Beechcraft Super King Air

History of the Beechcraft Super King Air

Civil utility aircraft have often proven so versatile that they are as popular in the military market as they are elsewhere. Such was the case with the Beechcraft King Air series launched in September 1964.

A major variant of the series became the "Super King Air" shape, which later found a home in many major military inventories, including the United States Air Force (USAF). A prototype of the Super King Air flew in October 1972 and entered service (interestingly for military service) the same year.

In February 1974, the form of civilian marketization followed.

In total, nearly 4,000 Super King Airs have been produced since mass production began in 1974. Both the Beechcraft 1900 series and the C-12 "Huron" are credited to the popular Super King Air.

The Super King Air has the same form and function as its predecessor. It has an elongated pointed cone in front of the side-by-side cockpit. Straight truncated monoplane wings were located low on the sides of the hull and forward amidships. The fuselage is lined with windows for passengers to observe. The tail adopts a T-shaped aircraft layout.

Each wing houses a turboprop engine mounted in a streamlined nacelle. Depending on the production model, the engine can power three to five blades. Ground operation is achieved with a tricycle landing gear that can be fully retracted into the aircraft to maintain a streamlined shape.

The modern Super King Air is powered by the popular Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC) PT6 series turboprop engine to provide the power needed.

The Super King Air series started with the Model 200, with 858 built. The U.S. Army brought three of them into stock for evaluation under the A100-1 designation. This resulted in the A200, 75 of which were built for the service and the US Air Force. The 200T offers wingtip fuel tanks for increased range, as well as improved windows and a modular belly section for gear.

The brand only delivered 23.

The A200C has been used by the United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) and is equipped with a cargo door on the rear port side of the fuselage for easy access to the fuselage. The total production is 90 units. The 200C is the civilian version of the brand, followed by the 36.

The A200CT for the civilian market is the militarized A200CT.

The B200 included updates to differentiate it from the earlier Model 200, and production in this final form reached 1,157 units by the end. The B200C included the cargo access door, and the subsequent 112 included the US Air Force's C012F model.

The B200T is 23 examples of the Type 200T that evolved from the existing B200 airframe. The B200CT is a B200C with optional wingtip fuel tanks. The B200 (also known as the King Air 250) features a new scimitar-style composite propeller unit, winglets and improved short-field performance.

The B200GT is a modernized form of the B200 aimed at the civilian market. B200CGT is a civilian B200C, but production is limited.

The Model 300 consists mainly of the King Air 300 and King Air 350, the newer King Air 360 has been around since joining the fray. The MTOW value differs between the Model 300 and the related 300LW, which has been reduced from 14,000 lbs to 12,500 lbs. The B300 has an elongated fuselage and winglets for improved fuel economy and control. The B300C (King Air 350C) has a cargo door and optional underwing hardpoints. This marking includes the relevant forms 350iC and 350iCER.

The 350i is an upgraded 2009 B300 model.

Newer mid-2020 360 and 360ER (extended range) models offer a completely redesigned interior, as well as auto-refueling and auto-pressurization for high altitude flight.

The Model 1300 Commuter exists as a regional aircraft model that can accommodate up to 13 passengers. Includes additional luggage storage. From 1989 to 1990, there were only 14 of this brand.

The Blackhawk XP67A is an evolutionary model with a PT6A-67A engine and five-bladed propeller for increased power and performance.

In military service, the versatility of the Super King Air is evident as it is assigned a variety of roles, depending on the operator, including maritime patrol, VIP transport, electronic warfare (EW), general reconnaissance, Aerial surveillance/surveillance, medical evacuation, border patrol and flight/crew/system training. Delegating countries range from Algeria and Angola to Venezuela and Yemen.

All four major U.S. routes operate some form of Super King Air, and the collection also includes shares of state-owned operators such as Australia and the U.K.

Chile, Hong Kong, Ireland and Sweden have now retired their fleets.

Specification

Base

Years in Service

1972

Origins

United States

Status

Active.

Crew

1

Production

3,800

Manufacturer

Beechcraft - USA

Operators

Algeria; Angola; Argentina; Australia; Bahamas; Bolivia; Burkina Faso; Cambodia; Canada; Colombia; Ecuador; Egypt; Eritrea; France; Greece; Guatemala; Honduras; Hong Kong; India; Iraq; Ireland; Israel; Japan; Malaysia; Malta; Morocco; New Zealand; Nigeria; Pakistan; Paraguay; Peru; Saudi Arabia; South Africa; Sri Lanka; Sweden; Switzerland; Thailand; Walk; Turkey; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; United States; Uruguay; Venezuela; Yemen

Roles

Special Mission: Airborne Early Warning (AEW)

A specially equipped platform that provides command and control (C2) capabilities to Allied air forces on the battlefield.

Special Mission: Electronic Warfare (EW)

Ability to actively deny adversaries electromagnetic (EM) spectrum and protect that spectrum for allied forces.

Commercial Aviation

Used in roles serving the commercial aviation market, moving passengers and cargo over long distances.

Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR), reconnaissance

Monitor ground targets/target areas to assess surrounding threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.

Special Forces

Serve special forces/special operations forces and missions.

Dimensions and Weight

Length

46.7 feet

(14.22m)

Width/span

57. 9 feet

(17.65m)

Height

14. 3 feet

(4.37m)

MTOW

9,954 lbs

(4,515 kg)

Performance

Installed:

2 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A turboprop engines, rated at 1,050 hp, driving three, four or five blade propeller units.

Maximum speed

348 km/h

(560 km/h | 302 knots)

Maximum

35,105 feet

(10,700 m | 7 km)

Area

2,082 km

(3,350 km | 6,204 nautical miles)

Range (MPH) Subsonic: <614mph | Transonic: 614-921 | Supersonic: 921-3836 | Hypersonic: 3836-7673 | Hypersonic: 7673-19180 | Reentry: > 19030

Armor

None. Special mission variants with applicable mission gear as needed.

VARIANTS

Super King Air The name of the basic series. King Air 200King Air 200CKing Air 200CTKing Air 200TKing Air A200King Air A200CKing Air A200CTKing Air B200 - Equivalent to King Air 250. King Air B200CKing Air B200TKing Air B200CTKing Air B200GTKing Air B200CGTKing Air 300King Air 350King Air 350CKing Air 350ER - Extended Range. King Air 350iKing Air 350WRKing Air B300 - King Air 300 or 350i equivalent.

King Air B300C - Swiss Air Force variant; King Air 350C equivalent. King Air 360 - mid-2020 model; avionics improved among other revisions. King Air 360ER - Extended Range. Model 1300 Commuter - Regional aircraft form.

Blackhawk XP67A - PT6A-67A engine; five-bladed composite prop; increased strength and performance. C-90A - Royal Canadian Air Force model.