Introducing the Beechcraft King Air 360

Call me old school, but I'd rather have physical gauges. *shrug*

"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.

Best

J Buck

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.

Best Regards

J Buck
King Air trained pilot

Textron makes it. King Air is a model

Typically a turboprop is going to be more fuel efficient than a jet. They're just not as sexy as a jet.

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.

Already have one like that, call the Honda Jet.

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.

I don't know... An Avanti will still turn my head. Sexy fun plane.

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.

Best

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...

Off your meds again?