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Pilots N Paws® is an online meeting place for pilots and other volunteers
who help to transport rescue animals by air. The mission of the site is to provide a user- friendly communication venue between those that rescue, shelter, and foster animals; and pilots and plane owners willing to assist with the transportation of these animals.
Joining is easy and takes just a minute of your time.
www.pilotsnpaws.org
The How
So, how did CenTex Aerospace achieve the gross weight increase? They determined the steps required to change the airworthiness certifica- tion from the Standard Category to the Commuter Category. The switch re- quires specific modifications but allows the airplane to operate at a heavier MGW.
Adjustments are managed by the CenTex dealer network and include: cockpit/panel upgrades to the pitch trim and stall warning systems; improved interior lighting; an airspeed overspeed warning system; interior signage; a new POH (with some improved performance considerations); an engine fire-warning system; improvements to the stall warn- ing system. There are no new structural components added to the airframe – only items that allow the airplane to meet Commuter Category requirements.
Beechcraft has a reputation for be- ing rugged and “overbuilt,” and the lack of structural modifications required to carry the extra 1,500 lbs is a testament to the fact that the original Beechcraft
designers created a real workhorse. While the Halo STC is much more than a paperwork shuffle, with the airframe modifications being true upgrades to safety and performance, the basic struc- ture of the King Air fleet is robust and strong, not requiring any additional aluminum.
Along with the increased max gross weight, CenTex Aerospace figured out how to increase the fuel capacity and storage capacity. If desired, Saddle Tanks can be added behind each engine in a nacelle add-on manufactured by the company. Saddle Tanks can either add 95 gallons of fuel per side (with no stor- age increase) or add up to 60 gallons per side of additional fuel and have a large lockable storage compartment in each nacelle. The options are abundant, al- lowing the owner to add more fuel, more storage or both.
Since the CenTex-modified King Air 200/250 series has a MGW of 14,000 lbs, a type rating is required of the pilot. But several facilities provide the training, which is comparable to the insurance- approved training necessary to operate any King Air – but ends with the award- ing of a King Air 200 type rating.
Is the Centex Aerospace Halo Gross Weight Increase (GWI) STC right for you? It is a winner for the operator who is satisfied with their particular airframe but seeks more range, payload capability and associated operational safety. And for operators of the King Air 300/350 series, the Halo 350 GWI STC is also available. It improves the MGW by more than 1,000 lbs, making the flagship of the King Air fleet even more capable.
Rosen Sun Visor Systems
Joe Casey is an FAA-DPE and an ATP, CFI, CFII (A/H), MEI, CFIG, CFIH, as well as a U.S. Army UH-60 standardization instructor/examiner. An MMOPA Board member, he has been a PA46 instructor for 16-plus years and has accumulated 12,000- plus hours of flight time, 5,500 of which has been in the PA46. Contact Joe at: www.flycasey.com, by email at joe@flycasey.com, or by phone at 903.721.9549.
30 • TWIN & TURBINE / July 2019