King Air 300lw help!!

[Bobkat0001]

I took a job a couple of months ago on a King Air 300LW. It is very annoying have the 12,500 MTOW. I have spoken to Beech and the told me that because the airplane came from the factory as a LW that there is nothing I can do. I can not believe that there is no way to change this beacuse it it the exact same airplane as a straight 300! If anyone has any ideas or suggestions I would much appreciate it.

 

[ttflyer]

I would listen to Beech - It's their airplane... I'm sure it has to do with the original CofA which is not easy (or impossible) to mess with...

 

[ultrarunner]

I took a job a couple of months ago on a King Air 300LW. It is very annoying have the 12,500 MTOW. I have spoken to Beech and the told me that because the airplane came from the factory as a LW that there is nothing I can do. I can not believe that there is no way to change this beacuse it it the exact same airplane as a straight 300! If anyone has any ideas or suggestions I would much appreciate it.

You're stuck with it Bobkat.

The 300LW was a certificated model and was primarily in response to and meant for European users that wanted to get around fees and such that kicked in for aircraft above 12,500 lbs.

There really was no reason for a US operator to take delivery of one unless they simply wanted to avoid having to type a pilot and/or hire a second crew member. The straight 300 was for the US market.

The 300/300LW are essentially 200's with a thousand 50 HP per side, new cowls and a few other airframe updates.

If your corporation needs to operate at the higher weights, you need a 350.

I'm curious where you're running out of weight. And why your company bought the LW version.

 

[Bobkat0001]

You're stuck with it Bobkat.

The 300LW was a certificated model and was primarily in response to and meant for European users that wanted to get around fees and such that kicked in for aircraft above 12,500 lbs.

There really was no reason for a US operator to take delivery of one unless they simply wanted to avoid having to type a pilot and/or hire a second crew member. The straight 300 was for the US market.

The 300/300LW are essentially 200's with a thousand 50 HP per side, new cowls and a few other airframe updates.

If your corporation needs to operate at the higher weights, you need a 350.

I'm curious where you're running out of weight. And why your company bought the LW version.

We need to operate at higher weights all the time.

Empty-8900lbs
mtow-12500
we hold 3600lbs of fuel and 900lbs 1st hr, 800 after that.
7 peeps and me=1800lbs
just about 2 hours of fuel doesnt get you far in a kingair.

They bought the airplane before I came on. I guess the price was right. Bad idea I know.

It just seems stupid that nothing can be done when the airplane is exactlly the same as a straight 300. We dont want 350 numbers just normal 300 numbers. STC?? something.

 

[ultrarunner]

Nope. You're stuck with it. The company obviously bought the wrong airplane for the mission OR the mission has changed in that you need to carry 7 folks and full fuel all the time.

You can prly find an OK 300 on the market. But a used 350 would be better. Tons of improvements over the 300.

 

[cyork25]

ok...thanks

 

[Diesel]

Just fly it around like it is a straight 300. A LW really is no different from a 300 just a cert change.

Outta sight outta mind.

 

[ultrarunner]

gee, can't figure out why I didn't think of that

 

[Diesel]

Speaking of a 300 what do you cruise at and what is max range?

 

[ultrarunner]

Speaking of a 300 what do you cruise at and what is max range?

It'll true out at 290 -300 or so and you can plan on 4.5 hrs to dry tanks.

Not all are rvsm'd so those will take a slight range penalty down low.