'Convertible' Citation or King Air?

[Snakum]

Had an interesting discussion with someone yesterday about an operation in which, it is claimed, a C550 and B90 (used Pt. 91 and 135) are used alternately as corp shuttles or cargo ships. Is this really possible? I am told that when cargo ops are flown, the seats are pulled and cargo netting installed via existing threaded inserts, per the W&B placards posted on the floor. He says the doors are standard (no cargo doors).

Is this possible? I know there are convertible Boeings (I've seen a 737 Convertible), but wouldn't an STC and associated testing/certifications be required for an operator to use light turbine aircraft in this fashion? Or is this a relatively common thing, and not as big a hassle as it seems?

Just curious ...

Minh

 

[UnstableAviator]

I don't know how common it is, but a couple weeks ago I flew right seat (dual received) in our university's C90 King Air and hauled 2 people and a load of "cargo". We had seats removed and netting, racks, and tie downs for the equipment we were transporting.

 

[Snakum]

We had seats removed and netting, racks, and tie downs for the equipment we were transporting.

That's sorta what this op is supposedly doing. It just seems that it wouldn't be entirely legal to just pull the seats out, load boxes, and net them down using the seat rail mounting holes.

I guess I'm picturing a certification process whereby the netting, the mounting method, and loading specs have to be reviewed and signed off by the feds, especially for 135 flights. But maybe not ... maybe it is just a matter of pulling the seats, or some of the seats, and netting down the cargo.

I dunno ...

Minh

 

[ILLINI]

It's not all that uncommon.

I used to work at a 135 company that did freight in Caravans and charter using King Airs and Citations. If we were short a Caravan or needed an extra plane during the holiday rush, we would gut the King Air and use it for freight. It just took a couple hours to take the seats and carpeting out and put the cargo stuff in.

 

[mar]

The term 'combi-' is more precise

As in "combi-737".

The only convertible 737 I know of is the Aloha that blew its roof. Thankfully those seats stayed right where they were.

Seat removal is all too common. And a major pain in the butt.

All it takes from the Feds is authorization in the OpSpecs for the pilots to remove and install the seats.

In the 207 is very simple. Slide them in; fasten a couple pins. The trouble is, the pins are too small to handle with gloves. How fast can you install six seats when it's -30F??

In the 208 it's the same concept but once those things got dropped they never go in straight again. Bring a mallet.

In the Metroliner...aarrrghhh. Bring a co-pilot, a very big mallet and lot's of cussing for 19 seats.

<real sarcastic tone> "But that's what your base pay is for..."

I'd like to show you what this hammer is for...
Sorry. A little agro today.

 

[350DRIVER]

FAA will/does approve the airplane to be flown in numerous seating/cargo configurations. Ops specs...

3 5 0

 

[Snakum]

That's pretty cool. It's kinda good to know that it's not quite the red-tape hassle I envisioned.

Thanks for the info ... even though I lost the bet.

Minh

 

[moving2vegas]

removing seats

It is a bit of a hassle. You just can't yank the seats, fill her with boxes, and hit the road. Removing seats under part 135 requires it be done by a mechanic, or if in the ops specs, a trained pilot. Depending on the plane this can be very easy or a real pain in the a$$. Either way it's time, money and paperwork.

 

[T-Gates]

The only aircraft I know that is not a Combi that is fully interchangeable are the 727-100QC (Quick Change) aircraft Eastern flew. UPS had them and ran pax charter in them for awhile too.