As I stood on the Textron Aviation ramp in Wichita, Kansas, for my first look at the company’s new turboprop flagship, the King Air 360, I slipped back in time to a different era and form of transportation: cars (muscle cars as they called them). My pal Lennie had just bought a brand-new, fire-engine-red Chevrolet Chevelle and, to my amazement, spent his first weekend with it stripping off many of the stock parts, mostly the ones no one could see.
We Fly: Beechcraft King Air 360
Key Takeaways:
- The King Air 360, Textron Aviation's new turboprop flagship, builds on its predecessor's legacy by focusing on reducing pilot workload and enhancing passenger comfort rather than major performance upgrades.
- Its most significant new feature is the standard Innovative Solutions and Support (IS&S) ThrustSense autothrottle system, which fully automates engine power management and offers critical safety benefits like VMC protection, even during single-engine operations.
- Passenger experience is notably improved with a new automatic digital pressurization system, advanced passive cabin-noise reduction technology, redesigned comfortable seating, and modern cabin amenities.
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