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The Beechcraft King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation (now the Beechcraft Division of Hawker Beechcraft). The King Air line comprises a number of models that have been divided into two families; the Model 90 series and Model 100 series are known as King Airs, while the Model 200 series and Model 300 series were originally marketed as Super King Airs, with the "Super" moniker 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). As of October 2007, the only small King Air in production is the conventional-tail C90GT.
The King Air was the first aircraft in its class and has been in continuous production since 1964. It has outsold all of its turboprop competitors combined and is the only small twin-turboprop business aircraft in production. It now faces competition from jet aircraft such as the Beechcraft Premier I and Cessna Citation Mustang.
The Model 90 King Air was conceived as the Model 120 in 1961. In May 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 that year Beechcraft announced it was developing a new aircraft type. A month later Beechcraft advised that it was accepting orders for the new type, to be called the "King Air", for deliveries commencing in the Autumn of 1964. After 10 months of test flying, in 1964 the Model 87 was delivered to the United States Army as the NU-8F. 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. The first production aircraft was delivered on October 8, 1964 and by the end of that month 152 aircraft had been ordered; by the end of the year seven had been built.
In 1966, after 112 65-90s had been built, production switched to the Model 65-A90 with PT6A-20 engines. As a measure of the type's popularity, 208 65-A90s were built in less than two years when production switched to the Model B90, the first of these rolling off the production line in 1968. Military versions built during these years included the 65-A90-1, 65-A90-2, 65-A90-3 and 65-A90-4, all being unpressurised models based on the Model 87. These were produced for the US Army which designated them U-21s of various sub-models; many were fitted out for electronic battlefield surveillance. A total of 162 of these unpressurised aircraft were built between 1967 and 1971.
A total of 184 B90 models were produced before the Model C90 was introduced in 1971, with wingspan increased over earlier models by 4 ft 11 in to 50 ft 3 in (or 15.32 m), Maximum Take-Off Weight increased by 350 lb to 9,650 lb (or 4,378 kg), and PT6A-20A engines. The broadly similar Model E90 was introduced the following year, with PT6A-28 engines; the two models were produced in parallel. Further refinement of the 90 series resulted in the Model F90 and follow-on Model F90-1. The F-models featured the T-tail of the Model 200 King Air mated to the fuselage and wings of the E90, with PT6A-135 engines of 750 shp (560 kW) driving four-bladed propellers. The F90 prototype flew on January 16, 1978 and 202 production versions followed between 1979 and 1983, when the F90 was superseded by the F90-1. The F90 prototype was re-engined with Garrett AiResearch TPE-331 engines to test the feasibility of a Model G90, but this model was not put into production.
The Model C90-1 entered production in 1982 after 507 C90s and 347 E90s had been built, and featured PT6A-21 engines and improvements to the pressurisation system. The following year the F90-1 was put into production with redesigned engine cowlings; only 33 of this model were built by the time production was terminated in 1985. The C90-1 was soon followed by the Model C90A; this superseded the C90-1 in 1984 after just 54 of that model had been built and featured the redesigned engine cowlings first seen on the F90-1. The C90A received an increase in MTOW in 1987, subsequently being certified to 10,100 lb (or 4,580 kg). The C90A model was in production until 1992, by which time 232 had been built, all but 74 with the increased MTOW. The Model C90B followed that year with airframe improvements, four-bladed propellers and propeller synchrophasing, all in an effort to reduce noise inside the cabin. This model also had PT6A-21 engines; when it was built the first production C90B was fitted with the 10,000th PT6 engine delivered to Beechcraft. In 1994 a cheaper version was introduced with the name C90SE (Special Edition), with standardised interior and avionics. Both 'C90B' and 'C90SE' are marketing terms; all aircraft being actually identified as C90As on the FAA Type Certificate..
In July 2005, during the Oshkosh Airshow, Beechcraft introduced the C90GT. The C90GT is fitted with PT6A-135A engines of 750 shp, but they are flat rated to the same 550 shp as the engines in the earlier King Air models. 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. C90GT production commenced after 458 C90Bs and C90SEs had been delivered.
Beechcraft was not a company to design a completely-new aircraft when a derivative could do the job, and designed the Model 100 as a stretch of the Model 90 (with five cabin windows instead of the Model 90's three); the MTOW was increased by 1,300 lb (or 590 kg) over that of the 90 models, to 10,600 lb (or 4,810 kg). It was also derived from the Model 99, using the same wings, tail and engines (two PT6A-28 engines rated at 620 shp) as that aircraft, itself a development of the Queen Air (as was the Model 90 of course).
The Model 100 was flown for the first time on March 17, 1969 and unveiled to the public in May the same year. 89 Model 100s were built before it was superseded by the Model A100 in 1971, with a further increase in MTOW to 11,500 lb (or 5,220 kg), fuel capacity increased by 94 US Gallons (or 357 litres), 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 715 shp 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 (or 5,350 kg). The B100 was introduced in 1974 and was produced concurrently with the A100 for several years; manufacture ceased in 1984 after 137 were built. The Model 200 Super King Air was developed from the Model 100, with the same fuselage design (with some differences, mainly associated with the different tails) being used for both models. The 200 model had different wings and a T-tail and entered service in 1973 (see the Beechcraft Super King Air article).
The U.S. military has used King Air 90s in various roles, primarily VIP and liaison transport, with designations including the VC-6A, the T-44A Pegasus, and the U-21 Ute. The U-21 Ute used by the US Army was the most common version.
Most U-21s were unpressurized Model 87 derivatives (see above), but there were also five U-21Fs based on the A100 King Air; and three U-21Js, which Beechcraft designated as the Model A100-1 but were actually the first three production Model 200 Super King Airs. The majority of U-21s were delivered as U-21As (102 65-A90-1s), but there were also four RU-21As (65-A90-1s), three RU-21Bs (65-A90-2s), two RU-21Cs (65-A90-3s), 18 RU-21Ds (65-A90-1s), 16 RU-21Es (65-A90-4s) and 17 RU-21Gs (65-A90-1s). The RU-21Es (except for one that had been written-off) were later converted to U-21Hs and RU-21Hs, with two U-21Hs and an RU-21H being further converted to JU-21Hs.
Two VC-6A aircraft were operated by the US military. One was a Model 65-A90 operated by the US Army and the other a B90 operated by the United States Air Force.
The T-44A Pegasus was a trainer version, designated the Model H90 by Beechcraft, and is used to train United States Navy and Air Force pilots to fly multi-engine, turboprop aircraft such as the P-3 Orion and the C-130 Hercules. A total of 61 were delivered to the US Navy between 1977 and 1980.
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 comprise the 202 Kyoiku Kokutai (Training Squadron) based at Tokushima, while the LC-90s are attached to various Lockheed P-3 Kokutais (Squadrons) and a NAMC YS-11 Kokutai as liaison aircraft.
During the administration of President Lyndon Johnson, the United States Air Force acquired a Model B90 King Air "off-the-shelf". With the military designation of VC-6A, the aircraft, serialled 66-7943, was used to transport President 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. 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.
"After-market" modifications and upgrades are available for 90 and 100 Series King Airs. One engine upgrade package involves earlier-build 90 Series aircraft being re-engined with the PT6A-135A engines of the C90GT. Aircraft with this modification are known as Blackhawk XPs. A more radical re-engining programme is the Kilo Alpha 290, which involves the replacement of the PT6s in C90 and E90 King Airs with TPE-331s.
Among the numerous airframe modifications available, one company offers a Wing Front Spar Reinforcement Kit for both 90 and 100 Series aircraft, while another offers a modification for the entire King Air line that entails reworking and extending the nose 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 the pods fitted to the Beech 99 and the Model 1300 version of the King Air 200 series.
Argentina, Algeria, Bolivia, Chile, Côte d'Ivoire, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Jamaica, Japan, Morocco, Peru, Sri Lanka, Spain, Venezuela. In the United States: US Air Force, US Army, US Navy.
Eight C90A King Airs were operated by Bombardier on behalf of the Canadian Air Force. These were used as multi-engine trainers and flew with Canadian civil registrations. All entered service in 1992 and were operated until 2005.
Argentina, Province of Ushuaia and Catacarca, Canada, Government of the Province of New Brunswick, United States.
The Department of Civil Aviation of Papua New Guinea operated a C90 King Air for a number of years, but now operates a Model 200 Super King Air.
In Canada: Adlair Aviation and Air Creebec.
In Chile: Aerovias DAP and Aerotransportes Araucanía.
In Israel: Chim-Nir Aviation.
In the United Arab Emirates: Hamra Air.
Vietnam: VASSCO.
The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia previously operated a large number of 90 Series King Airs, but retired the last example in 2006, standardising on the King Air 200 Series and the Pilatus PC-12 for its fleet requirements. Two of the former RFDS C90 King Airs are now operated by the New Tribes Mission in Papua New Guinea.
A total of almost 3,100 King Air 90 and 100 series aircraft have been delivered as of October 2007:
Model 87: "Proof-of-concept" test aircraft; one built.
Model 65-90: Prototypes and first production model; 112 built.
Model 65-A90: 206 built, one to US Army as VC-6A.
Model 65-A90-1: Based on the Model 87; 141 built and delivered to the US Army.
Model 65-A90-2: Based on the Model 87; three built and delivered to the US Army.
Model 65-A90-3: Based on the Model 87; two built and delivered to the US Army.
Model 65-A90-4: Based on the Model 87; 16 built and delivered to the US Army.
Model B90: Third civil model; 184 built, one to USAF as VC-6A.
Model C90-1: 54 built.
Model C90A: Initial production run between 1984 and 1992 of 235 aircraft.
C90B and C90SE: marketing names for updated versions of C90A produced between 1992 and 2005, 458 built.
Model C90GT: Current production model (as of September 2007); at least 100 built.
Model E90: Manufactured concurrently with the C90; 347 built.
Model F90: Prototype and production model with T-tail of the Super King Air; 203 built.
Model F90-1: Follow-on from F90; 34 built.
Model G90: F90 prototype re-engined with Garrett TPE-331s in place of the Pratt & Whitney PT6s originally fitted.
Model H90: Version manufactured for the US Navy; 61 built.
Model 100: Prototype and first production "long fuselage" King Air version; 90 built.
Model A100: 157 built, prototype Model 100 also converted to A100 model in 1976, three years after introduction of A100 model. Five to US Army as U-21Fs.
Model B100: Prototype (converted from A100 plus production model, all with Garrett TPE-331 engines instead of Pratt & Whitney PT6s fitted to previous models; 137 built.
Model A100-1: Beechcraft designation for first three production Model 200 Super King Airs delivered to the US Army.
With the exception of the F90 and F90-1, all 90 Series King Airs have been produced under the same Type Certificate (Number 3A20) as used for Queen Air production. All 100 Series King Airs were produced under the same Type Certificate (Number A14CE) as used for Model 99 production.
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