Pro Line Fusion-equipped Beechcraft King Air 250 Awarded Type Certificate

July 20, 2015
The aircraft is making its North American debut this week at the EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

OSHKOSH, Wis. (July 20, 2015) – Beechcraft Corporation, a subsidiary of Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, today announced that it has received type certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the latest version of its new production Beechcraft King Air 250 turboprop, allowing deliveries to commence this quarter. The upgraded King Air is equipped with the Pro Line Fusion avionics system and new cabin enhancements. The aircraft is making its North American debut this week at the EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

“We are pleased to put the upgraded King Air 250 in the hands of our customers so quickly after announcement two months ago,” said Christi Tannahill, senior vice president, Turboprop Aircraft and Interior Design. “This aircraft brings the latest technology to the cockpit and cabin allowing pilots and passengers alike to experience the Beechcraft King Air in a whole new way. EAA Airventure is a great venue for attendees to experience firsthand the investments we are making in this proven platform.”

Certification for the Pro Line Fusion-equipped King Air 350i/ER is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of this year, followed by the King Air C90GTx in the first half of 2016.

Avionics

Pro Line Fusion for the King Air brings one of the most trusted avionics architectures to the first full touchscreen flight display system. The new avionics system changes how operators aviate, navigate and communicate through a one-of-a-kind intuitive flight deck interface. Its three 14-inch displays are interchangeable, high-resolution and cursor controlled. Other performance-enhancing capabilities include:

  • Integrated touchscreen checklists
  • Intuitive graphical touchscreen flight planning
  • High-resolution SVS with patented airport dome graphics
  • Convenient presets to reconfigure all three displays with a single touch
  • Full multi-sensor flight management system
  • Available automatic wireless database and chart uploads
  • Open and scalable architecture for future upgrades and mandates

Cabin upgrades

In addition to the avionics, the company has made enhancements to the King Air’s cabin technologies, which offer an improved and connected passenger experience. The personal device-centric cabin includes international or domestic Wi-Fi as standard on the King Air 350i and King Air 250 aircraft and optional on the King Air C90GTx, allowing customers to stay connected on the ground and in the air. Also standard on all three models will be electronically dimmable window shades, offering a simple interface that provides clearer views and darker shading at the touch of a button.

Segment leadership

More than 7,300 Beechcraft King Air turboprops have been delivered to customers around the world since 1964, making it the best-selling business turboprop family in the world. The worldwide fleet has surpassed 60 million flight hours in its first 50 years, serving roles in all branches of the U.S. military, and flying commercial missions ranging from traditional passenger and cargo transport to electronic and imagery surveillance, air ambulance, airway calibration, photographic mapping, training and weather modification.

Web page: For more information on the Beechcraft King Air product line visit http://beechcraft.txtav.com/en