Page 27 - Volume 15 Number 6

The King Matures
Never content to rest on its laurels, in 1966 the Beech Aircraft Corporation launched a series of upgrades to the new King Air that drew increased sales from business aviation and military customers.
by Edward H. Phillips
By 1965, Beechcraft dealers and distributors were selling the Model 90 at an accelerated pace. Not only was the turboprop- powered airplane proving to be an enormous success in the marketplace, but its growing popularity also resulted in a steady stream of orders that flowed into the factory in Wichita, delighting both dealers, distributors and most importantly, Olive Ann Beech.
Salesmen across the United States and in Europe were kept busy as both longtime and new customers lined up to plunk down their cash deposits for the new King Air. It was becoming clear that the great gamble taken by the company’s board of directors a few years before was paying off handsomely. Had he lived to see the Model 90, there is little doubt that Walter Beech would have thrown his full support into the program, proving once again that at times risks must be taken to advance aviation.
Mr. Beech had proven that attitude time and again, first with the Travel Air Type “R” racing monoplane of 1929. Painted a brilliant
MAY 2021
KING AIR MAGAZINE • 25