Stature and Power
The introduction of the Model 100 in 1969 saw the first major
changes to the King Air’s cabin, with three feet being added to
the length allowing two extra windows to be added to each side
of the fuselage. Again, more powerful variants of the PT6A
turboprops were used, giving the aircraft the most capability of
any of the King Air variants – at the time.
In addition to the cabin and engine modifications, the new
variant also featured a revised wing and tail unit. Essentially
these modifications were ‘borrowed’, so to speak, from another
Beechcraft entity, the Beech 99, which was in development for
the regional airline market having made its debut 12 months
before. Like the King Air, the Beech 99 was also a development
of the ueen Air.
Entering the Seventies, Beechcraft opened the market up
again with the introduction of another new variant in the form
of the C90 – a huge improvement on the already successful
King Air 90. Increasing the Model 90’s wingspan to 50ft
(17.98m) from 45ft 10ins (13.97m) to help improve the type’s
high altitude performance, the aircraft took on the appearancethat the 90 series retains today.
With the first C90 delivered in 1971, the company announced
yet another new variant was being added to their growing
market – the A100. Based on the King Air 100 the aircraft’s fuel
capacity was increased by 96 US Gal or just over 360 litres to
boost the type’s range from 1,200 to more than 1,500 miles.
In 1972 Beechcraft announced the E90. Equipped with the
same engine as the latest 100 series, twin PT6A-28 turboprops,
the aircraft was essentially a C90 with added muscle. Capable
of reaching higher altitudes and a marginally higher top speed
the E90 joined the C90 and A100 on the market under the
Beechcraft name.THE introduction of the Model
100 in 1969 saw the first major
changes to the King Air’s cabin...
It took less than 14
months for Beechcraft
to deliver the f irst
100 of the type, which
was soon impressing
customers with its
rugged qualities,
ease of operation and
immense efficiency.The King Air was
developed from the
piston-powered Queen
Air, which was itself
a development of the
earlier Twin Bonanza,
the prototype of which
is seen here in 1949.
A KEY C
B • Pilot
in command for the
maiden f light of the
f irst King Air was Jim
Webber, who is seen
here being greeted
by Beech President
Olive Ann Beech
and shaking hands
with Frank Hedrick,
Executive Vice
President at the end of
the sortie.
80 AIRLINER Classics 2018