Five years ago, Ron Draper became president and chief executive officer of Textron Aviation at the age of 50. Earlier this year, Draper talked to King Air magazine about what he calls his “not normal” career path from farmer to the C-suite, the importance of faith and family in his life and his enthusiastic return…
There aren’t many King Air B100 aircraft in the world. I think it is one of the better King Air models, but others love the mighty 3XX, 2XX and the various 90 models. The little known B100 was designed and built in the mid-1970s when Beechcraft anticipated a Pratt & Whitney employee strike could impact…
McCauley Propeller Systems announced the delivery and entry into service of its newest C780 propeller for the Beechcraft King Air B300 series. The new propeller, which features four aluminum swept blades and a 105-inch diameter, achieved Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) type certification in July 2023. With the new C780 propeller, King Air B300 owners and operators…
The Garmin Aviation Training team has announced training opportunities for pilots through June 2024. The training catalog provides information on pilot training offerings, including a description of self-study materials, eLearning courses and instructor-led classes. The Aviation Training team provides comprehensive instruction for Garmin’s most advanced avionics currently being installed in general aviation, business aviation, and…
CYVR Transitions to a Runway Slot System Starting Oct. 29, 2023, Canada’s Vancouver International Airport (CYVR) will permanently transition to a Runway Slot system, which they have already been using as a soft launch into the system with existing users since late August. The reason for the change to runway slots is to manage the…
Starting with the Model E33A, in 1968 Beech Aircraft engineers dug deep into their airframe “cookbook” to create the company’s most popular and versatile Bonanza – the Model 36 series “The biggest, most versatile Bonanza ever built.” That was how Beech Aircraft Corporation described the new Model 36 Bonanza when it was certified in May…
I spend a lot of time researching logbooks on behalf of buyers considering King Airs for purchase. They need to know where the aircraft is maintenance-wise. Some of these King Airs are “younger” but many have 10,000 hours or more. The longevity of the Beechcraft King Air makes me proud, but 10,000 hours makes for…
In a perfect world, the seller or buyer of a used aircraft would hire an experienced aviation attorney to draft a purchase agreement. The other side then negotiates modest revisions and everyone signs. That perfect world rarely exists. I’m frequently asked by fellow owners to review purchase or sales contracts drafted by others, and I’m…
Surprised, pleased and honored were the feelings I had when I received a phone call from Garmin’s Senior Business and Commercial Aviation Sales Manager Scott Frye, inviting me to come to their headquarters in Olathe, Kansas. I’d meet with and get briefed about their new Autothrottle and Autoland systems by some of their flight test…
As the four-blade aluminum propellers of the Beechcraft King Air 350 spun to a stop at Alaska’s Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport’s North Terminal, freight handlers stared at the aircraft’s civil lettering and red maple leaf roundels. When the cabin door opened, three men in military flight suits stepped from C-GSYC. As they unloaded training…