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 builds upon the model's nearly 60-year legacy, emphasizing evolutionary improvements in pilot workload reduction and passenger comfort while maintaining its robust performance and versatile capabilities.
- A primary new feature is the standard IS&S ThrustSense autothrottle system, which fully automates engine power control, significantly reducing pilot workload and providing advanced safety features like engine-out protection and VMC (minimum controllable airspeed) mitigation.
- Other key upgrades include the modern Collins Aerospace Fusion avionics suite with three 14-inch touchscreens, an improved automatic digital pressurization system, and a redesigned cabin featuring passive noise reduction, ergonomic seating, and premium finishes.
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