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The EPIC Platinum Performance package for the Model 200/B200 King Air includes either five-blade aluminum or five-blade composite swept propellers that reduce noise while providing more thrust; new inboard leading edges, high-flotation gear doors to restore climb and cruise performance of 8-12 knots compared with the standard main gear installation. According to the company, the Ram Air Recovery System (RARS) improves airflow to the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6- 42 engines and can reduce ITT by as much as 18˚C.
According to Raisbeck Engineering, the package also includes dual aft body strakes that provide enhanced directional stability and reduces drag to allow for better climb and cruise performance. In addition, the strakes can eliminate altitude limitations regarding an inoperative yaw damp system. In 2001 the strakes were adopted as standard equipment on the Model 350 King Air and became optional on the B200 and C90. The wing lockers are an optional item that add 17 cubic feet of volume (per nacelle) and can accommodate up to 600 pounds (300 pounds per nacelle).
The Life of a Legend
Born and raised in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, Raisbeck graduated from high school in 1954 and joined the United States Air Force, serving as a flight engineer. Four years later he attended Purdue University where he earned a degree in aeronautical engineering and mathematics. In 1961 he joined the Boeing Commercial Airplane Company as a research aerodynamicist. He was part of a team of engineers who designed and tested an internally blown trailing edge flap system installed on the prototype Boeing 707, better known as the “Dash 80.”
These and other experiments led to development of low-speed, high-lift flap configurations for other Boeing commercial airplanes. Raisbeck recalls that Boeing “gave me plenty of rope. There were so many hard problems to figure out, but that’s my passion.” After leaving Boeing in 1969 he joined Robertson Aircraft Corporation where he served as president and CEO from 1969 until 1973, leading the certification effort for STOL designs installed on various Piper and Cessna airplanes. He worked briefly with Allen Paulson at American Jet Industries as vice president until striking out on his own to establish Raisbeck Group in 1974.
Among the new company’s early accomplishments were development of a more efficient, supercritical wing for Rockwell International’s Sabreliner 65 series. Eventually, production airplanes featured the wing and a large number of Sabreliner 60- and 80-series jets were retrofitted with the improved design. Later, Raisbeck’s Mark II wing systems were certified for the Learjet 23-24 series, followed by the Mark IV wing for the Learjet 30 series business jets.
In 1996 Raisbeck established a subsidiary of the parent company known as the Raisbeck Commercial Air Group, Inc.
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12 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
OCTOBER 2021