Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC) continued its long-standing leadership in turboprop aircraft sales in 2010 by recording nearly 25 percent of the general aviation industry’s total deliveries in the segment, according to statistics released by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) earlier this year. The company also delivered another 24 military turboprops in 2010, which were not reflected in GAMA’s statistics. Turboprops comprised approximately one third of the general aviation turbine market last year. HBC has been the industry’s top producer of turboprops for nearly a half century, beginning with the introduction of the King Air series in 1962.
“Our continued success in turboprop sales can be traced directly to our customer-driven product improvement strategy,” said Shawn Vick, HBC executive vice president. “The King Air product line has been continually improved over its life cycle, with an impressive list of enhancements during the past decade that have not only kept the airplanes competitive, but have boosted their performance, advanced their technologies and increased their resale values.”
More than 6,500 King Airs have been delivered to date and they continue to be ordered at an impressive rate by customers around the world. The King Air family has evolved into its three current production models – the C90GTx, King Air 250 and King Air 350i – which offer owners and operators better performance, more capability and improved cabin comfort. The new King Airs are generations ahead of their predecessors and the competition.
Now equipped with the Rockwell Collins Venue™ cabin management system and state-of-the-art Beechcraft FlexCabin capability, the King Air 350i sets the standard in cabin comfort, business capability, in-flight productivity and entertainment. It delivers unmatched fuel efficiency and the lowest operating cost per seat mile, making it the greenest aircraft in its class. The King Air 350i is the perfect addition to any corporate fleet.
Building on a reputation of proven performance, the next-generation Beechcraft King Air 250 features composite winglets and lightweight composite propellers, delivering improved runway performance, range, speed and enhanced climb. Passengers travel in quintessential King Air comfort, easily moving about in the spacious square-oval cabin over long-distance journeys. The King Air 250 further defines mission reliability with a ram air recovery system that maintains peak performance when the anti-icing system is activated, resulting in a high-performance, all-weather aircraft.
Key enhancements to the King Air C90GTx include an increase in gross weight and the addition of composite winglets, which improve climb performance and further increase fuel efficiency. Featuring a cabin 50 percent larger than some very light jets, the C90GTx seats up to seven passengers in its famed squared-oval design, allowing greater passenger comfort. It includes an in-flight accessible, heated and pressurized baggage storage area along with a private aft lavatory as standard.
Hawker Beechcraft Corporation is a world-leading manufacturer of business, special mission and trainer aircraft – designing, marketing and supporting aviation products and services for businesses, governments and individuals worldwide. The company’s headquarters and major facilities are located in Wichita, Kan., with operations in Salina, Kan.; Little Rock, Ark.; Chester, England, U.K.; and Chihuahua, Mexico. The company leads the industry with a global network of more than 100 factory-owned and authorized service centers. For more information, visit www.hawkerbeechcraft.com.
