We routinely ask King Air operators what options they would add to their aircraft and why, and the following is what we’ve learned. When buying your King Air, you probably figured out pretty quickly that it is one of the most modified and optioned airplanes in history. No other business type aircraft has more available…
King Air owners frequently ask me about available discounts for their insurance program. This has become more prevalent as the insurance market continues to show signs of hardening – coverages are becoming less negotiable, rates are slightly increasing and underwriters are becoming more critical of an operator’s risk profile. In the May 2018 issue of…
Registration is now open for King Air Gathering IV held Sept. 26-29, 2019. The King Air Academy had a vision for the gathering as a way to bring King Air owners and pilots together with experts in the industry and leading King Air vendors to offer a personal experience with the King Air community. Being…
Aviation Groups Ask for Full Funding for Contract Tower Program In a recent letter to Rep. Nita Lowey (D-17-NY), chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, a number of aviation groups asked that the Committee fully fund the Contract Tower Program in the FY 2020 appropriations bill. The $170 million requested will fund the 256 contract…
This article’s title pertains to a somewhat common request that I have received over the years of my King Air training career: Help me find a fix for the autopilot. Even when no question has been asked, I find that quite often when I ride as an instructor or passenger in a King Air, I…
In 1927, Stearman Aircraft, Inc. struggled to meet demand for its Sport Commercial Model C2 biplane, but operators carrying the mail by air were soon clamoring for the Model C2M. According to records held by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Stearman Aircraft, Inc., designated the airplanes built in California using constructor (serial) numbers 101-104. These…
Garmin recently added an FBO fuel price comparison feature and filters for developing flight department reports to subscribers of its FltLogic scheduling program. The new features are available immediately on FltLogic, which integrates with the free FltPlan electronic flight planning and filing website. According to the company, the new contract fuel pricing feature will help operators…
ForeFlight recently introduced a new interactive airport familiarization tool for its Mobile Integrated Flight app. Called “Airport 3D View” the company says it simulates airport environments around the world by using the company’s mapping and synthetic vision platform to combine high-resolution terrain with aerial imagery. 3D View lets users pan and zoom 360 degrees around…
Apex Aviation of Henderson, Nevada, is now authorized to conduct repair and maintenance activities on aircraft registered in Mexico. The Mexican Direccion General de Aeronautica Civil (DGAC ) issued Approved Maintenance Organization Validation Certificate Number CO-192/18 to the service center. This is the equivalent of a United States FAA Part 145 Repair Station certification, which the…
The King Air Academy (KAA) based at Phoenix, Arizona, (KDVT) recently added a full-motion Garmin G1000NXi simulator to their group of training tools. Focused exclusively on the King Air model of aircraft, KAA provides personalized training based on the pilot’s experience and centered around today’s flying environment including WAAS approaches through static and motion simulators…