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to the E18S model from the D18S, it was known as the “Super 18.” So, the “Super” moniker was not without precedence in the Beechcraft lineup.)
Here is a list of the major changes made to the 100 that turned it into the 200:
= More power: The 680 SHP PT6A-28s were replaced with the new and longer PT6A-41 of 850 SHP. To mount this engine to the airframe, a new engine mount was developed that held the engine in four instead of three places to accommodate the greater weight and torque. A new cowling needed to be made to house the longer engine and the new design included elimination of the electric heating element on the cowling lip – replacing it with an exhaust-gas heated, stainless steel lip – as well as a different and more efficient ice protection system.
= Larger propeller: To efficiently absorb the
850 SHP, a three-blade propeller with longer blades needed to be fitted. Although it is getting somewhat rare now to see a model 200 with three-blade propellers, this was the only factory- offered propeller for all of the 200s and the first 10 years or so of B200 production. Four-blade props did not become factory standard on the B200 until 1993.
= Longer wingtips: For decades and decades, Beech has provided a shorter and a longer wingtip, the piece that attaches outboard of the wing spar’s end. The shorter one is on all Bonanza models except the B36TC. The longer one is the tip on Barons. The 99/100-style wing uses the shorter tip but for the 200 Beech reverted to the longer tip of the B90.
= Wider wing center section: The larger propeller would not fit where the model 100 propellers sat without (A) hitting the fuselage, and (B) providing almost nil ground clearance. Instead of making a very minor increase in center section width – enough so the propeller would not hit the nose – the designers decided to widen it by 50 inches (25 per side) to not only accommodate the propeller but also to make the cabin quieter by moving the propeller
tips farther away. The new engine mount, mentioned previously, raised the propeller
4 inches higher to make for satisfactory ground clearance. With both the wider center section and the longer tip, the 200 has a ten-foot longer wingspan than the 100-series.
= The T-Tail: I have written an entire article about the reasons behind the choice of the T-Tail. To recap, the overriding reason is to maximize rudder effectiveness. With more powerful engines
sitting 25 inches further out on each side, Beech knew that keeping VMCA down to a reasonable number would be a challenge. Theoretical calculations, wind tunnel tests, and then flight tests in BB-1 all proved that VMCA could be kept at 91 KCAS (identical to that of the 65-90!) thanks to the T-Tail. By moving the horizontal stabilizer to the top of the vertical stabilizer
(A) it prevented the bottom half of the rudder from being “blanked” of wind by the horizontal stabilizer in the high angle-of-attack situation associated with VMCA, and (B) it provided an “end plate effect” that maximized the rudder’s effectiveness by not allowing air to escape past the rudder’s top.
= Increased pressurization: By installing double- pane cabin windows, beefing up the door attaching hardware, and going through extensive cyclic pressure testing, Beech managed to increase the maximum differential pressure (∆P) from 4.6 psid to 6.0 psid. The 4.6 value was used in everything from the A90 through the A100. With 6.0 psid, the cabin would be about 4,000 feet lower for a given airplane altitude. This made it feasible for the 200 to routinely cruise in the 25,000- to 30,000-foot range, much higher than the previous King Air models.
= Improved electrical, fuel and environmental systems.
= Although not obvious to pilots, much attention was given by the designers of the 200 to improve maintenance accessibility. Replacing a blown 325-amp current limiter takes a lot less time in a 200 than in a B90!
= Again, not obvious unless pointed out by someone, more metal bonding and less riveting is used in the manufacturing of some parts, specifically the rudder and the inboard flap sections.
= A new, stronger, main spar: Known as the “super spar” at Beech, the bathtub fitting in which
the lower forward wing bolt resides is now an integral part of the lower spar cap, no longer a separate, riveted-on piece. (This was changed again in 1985 when the fitting was totally redesigned to have the bolt under shear-loading instead of tension-loading.)
Throughout 1972, rumors were rampant around the Beech workforce concerning the progress on this fancy new model. We all were anxiously anticipating the day when BB-1 would makes its maiden flight. That day finally came Oct. 27, 1972. Most of the workforce was permitted to leave their stations and gather near the south end of Runway 18-36, where BB-1 was being
JANUARY 2019
KING AIR MAGAZINE • 15