Mark Baker, head of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), reached the point in his flying and professional career in 2019 when he could choose any airplane he wanted. He chose a Beechcraft King Air F90. “If I were to go eeny, meeny, miny, moe on the ramp, I would have always wanted to…
Engine Won’t Start?
When you hit the Start/Ignition switch and the engine spools up but fails to light off, what do you do? Is it a fuel problem, an ignition problem or both? Obviously if your engine gauges indicate fuel is flowing, then you’ve got a problem somewhere in the ignition system. I’d have a tidy sum in…
Update Your Calendars: King Air Gathering 2020 Date Change
The King Air Gathering (KAG) that was previously scheduled to be held in late August, has been moved to late October – specifically Oct. 22-24, 2020. The event is still being held in Wichita, Kansas, birthplace of the King Air. A brief, tentative schedule is as follows: Thursday, Oct. 22 – Arrivals and Blackhawk Aerospace…
The Autopilot’s Aerial Tour Mode
Just yesterday (I am writing this in mid-February 2020), I had the great pleasure of flying a “Flightseeing” tour of northern Arizona in Ron McAlister’s lovely 1984 B200 King Air. I have done this numerous times over the years in a multitude of airplanes, giving out-of-state visitors an aerial tour of our beautiful state, and…
Year of the Swallow
A century ago, the Laird Swallow launched Wichita, Kansas, on its way to becoming the “Air Capital of the World.” In 1920 a number of significant events occurred: the Treaty of Versailles took effect, officially ending World War I; the 19th Amendment became law, giving women the right to vote and Adolf Hitler organized the…
Constant Aviation Treating Aircraft with MicroShield 360 at over 150 Airports
Constant Aviation says it is working around the clock to treat business and private aircraft with MicroShield 360, an FDA-approved* antimicrobial shield. Application crews are now present at more than 150 airports nationwide, and technicians have streamlined the process to less than two hours even on large-cabin aircraft. “We recognize the urgency operators have to treat their…
Elliott Aviation Mobile Maintenance Capabilities to Include Inspections
Due to recent uncertain events with COVID-19, Elliott Aviation has announced its mobile maintenance capabilities are available for aircraft inspections and due items. The company’s mobile maintenance teams are available for maintenance events for the King Air, as well as the Beechjet/Hawker 400XP, Challenger, Citation, Hawker, Phenom, Premier and TBM aircraft. “We understand how challenging…
Technically…
Service Bulletin MTB-57-01: Wings – Inspect the Aft Upper and Lower Wing Bolts for Correct Washer and Replace if Needed Date: March 5, 2020 Effectivity: King Air 90 (applicable variants within defined LJ serial number range), LJ-2055 through LJ-2129; Super King Air 200/B200, serial numbers BB-2019 through BB-2021; Super King Air 200C/B200C, serial number BL-171;…
The King Air Market: More Complicated Than Ever – by Chip McClure
It’s been a full year since I last wrote an article for this magazine about the market for King Airs. At that time, I was confident in my assertions and the market in general. In fact, the market had been as stable as I had seen it … almost predictable. We’re all accustomed to ever…
Bucket Lists, Part III: Be a Box Checker!
Author’s Note: The following is the third installment in a series of articles which will resonate most with King Air corporate and charter pilots, but can apply to the owner/pilot, as well. After all, making the most of layovers and planned or unplanned travel downtime is a goal any pilot can pursue. If you have…