Page 18 - May 2019

PHOTO BY AUTHOR
King Air 350i
With a wingspan of nearly 58 feet, length of over 46 feet and height of 14 feet, the King Air 350i is impressive on the ramp. The aircraft is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A (1,050 horsepower) engines, each mounted with four-bladed 105-inch Hartzell propellers. With a takeoff weight of 15,000 pounds, the 350i requires a type rating but can be still be flown single-pilot.
The full-fuel payload is 1,534 pounds, which it can carry over 1,500 nm at nor- mal cruise. If you need additional range, the King Air 350ER features nacelle- mounted fuel tanks that provide 1,580 pounds of additional fuel and extends the range by 700 nm, along with higher weight limits. No wonder individuals, corporations and government agen- cies operate these airplanes with such a large operational envelope as it offers amazing utility.
Since 1989, Beechcraft has manufac- tured more than 1,200 Beechcraft King Air 350’s and more than 500 King Air 350i’s. With the latest 350i, one of the core goals was to improve the interior design for sound proofing. As you can imagine, noise control can be a challenge with two powerful turboprop engines. Beechcraft has mastered it through the use of frame and skin mounted dynamic vibration absorbers that are tuned like a tuning fork for their specific place- ment. This technology coupled with new insulation throughout the fuselage has substantially reduced overall cabin sound and vibration levels.
With the Beechcraft King Air 350i, LED lighting was introduced through- out the cabin with individual passenger controls. Electrochromic windows are incorporated and have electronic tint control that is far superior to the early
polarizing filters (an added advantage is they automatically darken when pow- er is removed, helping keep the cabin cool while parked on the ramp). And since airborne Wi-Fi is now an expected feature for passengers as well as crew, King Air 350i operators have the choice of Gogo ATG 5000 for domestic use or the Inmarsat-based Gogo Aviator 200 system with capabilities for international operations (standard).
King Ranch Edition
Prior to the flight, Rebecca and I first met with longtime “Beechcrafters” Martin Tuck with technical market- ing and Jo Kimbell, senior interior de- sign specialist and lead designer of the King Ranch edition. The pair provided a thorough briefing on the history and engineering behind the latest King Air 350i King Ranch. It was immediately clear they are proud of the accomplish- ment (as they should be).
After the successful branding program with Jaguar across many Beechcraft aircraft in the 1990s, Textron Aviation
opted to promote the King Air’s rug- ged reputation and collaborated with King Ranch, one of the largest ranch and agriculture operators in the United States and well-known brand. The goal: De- velop an aircraft that would be reflec- tive of the rugged yet refined King Air style. Jo explained that teams from both Textron Aviation and King Ranch met frequently, and it took over three months to develop the resulting design.
Following the introduction, it was time to see the real thing. So, we walked out to the airplane alongside Karen DeMauro, Textron Aviation demonstration pi- lot, and Christina Walser from the communications team.
When you walk up to the King Ranch configured aircraft, you first notice the custom paint – white with pearlescent dark caramel and black stripes. The com- bination provides a distinctive look. And to the left of the cabin door is the familiar King Ranch “Running W” logo as well as on the inboard side of the winglets.
Upon opening and entering the cabin door, there is a obvious difference from other interiors. The King Ranch interior is a rich ranch-style, just what you would expect from an aircraft that matches its moniker. When designing the interior, Jo explained her objective of making it unique and beautiful yet capable of standing up to the rigors of operations on rough airstrips. For instance, the durable wool carpet is meant to stand up to a lot of use by passengers who opt for cowboy boots versus dress shoes.
The seats are bold and feature a dark brown Sundance Ranch leath- er that has a great look and feel. To
16 • TWIN & TURBINE / May 2019