King Air gurus

[wingnutt]

ive got a question...more often than not, the c90's i see on the ramp have "B" painted under the pilot windows, but a look at the data plate shows they are actually c90A's...what gives? ive been told the only difference is 4 bladed props and glass vs. 3 blades and guages.

 

[Rogue5]

Beechcraft...

 

[wingnutt]

lol...this quote appears to agree with you, "Searching for the roots of the King Air family is an interesting exercise"


http://www.avbuyer.com/Editorial/raytheon_KingAir_May04.pdf

 

[Citationkid]

Cessna did the same thing with the 172SP, which is really just a 172S. I guess it just sells more planes

 

[efiscompmon]

hey citation kid--nice avatar. Do you log DJ time in the right seat of that meridian?

 

[prpjt]

A vs. B

You are right about the data plate. The 90B's Type Certification is actually C90A. The B is a Raytheon marketing thing to note that there were major changes.

The most significant change was the interior upgrade and the addition of four blade props, and electronic vibration isolators that dramatically reduce noise and vibration in the cabin. A much smoother running rig.

The 90B has a triple fed electrical system (not sure if the 1989 and earlier planes had this) I'd like to know.

The 90B is about 15 - 20 knots faster than an unmodified 'A'

Prior to 1987 the C90A had a MGTOW of 9600. The '87 -'89 C90A, and C90B's have a 10,100 max.

 

[wingnutt]

You are right about the data plate. The 90B's Type Certification is actually C90A. The B is a Raytheon marketing thing to note that there were major changes.

ah...well that about covers it then, doesnt it

ive yet to fly a 90B that isnt triple fed, but then again i thought the 90B actually came out in '91?

and didnt the speed increase come into play with the '83 model year when they went from being a straight 90 to a C90A? im unaware of how a B is faster than an A, unless of course you are referring to the straight 90 as the A90, but the straight 90 was the replacement for the A90 in '71...lol, hows that old proverb about being clear as mud

 

[wingnutt]

trivia question for the aficionados...what was the only production model King Air to use an engine other than the P&W PT6A, and what engine was it?

 

[Kingairrick]

B100, Garretts. Loud MotherFu#!er. Next.

 

[xdashdriver]

B100 had Garrett TPE331-6-252B engines.

 

[wingnutt]

yup, are there any around? id love to get my eyeballs on one someday.


next extra credit question...what was the model number of the King Air prototype that ran fanjets instead of the beloved turboprop, and what type of engine was it?

 

[xdashdriver]

B100's? Yeah, they're around....just not all that many made, so they're few and far between.

 

[Kingairrick]

next extra credit question...what was the model number of the King Air prototype that ran fanjets instead of the beloved turboprop, and what type of engine was it?

I've never heard of that one. I guess I'm a Hoodoo Guru instead od a King Air Guru...

 

[wingnutt]

no-one?

 

[350DRIVER]

yup, are there any around? id love to get my eyeballs on one someday.


next extra credit question...what was the model number of the King Air prototype that ran fanjets instead of the beloved turboprop, and what type of engine was it?

Sad but they are still around !! !! ..... Actually the B100 wasn't that bad of a plane to fly just one loud fukcer and spinning props when it was -5 outside was no joy either.

Watching new guys blow current limiters was also priceless.

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[wingnutt]

Watching new guys blow current limiters was also priceless.

one can only imagine...what was it they were doing to constantly blow the C/L's?

 

[350DRIVER]

one can only imagine...what was it they were doing to constantly blow the C/L's?

improper starting techniques, not paying any attention to the loads prior to starting the other engine. What was even better was how many would attribute this problem to faulty mx and having to write things up to try and save a visit to the CP.

simple solution always seemed to pay attention to the loads being imposed.

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[wingnutt]

cool...and to answer the trivia question, Beech did tests in a 200 retrofitted with JT-15D fanjets back in 1975. the engines were placed in the exact spot the PT6's are. it was designated the PD 290 and did more than 100 test flights but was abandonded in 1977 since the airfoil used on the King Airs (and just about every modern other Beech product) was found to create too much drag and wasnt all that much faster than a properly sized turboprop.

 

[Kingairrick]

I'd like to see some pix of that. (or nekkid women.)

 

[sky37d]

trivia question for the aficionados...what was the only production model King Air to use an engine other than the P&W PT6A, and what engine was it?

B-100 with Garrett tpe331-6
Do I get a prize??
Are the PT-6's quieter?

 

[ShawnC]

Cessna did the same thing with the 172SP, which is really just a 172S. I guess it just sells more planes

Actually the difference is in the avionics package. The 172S is the base model, the SP is the loaded model, with AP, and all the bells and whistles. Now the SP model includes glass.

 

[N215CJ]

Just for the record, the A100 has Pratts PT6 and when they came out with the B100 P&W C was on strike hence the Garett.

 

[N215CJ]

cool...and to answer the trivia question, Beech did tests in a 200 retrofitted with JT-15D fanjets back in 1975. the engines were placed in the exact spot the PT6's are. it was designated the PD 290 and did more than 100 test flights but was abandonded in 1977 since the airfoil used on the King Airs (and just about every modern other Beech product) was found to create too much drag and wasnt all that much faster than a properly sized turboprop.

I saw one in test in Wichita....basically a King Air 200 with fans I guess that is why Beechcraft ended up buying Mitsubishi Diamond changed to Beech jet now the Hawker 400

 

[350DRIVER]

B-100 with Garrett tpe331-6
Do I get a prize??
Are the PT-6's quieter?

Ahaaa... You just lost your prize by asking if the PT-6's were quieter than the Garretts. That would be like asking if the old DC-9's were as quiet as the 717's.

Night and day difference here as well. You will surely hear if a B100 is near you on a ramp.

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