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“Beechcraft engineers had become highly proficient at blending the advantages of one airplane with those of another to create a ‘new’ product.”
that step. Although its cabin, which could accommodate up to 10 passengers, was essentially the same as the E90, the F90 possessed major systems and performance improvements compared to its sibling. Chief among these were installation of Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-135 engines, each rated at 750 shp. To reduce noise levels in the cabin, the turboprop engines were mated to new four-
Beech Aircraft Corporation capitalized on the advantages of the Model 200 Super King Air’s T-tail arrangement by applying
it to the F90 and F90-1. (Special Collections and University Archives, Wichita State University Libraries)
blade, full-feathering and reversing propellers turning at a maximum 1,900 rpm or 1,500 rpm at cruise.
Maximum cruise speed increased to 307 mph from the E90’s 285 mph, and the initial rate of climb was 2,380 feet per minute (fpm)—another significant advantage over the E90. In addition, maximum certified altitude increased to 31,000 feet. Also, the F90 was the first King Air to use the company’s completely new, state-of-the- art, 28 VDC multi-bus electrical system. The circuitry featured five separate buses, automatic load shedding and solid-state current sensors that provided protection against ground faults (electrical shorts) and quickly isolated a faulty bus, thereby reducing pilot workload.
Initial customer demand for the F90 proved to be strong and 202 airplanes were built between 1979 and 1983. These included seven in 1979, serial numbers LA-2 through LA-8. Production peaked at 75 airplanes in 1981. It is interesting to note that the F90 prototype, serial
26 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
NOVEMBER 2024