Page 29 - February 2022

We decided to remain in the left traffic pattern for this runway so I hit the A/T (autothrottle) button on the right power lever which disconnects the ThrustSense system and I proceeded to manually fly and make the landing. We went in for fuel and a break.
On the way back to KDVT – after filming the power levers move through the self-test before start and making a circle around the famous Arizona meteor crater for Eric to have his first look – I checked the underspeed protection. I dialed in a torque – 300 ft-lbs – that was too low for us to hold altitude at a safe airspeed. As expected, as the airspeed neared stall speed, the power levers moved forward and held us 3 knots above “Stall Speed plus 10”... a nice comfort margin. I decided not to “play with” the VMCA power mitigation safety built into the ThrustSense system. Why? Because in every VMCA demonstration I have ever conducted in a King Air, the stall is always encountered before VMCA. If we have stall protection, we have VMCA protection also. Yes, if we execute a rejected landing from 50 feet above the runway with gear down and full flaps AND we have an engine flameout at the same time, then a loss of directional control could be encountered before stall. The fact that the ThrustSense system will reduce the good engine’s power so as to allow directional control to be maintained is a good thing ... although we may touch down on or near the runway at least we will be right-side up!
Back at Deer Valley we requested and received permission for the RNAV (GPS) RWY 7R. We began from over BANYO intersection following the transition to the AZNUP IAF. I dialed in the various speeds that I wanted and did not turn off autothrottle until after selecting full flaps at about 500 feet AGL. It worked well.
I came away from this demonstration and practice with a high level of confidence in and respect for the ThrustSense system. Of course, pilots can manage their own power lever movement as they have been doing for eons. But this invisible hand certainly does reduce pilot workload noticeably. Engine limitations protection, overspeed and underspeed airspeed protection, VMCA mitigation, and having no worry about Power Lever Migration ... what very nice icing on the cake this system provides.
Like me, I believe that if you try it, you will like it ... a lot! KA
King Air expert Tom Clements has been flying and instructing in King Airs for over 46 years and is the author of “The King Air Book” and “The King Air Book II.” He is a Gold Seal CFI and has over 23,000 total hours with more than 15,000 in King Airs. For information on ordering his books, contact Tom direct at twcaz@msn.com. Tom is actively mentoring the instructors at King Air Academy in Phoenix.
If you have a question you’d like Tom to answer, please send it to Editor Kim Blonigen at editor@blonigen.net.
FEBRUARY 2022
KING AIR MAGAZINE • 27