:

Beechcraft designations

;Model 87

:"Proof-of-concept" test aircraft based on the Model A80 with PT6A-6 turboprops; one built.

;Model 65-90

:Based on the Model 88 with two PT6A-6 turboprops and a 9000lb Take Off Gross Weight (TOGW); 112 built. 54 built in 1982 and 1983.

;

:Marketing names for updated versions of C90A produced between 1992 and 2005, 456 built B-model has Maximum Take-off Weight of 10 100 lb (4585 kg), quieter Hartzell four-blade, constant-speed, full-reversing 90-in diameter propellers and dynamic (passively resonating) vibration absorber (DVA) system. The King Air C90SE is the 'poor man’s' version of the Beech C90B with three-bladed props and “mechanical” instruments.

;Model C90GTi

:Variant of C90GT with "glass cockpit" Collins Proline 21 avionics suite; at least 90 built

;Model C90GTx

:Marketing name for version of C90GTi introduced in 2010 with winglets added as factory-standard, Maximum Take-off Weight increased to 10 485 lb (4756 kg) for better full-fuel payload flexibility.

;Model D90

:Not built, one prototype abandoned.

;Nextant G90XT

: remanufactured by Nextant Aerospace with GE H75 engines, Garmin G1000 cockpit and a new cabin.

Military designations

;YU-21

:Modification of L-23 Seminole with PT6A-6 turboprops. One converted.

;U-21A Ute

:Utility aircraft for US Army, with fuselage of Queen Air 65-80 and wings of King Air 65-90, powered by 550 hp (410 kW) PT6A-20s. Beechcraft Model 65-A90-1. 141 built.

;EU-21A

:Conversion of at least five U-21As as radio relay aircraft for use over Vietnam. Later re-converted to U-21A standard.

;JU-21A

:Conversion of three U-21As with Left Jab Signals intelligence (SIGINT) system. One of the system aircraft, (67-18065) with callsign "Vanguard 216" was shot down by a Surface to Air Missile near the DMZ on March 4, 1971. All 5 crew members were declared KIA Bodies Not Recovered. Two later re-converted to U-21A standard.

;RU-21B

:Signals intercept aircraft as part of Cefirm Leader program. Powered by 620 hp (462 kW) PT6A-29s and with modified undercarriage. Beechcraft Model 65-A90-2. Three built.

;RU-21C

:Similar to RU-21B, but carrying jamming equipment as part of Cefirm Leader. Beechcraft model 65-A90-3. Two built.

;RU-21E

:ELINT version with Guardrail II, IIA or IV systems. Beechcraft Model 65-A90-4. 16 built.

;U-21F

:Five King Air A100s used by US Army as transport/utility aircraft.

;U-21G Ute

:U-21A with modified cockpit, mainly used as utility aircraft, 17 conversions.

;U-21H Ute

:Modification of 23 RU-21E and G aircraft replaced in the ELINT role by later aircraft to utility aircraft.

;T-44A Pegasus

:Model H90 as a Multi-engine training aircraft for US Navy, 61 built.

;B.PhTh.3

:() Royal Thai Armed Forces designation for the Model E90.

Other information

The ICAO designator, such as might be used in a PIREP or a flight plan, for the various King Airs are BE9T (F90 and F90-1), BE9L (all other model 90s), and BE10 (model 100). With the exception of the F90 and F90-1, all 90 Series King Airs have been produced under the same Type Certificate (Number 3A20) used for Queen Air production.

Specifications

300px|3-view line drawing of the Beechcraft U-21A Ute|alt=3-view line drawing of the Beechcraft U-21A Ute|thumb

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

|-

! King Air

! C90GTi

! B100

|-

|Crew

| colspan=2 | 1–2

|-

|Passengers

| 7 max

| 13 max

|-

|Length

| 35 ft 6 in / 10.82 m

| 39 ft 11 in / 12.17 m

|-

|Span

| 50 ft 3 in / 15.32 m

| 45 ft 11 in / 14.0 m

|-

|Height

| 14 ft 3 in / 4.34 m

| 15 ft 5 in / 4.7 m

|-

|Area

| 294&nbsp;ft<sup>2</sup> / 27 m<sup>2</sup>

| 279.7&nbsp;ft<sup>2</sup> / 26.0 m<sup>2</sup>

|-

|Empty Weight

| 6,950&nbsp;lb / 3,150&nbsp;kg

| 7,092&nbsp;lb / 3,212&nbsp;kg

|-

|MTOW

| 10,100&nbsp;lb / 4,580&nbsp;kg

| 11,800&nbsp;lb / 5,352&nbsp;kg

|-

|Powerplant

| 2xPT6A-135A

| 2xTPE-331-6-251B or -252

|-

|Power

| 550 shp / 410&nbsp;kW

| 715 shp / 533&nbsp;kW

|-

|Propellers

| Hartzell HC-E4N-3N

| 4-bladed

|-

|Cruise TAS

| 226 kn / 416&nbsp;km/h

| 237 kn / 463&nbsp;km/h

|-

|Max TAS

| 270 kn / 500&nbsp;km/h

| 265 kn / 491&nbsp;km/h

|-

|Stall IAS (flaps down)

| 78 kn / 145&nbsp;km/h

|

|-

|Range

| 1,321 nmi / 2,446&nbsp;km

| 1,325 nmi / 2,455&nbsp;km

|-

|Fuel consumption

|

|

|-

|Ceiling

| 30,000&nbsp;ft / 9,144 m

| 24,850&nbsp;ft / 7,574 m

|-

|Climb rate

| 2,000&nbsp;ft/min / 10.2&nbsp;m/s

| 2,140&nbsp;ft/min / 10.87&nbsp;m/s

|-

|Wing loading

| 34.3&nbsp;lb/ft<sup>2</sup> / 170&nbsp;kg/m<sup>2</sup>

| 42.2&nbsp;lb/ft<sup>2</sup> / 205.84&nbsp;kg/m<sup>2</sup>

|-

|Power/weight

| 0.099&nbsp;hp/lb / 179 W/kg

| 0.121&nbsp;hp/lb / 199.17 W/kg

|}

See also

References

Notes

Bibliography

  • Kaminski, Tom. "Variant File: US Military King Airs: Part 1 Beech/Raytheon U-21 and C-12". International Air Power Review. Volume 11, Winter 2003/2004. . ISSN 1473-9917. pp.&nbsp;74–93.
  • Kaminski, Tom. "Variant File: US Military King Airs Part 2: C-12". International Air Power Review. Volume 12, Spring 2004. . ISSN 1473-9917. pp.&nbsp;90–98.
  • Jackson, Paul. "Beech King Air B200." Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2003-2004, 2004. .
  • Phillips, Edward H. Beechcraft - Pursuit of Perfection, A History of Beechcraft Airplanes. Flying Books, Eagan, Minnesota 1992. .
  • Simpson, R.W. Airlife's General Aviation. London: Airlife Publishing, 1991.
  • Taylor, M. J. H. ed. Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation Studio Editions Ltd.
  • Beech VC-6A – National Museum of the United States Air Force
  • Beech King Air timeline from Wings of Kansas