Page 22 - Volume 15 Number 11

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forward. By now, autofeather had the left propeller nearly stopped. Flaps: Up they came. Gear? The poor student overlooked it! Dang!
Before I pointed out the error and chastised my student for overlooking that critical step, it dawned on me that we were still climbing at about 500 fpm! I think that is when it first hit me how “super” the “Super King Air 200” really was, compared to its predecessors. Now, yes, there were only two of us onboard and we had maybe 2,000 pounds of fuel so we certainly were not heavy. But we were also over 11,000 feet! Dang! Love the performance of the 200s ... and 300s even more!
Realize that parasite drag depends on velocity, squared. The drag of the gear at 90 knots is only one- fourth of the drag at 180 knots. It’s not hurting you as badly as you may think down at V2. However, let’s remember to retract it!
While performing the steps of the Four Friends drill, we also must “fly the airplane!” The go-around setting of the flight director is usually set for +7°. This is an attitude that will yield very close to VYSE in the old PT6A-20-powered A90s, B90s and C90s. However, the attitude is too low for the 200- and 300-series. The 350 POH is the first and only one that specifies a takeoff pitch attitude of +10°. However, if you’re flying a -21 or -135A-powered 90 or any member of the 200- or 300-series, +10° works very well and is what you should be trying to hold now.
Cast an eye on airspeed, of course, but don’t over- emphasize it. With proper pitch attitude of +10° and only one operative powerplant and feathered propeller, airspeed cannot be too far away from what you want: V2. But (and it’s a big BUT!) in the case of PLM that cancels autofeather and usually results in lower power on both sides, airspeed will be slow. Now’s the time to lower the nose to maintain speed ... even if it means striking the ground. Hitting Mother Earth right-side- up and with some degree of directional control surely increases our survival chances, as compared to an asymmetrical-thrust rollover.
Forget the ball. I know that will be controversial for some of my readers but I am convinced that the rudder pedals should now be used for only one purpose – keeping the nose of the airplane on runway heading. Carry the lower-power engine a few degrees higher and “step on the heading.” If we were departing runway 25 and we see that our heading is now 230, we have not pushed hard enough on the right rudder and have allowed the nose to drift left. Locate 250 on your HSI and push hard on your right foot until that number is again under the lubber line. In fact, you do have the heading marker set there, right? Step on the heading!
We’re not done yet. After the first “Four Friends” part of the drill, the next three steps are Identify, Verify, Feather. I strongly suggest you complete them even if your airplane has autofeather! Two reasons for
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20 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
NOVEMBER 2021