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Recurrent Training Center barometer for operating costs. The 200 will have a higher fuel burn/hour, en- gine reserve/hour, and cost/hour, but it’ll get more done in that hour and end up costing about the same on a trip basis, or annual basis. So, which King Air should you pur- chase – the 200 or the 90? If you can afford the additional acquisition cost, access a large hangar, and don’t mind flying with some empty seats, I suggest the 200 because it is a more capable airplane. The pressurization, additional cabin space and speed are welcome ben- efits. And, there’s another reason that few buyers consider in their purchase decision: mission creep. Mission creep happens when an own- er buys an airplane and then realizes that tool can be used for more missions than originally intended and operates the airplane more than expected. If you carry six people for your routine flights, the probability is they’ll want to bring their friends and you’ll end up filling more seats if those seats are available. And, we’ve all got those friends and fam- ily members who just don’t understand your request for them to “pack light” and show up with a large suitcase for an over- night trip. Whatever you think you are going to do with your airplane, it is best to assume you will end up doing more. If you have a 200 in the hangar, you’ll be ready when mission creep occurs. So, if you choose a 90, great! It is a wonderful airplane that will serve you well. But, the 200 is a more capable air- plane that will cost about the same to operate. Whichever you choose, know that you are buying a fabulous airplane that will serve you well. Stay tuned for the next “Top Turboprop” comparison in the November issue. CIES Corporation Teledyne Battery 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/exam- iner. An MMOPA Board member, he has been a PA46 instructor for 16-plus years and has accumulat- ed 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. 10 • TWIN & TURBINE / October 2019