Wed, Sep 21, 2005
Has Heavy-Weight Gear, Airframe Mods
Raytheon Aircraft Company says it's received commuter category
certification of a heavy-weight Beechcraft King Air 350. This new
aircraft has been modified to incorporate heavy-weight landing
gear, as well as several other airframe modifications, permitting
it to operate at a maximum gross takeoff weight of 16,500 pounds,
an increase of 1,500 pounds over a standard Beechcraft King Air
350.
"This certification represents the achievement of a significant
milestone in developing and certifying the Beechcraft King Air
350ER which Raytheon unveiled at the Paris Air Show earlier this
summer," said John Brauneis, vice president of contracts and
special mission aircraft. "Our next step is to complete the
development and certification of the nacelle fuel tanks which, when
added to a heavy-weight Beechcraft King Air 350, will yield a
Beechcraft King Air 350ER."
Aimed specifically at the special mission market, the Beechcraft
King Air 350ER will have the capacity for extended endurance,
flying out 100 nautical miles, performing a low altitude
surveillance mission for up to 8 hours and flying back 100 nautical
miles, and still land with over 45 minutes of fuel on board.
"When fully certified, the Beechcraft King Air 350ER will
surpass anything in its class in payload and endurance. It will
provide the proven reliability of the King Air and unparalleled
cost-effectiveness over a wide variety of military and civilian
special missions," added Brauneis. Certification of the King Air
350ER is still slated for the summer of 2006.
In 2004, Raytheon Aircraft Company recognized the 40th
anniversary of Beechcraft King Air continuous production -–
and celebrated by delivering the 6,000th Beechcraft King Air. Over
that same period of time, Raytheon Aircraft Company has been
producing missionized aircraft to meet the unique requirements of
its government and military customers, and has delivered over 3,000
special mission aircraft around the world.
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