Misplaced Pages

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91-561: The Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin- turboprop aircraft produced by Beechcraft . The Model 200 and Model 300 series were originally marketed as the "Super King Air" family; the "Super" designation was dropped in 1996. They form the King Air line together with the King Air Model 90 and 100 series . Beechcraft currently offers the 250 (design. B200GT) and the larger 350i (B300) models. The 350ER (B300CER)

182-518: A Hungarian fighter-bomber of WWII which had one model completed, but before its first flight it was destroyed in a bombing raid. In 1941, the engine was abandoned due to war, and the factory converted to conventional engine production. The first mention of turboprop engines in the general public press was in the February 1944 issue of the British aviation publication Flight , which included

273-515: A forward looking infrared camera in an extended nose in B200 King Airs is available. Other modifications available are to convert standard 200 Series King Airs to configurations equivalent to the Model 1300 or Model 200C and B200C King Airs; and to modify B300s (typically delivered with an eight-seat corporate interior) to allow more passengers and baggage to be carried. The 6,000th King Air

364-774: A 100 n mile (185 km; 115 mile) flight to on-station; low-altitude surveillance sortie for 7 hours 20 minutes; and return to base with 45 minutes' fuel reserve. By early 2010, Hawker Beechcraft was offering structured programme of upgrades for King Air 350ERISR. Accommodation includes two pilots above an armoured floor; sensor operator at console (port, forward facing) providing on-board analysis; club-four seating in centre section with port side table, satellite telephone and refreshment centre; and lavatory at rear. Four King Air 350CERs (Shadow R1 in RAF service) equipped for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions over Afghanistan were originally ordered for

455-465: A 68 kn (126 km/h) TAS faster cruise and up to 60% shorter time to climb. Direct operating costs are around $ 1,300-1,500 per hour, including a 900 lb (410 kg) average fuel flow per h. At 3,600 h, the first pair of engine overhauls cost $ 500,000-550,000, but second overhauls can cost $ 800,000-1.2 million. By September 2019, second-hand aircraft were priced between $ 3 million for early models to more than $ 4 million for late models. In 2019,

546-494: A King Air 350ER at the 2007 Paris Air Show; and at the Royal International Air Tattoo the following month. Photos of the aircraft, which were modified 2005-built B300, showed visual features of the King Air 350ER including a belly pod, and enlarged engine nacelles compared to the nacelles of standard B300 King Airs. The United States Army has contracted for a number of King Air 300s to be acquired on

637-445: A King Air 350i is US$ 800,000 to US$ 1 million more. By April 2017 sales of the King Air series were in decline with just 12 examples delivered in the first quarter of the year, compared to 26 in the same period of 2016, due to a weak international market for the design. The company expected the annual sales to be about the same as 2016, though, which totaled 106 in that year. By December 2020, nearly 7,600 King Air had been delivered, as

728-520: A belly cargo pod; these were marketed by Beechcraft as a commuter airliner under the designation Model 1300. Customers for this version included Mesa Airlines . The propeller installation changed again in 1992, when Beechcraft started offering the option of having 4-bladed Hartzell or McCauley propellers, or 3-bladed Hartzell propellers; the 3-bladed McCauley propellers were no longer available. From October 1995 Beechcraft offered an updated B200 with Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) avionics , this

819-403: A chain, which, in turn, drives a small sprocket on the axle of the rear wheel. Early automobiles were also largely driven by sprocket and chain mechanism, a practice largely copied from bicycles. Sprockets are of various designs, a maximum of efficiency being claimed for each by its originator. Sprockets typically do not have a flange . Some sprockets used with timing belts have flanges to keep

910-717: A cockpit including an avionics upgrade, digital pressurisation and an autothrottle ; and a modernised cabin featuring a 10% lower altitude pressure. First introduced in August 2020 and with deliveries expected from the fourth quarter, the model has the same range and weight specifications. The 360 has a maximum range of 1,806 nmi (3,345 km) while the 360ER is said to have a maximum range of 2,539 nmi (4,702 km). Both models were FAA type certified in October 2020, and European Aviation Safety Agency certified in September 2021. In 2023,

1001-581: A contract to Beechcraft for 10 modified King Air 260 aircraft to replace the King Air H90-based T-44 Pegasus as its primary multi-engine trainer, with options to purchase up to 64 airframes. Designated as the T-54A Marlin II, the first examples were delivered on April 22, 2024, with deliveries expected to take place until 2026. Beechcraft considered a jet-powered version in the mid-1970s. The first prototype King Air 200

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1092-480: A detailed cutaway drawing of what a possible future turboprop engine could look like. The drawing was very close to what the future Rolls-Royce Trent would look like. The first British turboprop engine was the Rolls-Royce RB.50 Trent , a converted Derwent II fitted with reduction gear and a Rotol 7 ft 11 in (2.41 m) five-bladed propeller. Two Trents were fitted to Gloster Meteor EE227 —

1183-418: A given amount of thrust. Since it is more efficient at low speeds to accelerate a large amount of air by a small degree than a small amount of air by a large degree, a low disc loading (thrust per unit disc area) increases the aircraft's energy efficiency , and this reduces the fuel use. Propellers work well until the flight speed of the aircraft is high enough that the airflow past the blade tips reaches

1274-467: A greater range of selected travel in order to make rapid thrust changes, notably for taxi, reverse, and other ground operations. The propeller has 2 modes, Alpha and Beta. Alpha is the mode for all flight operations including takeoff. Beta, a mode typically consisting of zero to negative thrust, is used for all ground operations aside from takeoff. The Beta mode is further broken down into 2 additional modes, Beta for taxi and Beta plus power. Beta for taxi as

1365-434: A larger rear sprocket (more teeth), produces a lower gear ratio, which increases the acceleration of the motorcycle but decreases its top speed. Installing a larger counter-shaft sprocket, or a smaller rear sprocket, produces a higher gear ratio, which decreases the acceleration of the motorcycle but increases its top speed. In the case of vehicles with caterpillar tracks the engine-driven toothed-wheel transmitting motion to

1456-538: A manned airborne ISR (MAISR) role, the Canadian 350ERs are expected to come with customer unique post-modifications for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations. Canada intends to use the aircraft to improve the ability of its Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) to meet current and future threats, strengthen its homeland defense and the combined defense of North America and support coalition partners overseas. The King Air 360 and 360ER have

1547-537: A modification for the entire King Air line that entails reworking and extending the entire nose to house a baggage compartment as well as the avionics normally found in the noses of King Air aircraft; while another offers winglets, similar to those of the B300, for 200 series and other 300 series King Airs. In November 2019, Textron Aviation introduced a modified nose holding 12 cu.ft (0.34 m) or 250 lb (113 kg) of cargo or aircraft equipment. A modification to install

1638-439: A pod under the fuselage, dome-shaped windows on the sides of the rear fuselage to allow observation directly below the aircraft by occupants, and a 50-US-gallon (190 L) usable capacity fuel tank on each wingtip to increase the aircraft's range. Customers could specify any combination of these modifications when ordering a 200T; all 200Ts were Model 200s modified at the factory and given new constructor's numbers. The next model

1729-577: A predicted output of 1,000 bhp, was produced and tested at the Ganz Works in Budapest between 1937 and 1941. It was of axial-flow design with 15 compressor and 7 turbine stages, annular combustion chamber. First run in 1940, combustion problems limited its output to 400 bhp. Two Jendrassik Cs-1s were the engines for the world's first turboprop aircraft – the Varga RMI-1 X/H . This was

1820-537: A propeller. From 1929, Frank Whittle began work on centrifugal compressor-based designs that would use all the gas power produced by the engine for jet thrust. The world's first turboprop was designed by the Hungarian mechanical engineer György Jendrassik . Jendrassik published a turboprop idea in 1928, and on 12 March 1929 he patented his invention. In 1938, he built a small-scale (100 Hp; 74.6 kW) experimental gas turbine. The larger Jendrassik Cs-1 , with

1911-429: A similar way, manually changing the sprockets on a motorcycle can change the characteristics of acceleration and top speed by modifying the final drive gear ratio. The final drive gear ratio can be calculated by dividing the number of teeth on the rear sprocket by the number of teeth on the counter-shaft sprocket. With respect to the stock gearing on a motorcycle, installing a smaller counter-shaft sprocket (fewer teeth), or

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2002-649: A third Model 200 placed into service in order that the two aircraft used would have the same cockpit layout. The two aircraft were replaced by eight civilian-operated 90 Model King Airs in 1995. The King Air B200 entered service with the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 2004 as a multi-engine trainer, replacing the Jetstream T1 . The Royal Malaysian Air Force operates four B200T variants equipped with tactical command system, master search radar and forward looking infrared system. The United States Navy awarded

2093-415: A wide range of airspeeds, turboprops use constant-speed (variable-pitch) propellers. The blades of a constant-speed propeller increase their pitch as aircraft speed increases. Another benefit of this type of propeller is that it can also be used to generate reverse thrust to reduce stopping distance on the runway. Additionally, in the event of an engine failure, the propeller can be feathered , thus minimizing

2184-418: Is accessed by moving the power lever below the beta for taxi range. Due to the pilot not being able to see out of the rear of the aircraft for backing and the amount of debris reverse stirs up, manufacturers will often limit the speeds beta plus power may be used and restrict its use on unimproved runways. Feathering of these propellers is performed by the propeller control lever. The constant-speed propeller

2275-552: Is available to government, military and commercial customers for special mission operations such as aerial survey, air ambulance , flight inspection and surveillance. The Beechcraft 1900 regional airliner was derived from the Model B200 King Air. 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 outlasted all of its previous competitors, and even its intended replacement,

2366-480: Is based on the King Air 300 with a 3.4 ft (1.0 m) span increase and winglets , a 2.9 ft (0.88 m) fuselage stretch for an over 17 ft (5.2 m) main cabin, long enough for double club seating. By 1988, Beechcraft had begun work on the replacement for the 300, it was introduced in 1990 and initially marketed as the Super King Air 350. It has two extra cabin windows on each side and MTOW

2457-410: Is distinguished from the reciprocating engine constant-speed propeller by the control system. The turboprop system consists of 3 propeller governors , a governor, and overspeed governor, and a fuel-topping governor. The governor works in much the same way a reciprocating engine propeller governor works, though a turboprop governor may incorporate beta control valve or beta lift rod for beta operation and

2548-440: Is typically located in the 12 o'clock position. There are also other governors that are included in addition depending on the model, such as an overspeed and fuel topping governor on a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 , and an under-speed governor on a Honeywell TPE331 . The turboprop is also distinguished from other kinds of turbine engine in that the fuel control unit is connected to the governor to help dictate power. To make

2639-563: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on November 16, 2007 and by the end of 2009, 97 B200GTs had been delivered. Hawker Beechcraft has elected to use new constructor's number prefixes for the B200GT and B200CGT; B200GTs are being built with the prefix "BY" and B200CGTs with the prefix "BZ". In 2014 Beechcraft announced the availability of an option (available at manufacture and for existing aircraft) to increase

2730-505: The Model 2000 Starship . The only other pressurized multiengine turboprop utility aircraft now in production is the Piaggio P.180 Avanti . The Model 200 was originally conceived as the Model 101 in 1969, and was a development of the Model 100 King Air. The Model 200 had essentially the same fuselage as the Model 100, with changes to the rear fuselage to accommodate a new T-tail (in place of

2821-634: The P-3 Orion , and the C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft. The first turbine-powered, shaft-driven helicopter was the Kaman K-225 , a development of Charles Kaman 's K-125 synchropter , which used a Boeing T50 turboshaft engine to power it on 11 December 1951. December 1963 saw the first delivery of Pratt & Whitney Canada's PT6 turboprop engine for the then Beechcraft 87, soon to become Beechcraft King Air . 1964 saw

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2912-545: 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

3003-841: The Piper Meridian , Socata TBM , Pilatus PC-12 , Piaggio P.180 Avanti , Beechcraft King Air and Super King Air . In April 2017, there were 14,311 business turboprops in the worldwide fleet. Between 2012 and 2016, the ATSB observed 417 events with turboprop aircraft, 83 per year, over 1.4 million flight hours: 2.2 per 10,000 hours. Three were "high risk" involving engine malfunction and unplanned landing in single‑engine Cessna 208 Caravans , four "medium risk" and 96% "low risk". Two occurrences resulted in minor injuries due to engine malfunction and terrain collision in agricultural aircraft and five accidents involved aerial work: four in agriculture and one in an air ambulance . Jane's All

3094-453: The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 , where the gas generator is not connected to the propeller. This allows for propeller strike or similar damage to occur without damaging the gas generator and allowing for only the power section (turbine and gearbox) to be removed and replaced in such an event, and also allows for less stress on the start during engine ground starts. Whereas a fixed shaft has

3185-722: The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) , which were subsequently modified as navigator trainers. Hawker Pacific later leased another three B300s to the Australian Army , replacing B200 and B200C Model King Airs. The RAAF has also utilized King Air 350 Special Mission as an interim replacement for the DHC-4 Caribou transports of No. 38 Squadron . The RAAF now operates 16 aircraft from both No. 32 Squadron and No. 38 Squadron. The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force operates nine B300s, designated LR-2, in

3276-591: The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia (RFDS). The two B200Cs were the first examples delivered in about three years (the most recent B200Cs prior to this were two delivered in early 2006 for use as air ambulances in Scotland ). On May 21, 2007, during the 7th Annual European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in Geneva , Hawker Beechcraft (as the company was now known) introduced

3367-614: The Tupolev Tu-114 can reach 470 kn (870 km/h; 540 mph). Large military aircraft , like the Tupolev Tu-95 , and civil aircraft , such as the Lockheed L-188 Electra , were also turboprop powered. The Airbus A400M is powered by four Europrop TP400 engines, which are the second most powerful turboprop engines ever produced, after the 11 MW (15,000 hp) Kuznetsov NK-12 . In 2017,

3458-439: The fuel-air mixture then combusts . The hot combustion gases expand through the turbine stages, generating power at the point of exhaust. Some of the power generated by the turbine is used to drive the compressor and electric generator . The gases are then exhausted from the turbine. In contrast to a turbojet or turbofan , the engine's exhaust gases do not provide enough power to create significant thrust, since almost all of

3549-576: The reconnaissance and communications roles. The aircraft were delivered between 1998 and 2004 and include the last B300 built without the Pro Line 21 avionics package (c/no. FL-382). The Royal Bahamas Defence Force operates a single B300 on maritime patrol and reconnaissance duties. Beechcraft announced on March 6, 2007 that the Iraqi Air Force had ordered five King Air 350ERs for delivery commencing late in 2007. Hawker Beechcraft exhibited

3640-469: The "Super King Air 300". The B200's airframe was "cleaned up" and more powerful engines (PT6A-60A, rated at 1,050 shp (780 kW)) were installed in redesigned cowlings (known as "pitot cowlings" due to the reshaped engine air intakes), with MTOW increased to 14,000 lb (6,400 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

3731-529: The 100's conventional tail with all-moving trimmable horizontal stabilizer) and structural changes to allow higher maximum pressurization. Apart from the T-tail, other changes included Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 A-41 engines rated at 850 shp (630 kW) instead of the 680 shp (510 kW) engines of the Model A100 then in production, and a wing of increased span and extra fuel capacity. Overall,

Beechcraft Super King Air - Misplaced Pages Continue

3822-462: The 200 was 3 ft 10 in (1.17 m) longer than the A100, with wingspan 4 ft 3 in (1.29 m) greater, containing 60 US gallons (230 L) more fuel. Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) was increased by 1,000 lb (450 kg). After protracted development including extensive wind tunnel testing of the design (especially of the T-tail which was tunnel-tested for 375 hours), the first prototype flew for

3913-471: The King Air 200 series with the 260, with deliveries expected in early 2021. The model has an improved autothrottle , a Multi-Scan weather radar , a range of 1,720 nmi (3,190 km) and a top cruise speed of 310 kn (570 km/h) with up to nine passengers. The type was FAA certified in March 2021, and European Aviation Safety Agency type certified in September 2021. In 2023, its equipped price

4004-503: The King Air 350i price was US$ 7.755M, and US$ 8.8M for the King Air 350iER. One special Super King Air B300C variant was built for the Swiss Air Force , with a modified belly to allow for aerial photography and a large observation window in the right side aft fuselage; and given a c/no. with a different prefix to other B300Cs. The Hawker Pacific aviation company of Australia purchased eight B300s between 2003 and 2005 for lease to

4095-488: The MTOW of the B200GT from 12,500 pounds (5,700 kg) to 13,420 pounds (6,090 kg), marketed as the King Air 250EP (for E xtra P ayload). The upgrade puts the 250EP into the same weight class as the King Air 350, necessitating various system changes to meet certification requirements and a special rating for pilots. In 2019, the 250 unit cost was US$ 6.61M (~$ 7.77 million in 2023). On December 2, 2020, Textron updated

4186-520: The Model B200GT updated version of the B200. The B200GT is fitted with a new model of PT6 engine developed specifically for it by Pratt & Whitney Canada ; while still rated at 850 shp (630 kW) the new PT6A-52 develops maximum power to an even higher altitude than the −42 it replaces, thus further improving aircraft performance. The B200GT and B200CGT with large cargo door were certified by

4277-640: The RAF and later increased to six in July 2013. Four more King Air 350s replaced the Royal Navy 's Jetstream T2 observer trainers in 2011 and were designated Avenger T1. On October 3, 2018 the US State Department approved the possible Foreign Military Sale of three King Air 350ERs to the Government of Canada for an estimated cost of US$ 300 million (~$ 359 million in 2023). Intended to for

4368-522: The RC-12 Guardrail series of aircraft for military intelligence missions. The Canadian Forces Air Command took delivery of two second-hand early-production Model 200 Super King Airs leased from Awood Air in 1990. These were given the designation CT-145 under the CF's identification system and were used as multi-engine trainers, replacing Douglas C-47s . One was subsequently returned to the lessor and

4459-533: The Soviet Union had the technology to create the airframe for a jet-powered strategic bomber comparable to Boeing's B-52 Stratofortress , they instead produced the Tupolev Tu-95 Bear, powered with four Kuznetsov NK-12 turboprops, mated to eight contra-rotating propellers (two per nacelle) with supersonic tip speeds to achieve maximum cruise speeds in excess of 575 mph, faster than many of

4550-466: The World's Aircraft . 2005–2006. Sprocket Sprockets are used in bicycles , motorcycles , tracked vehicles , and other machinery either to transmit rotary motion between two shafts where gears are unsuitable or to impart linear motion to a track, tape etc. Perhaps the most common form of sprocket may be found in the bicycle, in which the pedal shaft carries a large sprocket-wheel, which drives

4641-410: The aircraft delivered have been from the 200/300 series family. Turboprop A turboprop is a turbine engine that drives an aircraft propeller . A turboprop consists of an intake , reduction gearbox , compressor , combustor , turbine , and a propelling nozzle . Air enters the intake and is compressed by the compressor. Fuel is then added to the compressed air in the combustor, where

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4732-551: The drag of the non-functioning propeller. While the power turbine may be integral with the gas generator section, many turboprops today feature a free power turbine on a separate coaxial shaft. This enables the propeller to rotate freely, independent of compressor speed. Alan Arnold Griffith had published a paper on compressor design in 1926. Subsequent work at the Royal Aircraft Establishment investigated axial compressor-based designs that would drive

4823-586: The eight seats fitted. Deliveries commenced in December 2009. The cabin sound level is reduced by 4 dB to 78-dB due to better insulation. More than 440 350i have been delivered in less than ten years. On a one hour trip, it is 10-15 min slower than a jet while burning 700–900 lb (320–410 kg) less fuel. It cruises at 292 kn (541 km/h) TAS at FL350 while burning 503 lb (228 kg) per h, and can reach 312 kn (578 km/h) TAS at FL240. The $ 1.8 million Blackhawk PT6A-67A upgrade offers

4914-426: The engine more compact, reverse airflow can be used. On a reverse-flow turboprop engine, the compressor intake is at the aft of the engine, and the exhaust is situated forward, reducing the distance between the turbine and the propeller. Unlike the small-diameter fans used in turbofan engines, the propeller has a large diameter that lets it accelerate a large volume of air. This permits a lower airstream velocity for

5005-510: 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

5096-402: The engine's power is used to drive the propeller. Exhaust thrust in a turboprop is sacrificed in favor of shaft power, which is obtained by extracting additional power (beyond that necessary to drive the compressor) from turbine expansion. Owing to the additional expansion in the turbine system, the residual energy in the exhaust jet is low. Consequently, the exhaust jet produces about 10% of

5187-622: The equipped price was $ 9.255M for the 360 and $ 9.76M for the 360ER. Numerous aftermarket modifications and upgrades are available for 200 and 300 Series King Airs. One company offers a Wing Front Spar Reinforcement Kit for 200 Series aircraft and a modification to replace the electro-mechanical landing gear retraction system of early-build aircraft with an electro-hydraulic system. Raisbeck Engineering out of Seattle, WA offers Enhanced Performance Leading Edges, Nacelle Wing Lockers, Ram Air Recovery System, Quiet Turbofan Propellers, High Flotation Gear Doors and Dual Aft Body Strakes. Another company offers

5278-499: The first jet aircraft and comparable to jet cruising speeds for most missions. The Bear would serve as their most successful long-range combat and surveillance aircraft and symbol of Soviet power projection through to the end of the 20th century. The USA used turboprop engines with contra-rotating propellers, such as the Allison T40 , on some experimental aircraft during the 1950s. The T40-powered Convair R3Y Tradewind flying-boat

5369-478: The first Model B200T and Model B200CT being modified from a B200 and B200C respectively, the following year. Commencing in 1984 the B200, B200C and their derivatives were fitted with a revised landing gear retraction mechanism, actuated by hydraulic rams powered by an electric pump installed in the LH wing. This replaced the earlier electro-mechanical retraction system of gearboxes, driveshafts and chains and sprockets that

5460-411: The first civil delivery took place in February 1974. In 1976, Beechcraft developed the Model 200T, a version configured for aerial surveying or reconnaissance . The prototype was created by modifying a Model 200 aircraft, constructor's number (c/no.) BB-186; the modifications included changes to the belly aft of the wing to allow photography with a vertical camera, provision for a surveillance radar in

5551-564: The first deliveries of the Garrett AiResearch TPE331 , (now owned by Honeywell Aerospace ) on the Mitsubishi MU-2 , making it the fastest turboprop aircraft for that year. In contrast to turbofans , turboprops are most efficient at flight speeds below 725 km/h (450 mph; 390 knots) because the jet velocity of the propeller (and exhaust) is relatively low. Modern turboprop airliners operate at nearly

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5642-423: The first time on October 27, 1972; a second prototype took to the air on December 15 the same year. Three production aircraft were also built in 1972 and delivered to the U.S. Army; these three were designated Model A100-1s by Beechcraft and were given the military designation RU-21J; the first of some 400 T-tail King Airs to be ordered by the U.S. armed forces. The 200 received civil certification in December 1973 and

5733-444: The fleet surpassed 62 million flight hours in 56 years. In roughly chronological order, the 200 and 300 Series King Air variants and production numbers are: The most widespread turboprop business aircraft in the world, over 7,300 King Airs and Super King Airs have been delivered by May 2018, surpassing 60 million flight hours in commercial, military and special mission roles. They are operated in more than 94 countries. Almost 53% of

5824-467: The gearbox and gas generator connected, such as on the Honeywell TPE331 . The propeller itself is normally a constant-speed (variable pitch) propeller type similar to that used with larger aircraft reciprocating engines , except that the propeller-control requirements are very different. Due to the turbine engine's slow response to power inputs, particularly at low speeds, the propeller has

5915-671: The most widespread turboprop airliners in service were the ATR 42 / 72 (950 aircraft), Bombardier Q400 (506), De Havilland Canada Dash 8 -100/200/300 (374), Beechcraft 1900 (328), de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter (270), Saab 340 (225). Less widespread and older airliners include the BAe Jetstream 31 , Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia , Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner , Dornier 328 , Saab 2000 , Xian MA60 , MA600 and MA700 , Fokker 27 and 50 . Turboprop business aircraft include

6006-450: The name implies is used for taxi operations and consists of all pitch ranges from the lowest alpha range pitch, all the way down to zero pitch, producing very little to zero-thrust and is typically accessed by moving the power lever to a beta for taxi range. Beta plus power is a reverse range and produces negative thrust, often used for landing on short runways where the aircraft would need to rapidly slow down, as well as backing operations and

6097-508: 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

6188-479: 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

6279-523: 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 or regions, 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. The King Air 350

6370-592: The same speed as small regional jet airliners but burn two-thirds of the fuel per passenger. Compared to piston engines, their greater power-to-weight ratio (which allows for shorter takeoffs) and reliability can offset their higher initial cost, maintenance and fuel consumption. As jet fuel can be easier to obtain than avgas in remote areas, turboprop-powered aircraft like the Cessna Caravan and Quest Kodiak are used as bush airplanes . Turboprop engines are generally used on small subsonic aircraft, but

6461-703: The second-hand market and modified as ISTAR aircraft for use by Task Force ODIN in operational theaters. As of late 2010, 11 such aircraft are registered to the U.S. Army. Two Canadian-registered and owned King Air 300s, configured in the same manner have also been contracted for. Extended range special mission version for surveillance and reconnaissance operations, introduced at the Paris Air Show in June 2005. Features engine nacelle fuel tanks, heavy duty landing gear and increased maximum take-off weight of 7,484 kg (16,500 lb). Typical mission profile involves

6552-698: The sole "Trent-Meteor" — which thus became the world's first turboprop-powered aircraft to fly, albeit as a test-bed not intended for production. It first flew on 20 September 1945. From their experience with the Trent, Rolls-Royce developed the Rolls-Royce Clyde , the first turboprop engine to receive a type certificate for military and civil use, and the Dart , which became one of the most reliable turboprop engines ever built. Dart production continued for more than fifty years. The Dart-powered Vickers Viscount

6643-473: The speed of sound. Beyond that speed, the proportion of the power that drives the propeller that is converted to propeller thrust falls dramatically. For this reason turboprop engines are not commonly used on aircraft that fly faster than 0.6–0.7 Mach , with some exceptions such as the Tupolev Tu-95 . However, propfan engines, which are very similar to turboprop engines, can cruise at flight speeds approaching 0.75 Mach. To maintain propeller efficiency across

6734-429: The sprockets on each side of the chain . This is the basis of derailleur gears . A multi-speed bicycle, by providing two or three different-sized driving sprockets and up to 12 (as of 2018) different-sized driven sprockets, allows up to 36 different gear ratios. The resulting lower gear ratios make the bike easier to pedal up hills while the higher gear ratios make the bike more powerful to pedal on flats and downhills. In

6825-414: The timing belt centered. Sprockets and chains are also used for power transmission from one shaft to another where slippage is not admissible, sprocket chains being used instead of belts or ropes and sprocket-wheels instead of pulleys. They can be run at high speed and some forms of chain are so constructed as to be noiseless even at high speed. The term 'sprocket' originally applied to the projection from

6916-493: The total thrust. A higher proportion of the thrust comes from the propeller at low speeds and less at higher speeds. Turboprops have bypass ratios of 50–100, although the propulsion airflow is less clearly defined for propellers than for fans. The propeller is coupled to the turbine through a reduction gear that converts the high RPM /low torque output to low RPM/high torque. This can be of two primary designs, free-turbine and fixed. A free-turbine turboshaft found on

7007-421: The tracks is known as the drive sprocket and may be positioned at the front or back of the vehicle, or in some cases both. There may also be a third sprocket, elevated, driving the track. Sprockets are used in the film transport mechanisms of movie projectors and movie cameras . In this case, the sprocket wheels engage film perforations in the film stock. Sprocket feed was also used for punched tape and

7098-426: The unusually designed Beechcraft Starship but only 53 were produced, ending in 1995, while the King Air continues to sell. More than 1,800 King Air 200 series have been delivered during more than 40 years of production. In early 2017 a used 2011 model King Air 250 was worth US$ 3 million and a late 2015 to early 2016 model was worth US$ 5 million, with an annual utilization estimated at 240 hours and 216 cycles, while

7189-417: The wheel that caught on the chain and provided the drive to it . The overall wheel was then termed a 'sprocket wheel'. With time and common use of these devices, the overall wheel became known as a sprocket. The earlier uses would now be seen as archaic. In the case of bicycle chains, it is possible to modify the overall gear ratio of the chain drive by varying the diameter (and therefore, the tooth count) of

7280-757: Was $ 7.78M. The United States Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps have all flown versions of the Super King Air 200. As noted above some have been "off-the-shelf" civil versions, but the majority have been purpose-built for the military and were treated by Beechcraft and the FAA as a separate series, the A200 series. A significant minority of military versions are known purely by their military designations, with no FAA model designations being assigned to them, although they do have basically equivalent civilian model counterparts. The military designation varies from service to service, but most are called C-12 Huron or UC-12. These are used for personnel transport. The Army also operates

7371-418: Was a new design and not a modification of the Model 200 fuselage. The Model A200C military version was developed concurrently. In 1981, a Model 200C (c/no. BL-24) was modified as the Model 200CT, fitted with the same wingtip fuel tanks as installed on Model 200Ts; there was only one 200CT, but it led to other aircraft after an updated version of the Model 200 entered production. This updated and improved version

7462-486: Was a throwback to the Twin Bonanza . At the same time the propellers fitted were changed from 3-bladed Hartzells to 3-bladed McCauleys. Forty-seven B200Cs built that year were delivered to the U.S. military, with dozens more of a similar standard ordered in subsequent years, but not given official civil model designations. A total of 14 B200s were produced in 1989 and 1990 in a 13-seat high density configuration with

7553-708: 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 as mentioned earlier), 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

7644-508: Was delivered on January 24, 2005. Australia's Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) operates 34 King Air B200/B200C and B300C. Retired military King Airs have entered civil service with United States law enforcement and other government organizations such as State Police and Sheriff Departments; others are used by the Missionary Aviation Fellowship and subsidiary organisations. It was intended to be replaced by

7735-588: Was increased again to 15,000 lb (6,800 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,

7826-549: Was marketed as the "B200SE Super King Air" (for Special Edition). The following year the "Super" name was dropped from all marketing and advertising. In October 2003, Beechcraft announced another avionics upgrade for the B200, the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 suite. The B200 remains in production, with a total of 13 built in 2009. The B200C is available for order; in January 2009 two B200Cs were delivered to

7917-658: Was operated by the U.S. Navy for a short time. The first American turboprop engine was the General Electric XT31 , first used in the experimental Consolidated Vultee XP-81 . The XP-81 first flew in December 1945, the first aircraft to use a combination of turboprop and turbojet power. The technology of Allison's earlier T38 design evolved into the Allison T56 , used to power the Lockheed Electra airliner, its military maritime patrol derivative

8008-445: Was re-engined with Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D turbofans in overwing nacelles. Given the designation PD 290 (for Preliminary Design), the aircraft was flown in this configuration for the first time on March 12, 1975. Beech did not pursue production, and the last flight was made on September 30, 1977. The 200 series proved so popular that Beechcraft began work on a successor, with the Beechcraft designation Model 300 and marketed as

8099-403: Was the Model 200C in 1979, equipped with a large cargo door on the left-hand side of the rear fuselage with an airstair door similar to the Model 200's door built into it. The door opening was 4 ft 4 in (1.33 m) high and 4 ft 4 in (1.33 m) wide, allowing a larger range of items to be loaded into the cabin, and the new model was popularly outfitted as an air ambulance . The 200C fuselage

8190-518: Was the Model B200, which entered production in 1981. It was fitted with PT6A-42 engines, still rated at 850 shp (630 kW), but with improvements that resulted in greater aircraft performance. Other changes included increased maximum pressurization to 6.5 psi (450 hPa) differential and changes to the cockpit layout. The Model 200C gave way to the Model B200C the same year, with

8281-603: Was the first turboprop aircraft of any kind to go into production and sold in large numbers. It was also the first four-engined turboprop. Its first flight was on 16 July 1948. The world's first single engined turboprop aircraft was the Armstrong Siddeley Mamba -powered Boulton Paul Balliol , which first flew on 24 March 1948. The Soviet Union built on German World War II turboprop preliminary design work by Junkers Motorenwerke, while BMW, Heinkel-Hirth and Daimler-Benz also worked on projected designs. While

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