April15-LR

A MAGAZINE FOR THE OWNER/PILOT OF KING AIR AIRCRAFT APRIL 2015 • VOLUME 9, NUMBER 4 • $4.
50
State of the (King Air) Union

A conversation with Textron Aviation
Traverse City, MI
Permit No. 29
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2 • KING AIR MAGAZINE APRIL 2015
A MAGAZINE FOR THE OWNER/PILOT OF KING AIR AIRCRAFT
KingAir APRIL 2015 Volume 9 / Number 4
2 10 14 23
Contents
EDITOR
Kim Blonigen
EDITORIAL OFFICE
2779 Aero Park Dr., Traverse City MI 49686
Phone: (316) 652-9495
E-mail: kblonigen@cox.net
PUBLISHERS
J. Scott Lizenby
Dave Moore
2 18
Village Publications One Year Later – A Look Ask the Expert –
at the King Air Program Don’t Lift the Power
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Luana Dueweke under the Textron Levers in Flight!
Aviation Umbrella by Tom Clements
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Mike Revard by Kim Blonigen
PUBLICATIONS DIRECTOR
23
10
Steve Smith
Flight of the
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
John Shoemaker
Maintenance Tip – “Waikiki Beech”
King Air Magazine
by Edward H. Phillips
2779 Aero Park Drive More on Windshields
Traverse City, MI 49686
Phone: 1-800-773-7798 by Dean Benedict
Fax: (231) 946-9588
E-mail: johns@villagepress.com
29
ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Betsy Beaudoin
Phone: 1-800-773-7798
14 Value Added
31
E-mail: betsybeaudoin@villagepress.com Aviation Issues –
SUBSCRIBER SERVICES
Aviation Group Leaders
Deb Neuman, Mgr. Ask for Specific Contract Technically...
San Juana Fisher
P.O. Box 968 Tower Funding, While
32
Traverse City, MI 49685
1-800-447-7367
Lawmakers Discuss Other
Options for FAA Reform
ONLINE ADDRESS
www.kingairmagazine.com
by Kim Blonigen Advertiser Index
SUBSCRIPTIONS
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APRIL 2015 KING AIR MAGAZINE • 1

A Look at the
King Air Program
One
under the
The King Air 50th Anniversary Flight on January 20, 2014, with
the three current models in production, flying in formation.

e Year Later
Textron Aviation
Umbrella
by Kim Blonigen
L
ast year started with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the
Beechcraft King Air’s first flight on Jan. 20, 2014, as well as recognizing
the line of turboprops as the best-selling business aircraft family in the
world with nearly 7,300 aircraft delivered and a worldwide fleet having
surpassed 60 million flight hours. Shortly thereafter, in March, the acquisition
of Beechcraft Corporation by Textron Inc. was finalized and Beechcraft, Hawker
and Cessna brands would all be housed under the Textron Aviation banner.
Since it’s been a little over a year under its new corporate umbrella, has anything
changed with the King Air, or its customer support, parts and maintenance
services? King Air magazine asked these questions of the company’s leadership
team, including Christi Tannahill, senior vice president, Turboprop Aircraft
and Interior Design, and Brad Thress, senior vice president, Customer Service.
The upgraded C90GTx with Raisbeck Engineering’s swept-blade propellers
The Aircraft and dual aft body strakes. The upgrade allows for shorter takeoff and landing
distances, better handling characteristics and enhanced passenger experience.
According to Tannahill, the King Air is still being
manufactured at the same manufacturing facility, Plant creating new King Air models. When asked if there
IV, located at what is now called Textron Aviation’s are still plans for that, Tannahill answered, “With
east campus. the acquisition of Beechcraft by Textron, you will see
additional investments in the King Air product line.
After coming out of bankruptcy in 2013, Beechcraft In fact, just last year at NBAA we announced two new
had announced it was looking at the possibility of improvements on the King Airs.”
The enhancements Tannahill mentioned are a new

standard performance upgrade on the C90GTx and an
enhanced payload option on the King Air 250. The new
upgrade on the C90GTx allows for shorter takeoff and
landing distances – most significantly, shortening the
takeoff distance by nearly 600 feet – better handling
characteristics and enhanced passenger experience.
The upgrades are a result of incorporating Raisbeck
Engineering’s performance enhancements consisting
of swept-blade propellers and dual aft body strakes.
With the King Air 250, customers can order this model
with a factory-installed modification that increases the
maximum takeoff weight from 12,500 pounds to 13,420
pounds, providing 1,025 pounds of payload with full fuel.
Meet Christi Tannahill

Most long-time King Air owners know Christi
Tannahill, who joined Beechcraft in 1999. She served
as vice president of Hawker Beechcraft Global Parts
and Services, then vice president of Beechcraft’s Global
Customer Support organization before the formation of
Textron Aviation. As senior vice president, Turboprop
Aircraft and Interior Design, she is responsible
for the profit and loss of the turboprop business
(King Air and Caravan lines) – from customer input and
advanced design, to manufacturing, customer delivery
and continued service and support. She also leads the
customer-focused interior design organization that
supports all product lines. �

The King Air 350ER is being used in many multi-role missions from surveillance to air ambulance and medevac.
The modification, developed with CenTex Aerospace, “Continue to watch for announcements, as we expect
Inc. of Waco, Texas, also is an aftermarket option for to make more on the King Air turboprops this year.”
in-service King Air 250 aircraft and available through
Textron Aviation’s factory-owned service centers. The Service
“These are both great examples of taking our The customer support organization at Textron Aviation
customer feedback and requests, and turning them is headed by Thress, who has an extensive background
into improvements on the products,” Tannahill said. in aviation and many years in the customer service
organization. Thress oversees the company’s customer
service network, including partnerships with authorized
service facilities. He is responsible for mobile service
Your Source for King Air Landing Gear solutions, as well as parts and service programs for jet
and propeller aircraft.
Looking at changes in services for the King Air, in

the past year Textron Aviation announced it will offer
ProAdvantage product support programs to the global
Beechcraft King Air turboprop fleet. ProAdvantage is a
legacy support solution, previously exclusively available
for Cessna Citation business jet customers, comprised of
Meet Brad Thress

As senior vice president, Customer Service since
the formation of Textron Aviation in 2014, Brad
Thress is responsible for all aftermarket service and
support for the installed base of Beechcraft, Cessna
and Hawker aircraft. Formerly a pilot in the U.S.
Air Force, Thress began his career with Cessna in
Inspect • Overhaul • Exchange • Install
•
1992 as a demonstration pilot. Through the years
• Complete Ship Sets • King Air Aircraft Maintenance he was product marketing manager for the Citation
X, was responsible for the production line start-up
for the Citation Sovereign, held the position of vice
president of Quality and vice president of Component
Operations, overseeing all manufacturing operations
that supply components for aircraft assembly. In 2009,
he became senior vice president of Customer Service
for Cessna before assuming the title of senior vice
601-936-3599 • www.traceaviation.com president of Business Jets in 2011.

“The combination of Beechcraft, Cessna, and Hawker
under the Textron Aviation umbrella continues to pay divi-
dends to our customers,” Thress said. “Throughout 2015,
we’ll continue our Beechcraft and Hawker service expan-
sion across our global, company-owned service network.”
The Numbers
W hen looking at the 2014 General Aviation
Manufacturers Association’s (GAMA) year-end shipping
and billing report, the King Air faired very well for
Textron Aviation by delivering 127 King Air models,
in addition to 94 Cessna Caravans in the turboprop
category. In the jet division, 159 of Cessna’s current
jet models were delivered for the year, and of course
zero Beechcraft/Hawker jets were delivered since
production was halted when the company emerged
from bankruptcy.
Although the company stated it could not disclose

current production rates, it looks like the King Air
is holding its own and then some under the Textron
umbrella. The future continues to look positive for this
Textron Aviation has been expanding its company-owned service network best-selling business aircraft.
to include authorized King Air maintenance and plans to continue to do so,
opening up service options for King Air owners around the world. Tannahill summed up the new organization by
saying, “Customers can expect the same quality of
a number of programs providing life-cycle maintenance service and support they have received over the past
and spare part support for aircraft airframes and avionics, 80 years at Beechcraft.” KA
engines and, when applicable,
auxiliary power units.
ProAdvantage includes ProParts,

ProTech and ProPropeller, with
ProParts being the cornerstone
element of the package and
provides coverage for maintenance
– line, scheduled and unscheduled
maintenance – and parts such as
wheels and tires, avionics, brakes,
motors, actuators, gauges and
light bulbs.
Textron Aviation has been ex-

panding its company-owned service
network to include the authoriza-
tion for King Air maintenance and
plans to continue to do so, open-
ing up service options for King Air
owners around the world. Recently
the company announced that its
company-owned service centers in
Sacramento, Calif.; Mesa, Ariz.; and
Paris, France, as well as two other
European centers in Dusseldorf and
Zurich, have gained certification for
the King Air 90-, 200- and 300-series
aircraft service and repair. Thress
also reported that the company con-
tinues to have field support personnel
dedicated to King Air operators.
MORE ON
MAINTENANCE TIP
WINDSHIELDS by Dean Benedict
I
probably went for two or three years without acceptable cores. They can be returned to the vendor
installing a windshield, then suddenly I completed to avoid the core charge. I had an unacceptable core
four installations in a two-month period. I noticed a month ago with one of the windshields I installed
a few changes with the King Air windshields; first was because the serial number began with 94, so we had to
pricing. The price of overhauled OEM windshields and pay the core value.
the kits to install them has fluctuated wildly.
OEM versus PMA
Five years ago, I wrote an article on windshields for
this magazine (“Windshields 101” in the 2010 March/ PPG makes the OEM windshields used in King Airs.
April issue) and they were going for close to $19K per As far as I know, the only PMA windshield is by GKN.
side from Beech. Now, Beech’s price
on the overhauled windshields has
gone down substantially, but their
pricing on the install kit has sky-
rocketed beyond belief! What used
to be a $550 item is now well over
$2,000 for eight rubber seals and 56
screws! Fortunately, there is a PMA
kit that is more reasonable, and in
my experience, the holes line up
better than the factory kit.
What is an
Acceptable Core?
The biggest new wrinkle in
the world of windshields is with
core acceptability. An overhauled
windshield uses the frame structure
from an old windshield with new
glass. But now, if the serial number
on the windshield you are replacing
begins with 95 or below (94, 93, etc.)
then your core will not be accepted
and you will have to pay the core
charge on top of the exchange price.
Windshields with serial numbers

that start with 96 or higher are An example of a fractured inner pane of a King Air windshield.

I have installed both with good results over many
years. I do know of a King Air owner that recently
Windshield Failure at Altitude
had a GKN installed and he is very unhappy with When a King Air windshield fails at altitude, it really
the clarity; an unfortunate problem, but one I never gets your attention. If the outer pane fails, it usually
encountered before. On the other hand, I once tried cracks, making a loud snap. If the inner pane fails, it
to install a PPG windshield that simply did not fit. often fractures completely with a very loud pop as little
After a flurry of emails full of detailed measurements chunks of glass fall into your lap. I mentioned this in
and photographs, PPG made everything right. my earlier article, but it bears repeating.
Windshield Replacement Your POH tells you exactly what to do if a windshield

If you are monitoring a delamination situation that is fails at altitude, but many pilots have become
gradually getting worse, and you decide to shop around completely unnerved, declared an emergency, and
for bids on windshield replacement, check your serial put their King Air down on the nearest strip, far from
number first so you will know whether you have a viable a decent repair facility.
core. Then, ask about PMA versus OEM, get specific
Years ago, a C90 en route to California had a windshield
pricing on the installation kit and the labor involved.
shatter at altitude over southern Nevada. The pilot
Remember to factor in shipping costs – the windshields
declared an emergency, landed at Creech AFB, left the
weigh about 85 pounds in the crate.
aircraft there and took the airlines home. The aircraft
Be sure to allow plenty of time, as well. This is not a owner dithered about for the next 10 days trying to
job to be rushed. I estimate between 12 and 18 man- decide what to do and how to get a ferry permit from
hours to change one windshield for an experienced the FAA to move his airplane, etc. The military was not
technician. That does not include the time required for amused and threatened to chop up the aircraft if he
the sealant to cure, which is 48 hours at 70 degrees. didn’t get it out of there. He finally got it ferried to my
In colder temperatures, the cure time for the sealant shop and we took good care of him; but had the pilot
increases dramatically. I’ve had King Airs in my hangar consulted his POH, he could have made the necessary
for days and days with heat lamps on the new windshield, adjustments and continued on to his final destination.
waiting for the sealant to fully cure. That would have avoided a great deal of aggravation.
Extend TBO to 8000 hours!

It’s about time for
WEBSITE
www.morecompany.net
EMAIL
info@morecompany.net
PHONE
(775) 782-3346

A close-up look at a delaminated area of the windshield. The cracks running through and around the
delaminated area were what caused the windshield to be replaced.
So, check out your POH under altitude. If you embark on a trip
“Limitations” and you will find with the windshield heat in the
instructions to adjust the cabin “off” position (either by choice or
pressurization differential to by mistake) and you decide to turn
between 2.0 and 4.5 PSID, and it on later to combat the threat of
to descend to FL 250 or below. icing, you run the risk of thermal
You will also learn how long you shock to the windshield.
may continue flying in non-icing
conditions before replacing the Thermal shock can cause
windshield – you may be surprised delamination, it can exacerbate
at what you learn. existing delamination, and it can
cause full-on windshield failure.
Windshield Heat Of course, safety is always your
and Longevity priority, but should you find yourself
in this predicament, consider
Use your windshield heat properly whether or not it would be safe
to ensure long-lived windshields. to continue f ly ing w ithout
Pilots who run “strictly by the windshield heat. Again, safety is
book,” use windshield heat all the uppermost at all times. I cannot
time. But many King Air pilots stress that emphatically enough.
dispense with windshield heat in But thermal shock is a good thing
hot weather because they don’t to avoid where possible.
like the distortion created by the
heating grid. Delamination
As you well know, it’s quite Delamination does not necessarily
possible to start a trip in hot weather condemn a windshield. It is noted at
and encounter icing conditions at inspections and monitored to see if it

spreads to a wider area. Windshield
delamination is acceptable as long
as it does not interfere with the line
of sight. I have seen windshields
with delaminated areas that have
remained within acceptable limits
for many hundreds of hours.
In the photograph (on page 12),

there is an example of delamination
near the frame. This delamination
was not what condemned the
windshield; rather, the cracks
running through and around the
delaminated area were the culprits.
The delaminated area was present
before the cracks developed, and
the windshield was acceptable
until the cracks appeared. Also
in the photos, you will see a fully
fractured windshield – this is what
happens when the inner pane
decides to go.
Windshield Failure –
A Non-Event
In general, the windshields in
a King Air are extremely durable
and designed to last thousands of
hours. Since they don’t fail very
often in the career of the average
owner/operator, it can be very
startling when it happens. But, as
expert King Air pilot Tom Clements
says, “A windshield failure in flight
is a non-event in a King Air.” The
procedure to follow is right there
in your POH. You might have to
move from the left seat to the right
and fly from there in order to see
better; but other than that you
should be good to go.
Fly safely, as always. KA
About the Author: Dean

Benedict is a certified A&P,
AI, and has almost 40 years
of experience in King Air
maintenance. He is president
of Honest Air, Inc., which
specializes in Beechcraft King
Air maintenance and repair.
If there is a particular main

tenance issue you would like
Dean to address in a future issue,
please email Editor Kim Blonigen
at kblonigen@cox.net.
AVIATION ISSUES
Aviation Group Leaders Ask

for Specific Contract Tower
Funding, While Lawmakers
Discuss Other Options
for FAA Reform
by Kim Blonigen
O
n March 17, several aviation group leaders but only account for about 14 percent of the FAA’s overall
sent a letter to the House Appropriations budget allotted to ATCT tower operations.
Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY),
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad The letter also points out that all federal contract
Cochran (R-MS) and other related lawmakers, requesting controllers are FAA-certified air traffic controllers who
dedicated funding for the Contract Tower Program. meet the same training and operating standards as FAA-
employed controllers, and a majority of them are former
The letter requests that under the “Operations” FAA controllers or veterans with prior military air traffic
section of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) control experience. The safety and efficiency record of
FY 2016 appropriations bill, specific wording be used the FAA Contract Tower Program has been validated
and include “not less than $153,400,000 shall be for numerous times by the DOT Inspector General, as well
the fully funded and cost-share towers in the contract as by FAA safety audits.
tower program.”
The aviation group leaders also specify that the federal
It states that the FAA Contract Tower Program has contract towers operate together with FAA-staffed
provided cost-effective and essential air traffic safety facilities throughout the country as part of a unified
services since 1982, and currently 252 smaller airports national air traffic control system, and as a result, the
in 46 states participate in the program. The 252 towers FAA Contract Tower Program: (1) enhances aviation
handle approximately 28 percent of all air traffic control safety at smaller airports that otherwise would not have
tower (ATCT) aircraft operations in the United States, a tower; (2) provides significant cost savings to the FAA

and taxpayers; (3) helps small airports with retaining and facilities and in mitigating the potential impact of tower
developing commercial air service and general aviation; closures on aviation operations.
(4) promotes economic development and creates jobs in
local communities; (5) connects smaller airports and The same day, speaking at the U.S. Chamber of
communities with the national air transportation system, Commerce’s 14th annual Aviation Summit, U.S.
and (6) consistently receives high marks for customer House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
service from aviation users and pilots. chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) reiterated his vision of
“transformative” change for the FAA, upholding private
The aviation group leaders who signed the letter are and/or non-profit air traffic management systems run
J. Spencer Dickerson, executive director, U.S. Contract by other countries as examples. In Shuster’s vision, the
Tower Association; Faye Malarkey Black, interim president, new FAA reauthorization bill could create a new air
Regional Airline Association; Thomas L. Hendricks, CEO traffic control structure, which would free up the FAA
and president, National Air Transportation Association; to return its focus to safety.
Ed Bolen, president and CEO, National Business Aviation
Association; Greg Principato, president, National NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen cautioned about
Association of State Aviation Officials; Kevin M. Burke, this direction saying that the United States has the most
president and CEO, Airports Council International; complex and diverse system in the world, and other systems
Jennifer Imo, executive director, General Aviation Airport have led to access concerns. “These systems are typically
Council; Peter F. Dumont, president, Air Traffic Control paid through user fees, which require a costly bureaucracy
Association and Stephen A. Alterman, president, Cargo to collect,” Bolen said. “Any new system must be equitable,
Airline Association. transparent and preserve general aviation access.”
It’s apparent that the letter was sent to avoid what Airline executives at the summit pushed for a closer
happened in 2013, when the FAA threatened to close look at the international systems and key executives
149 federal contract towers in order to meet mandated of air traffic management systems touted the benefits
budget-curtailment requirements under the federal of their system. Their thoughts being that until ATC
budget sequestration. Aviation leaders were also active gets out from under the FAA, NextGen will continue
in efforts then to preserve the funding for the contract to be stalled. KA

Ask the Expert
Don’t Lift the Power

Levers in Flight!
by Tom Clements
T
o the best of my knowledge,
all King Air Pilot’s Operating
Handbooks (POHs) have now
been revised to include the following
statement in the Limitations section:
Do not lift the power levers in

flight. Lifting the power levers
in flight, or moving the power
levers in flight below the flight idle
position, could result in a nose-
down pitch and a descent rate
leading to aircraft damage and
injury to personnel.
That is rather straightforward,

correct? Beta and Reverse are
intended for use while on the
ground, of course, not while flying.
No pilot with a working brain would
be so silly as to lift and pull back on
the power levers while flying. Or
would they?
Sadly, yes; some very misguided

pilots do indeed intentionally
select Beta while still flying. In
almost every case this involves
a model 200 with the standard,
older, three-blade propellers. Those
airplanes have a tendency to float
in the flare for landing, especially
if any excess airspeed exists, if the
condition levers are not back at Low
Idle, and if the pilot overdoes the
flare and holds the plane off of the
runway for too long of a time. In this
situation, coming slightly behind
the power lever’s Idle gate causes
the blade angle to go flatter, killing
thrust, and causing the airplane to
touchdown soon thereafter. Only in

the 200, with its relatively long body and T-tail, does this makes the LPS flatten by about 12 degrees! Wham! The
crazy technique work. In the 90- and 100-series, the airplane basically fell out the sky and hit so hard that,
conventional placement of the horizontal stabilizer down among other damage, all eight propeller blade tips were
on the fuselage puts the elevators in a position where the bent back when the engine mounts sagging so much that
airflow over them is decreased as blade angle flattens, the blades made ground contact! You never, ever, want
making it virtually impossible to hold the nose up for to do this horrid procedure while landing a 300 or 350!
a satisfying touchdown. (The T-tailed F90 is definitely
not a floater and this illegal technique is never needed, What if we are not landing though? What if there’s a
even though the elevators could hold the nose up!) fire in the cabin that we cannot extinguish, we are doing
the correct emergency descent procedure, yet we want to
But what if the flare was misjudged, too high? What get down even faster? Couldn’t we use some Beta now to
if the pilot pulled back a little too far into Beta? What if get more drag, yet of course return to normal operation
one propeller responded much differently than the other long before we hit mother earth? (Before continuing
one? All of these “what ifs” can lead to expensive bent with the next paragraph, give yourself a little mental
metal as the airplane lands too harshly and/or touches pop quiz. Would or would not this procedure help in
down significantly misaligned with the direction of travel, obtaining a greater rate of descent?)
leading to excessive landing gear side-loads.
You’re wasting effort doing this and all you will possibly
Here’s a sad, but true, story. One of the first 10 model achieve is a badly mis-adjusted Low Pitch Stop setting.
300s was damaged beyond economical repair during a I often state, “A pilot cannot force the propeller to
factory training flight. The transitioning pilot reverted reverse, he can only allow it to reverse.” Beta and Reverse
to this in-flight Beta selection technique out of the habit are achieved simply because the power lever controls
he’d developed while flying his company’s previous King the position of the LPS. You can move the LPS, yes, but
Air 200. What he failed to realize – and what the factory will the blade angle follow that moving LPS?
instructor could not save in time – was that the 300,
unlike the 200, has both a Ground and a Flight Low It all depends on whether power and airspeed are
Pitch Stop (LPS) and the simple action of picking the both sufficiently low that propeller speed has decreased,
power levers straight up – not even pulling them aft – and fallen below the selected propeller governor’s value.
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Expressed in the more often-used terminology, Beta old-timers there regaled some of us with his “war
and Reverse can only happen when we are “off of the story” about trying out maximum reverse in a King
governor” or in an “under-speed condition.” Air dive, and how the airplane pitched over almost
straight down and was virtually uncontrollable until
And, the easy-turning, free-turbine-driven propeller he moved the power levers back forward. Now I realize
on a PT6 turns very easily, meaning that it takes very it was a story told to show how macho he was, but
little airspeed or power to spin the propellers up to all it really proved was what a liar he was. Second,
governing speed. Once the RPM becomes constant, the recall the placard on your King Air’s power quadrant,
blade angle is now being controlled by the governor and “Caution: Reverse only with engines running.” If you
is at some angle greater than the LPS angle. If we are try to enter deep Beta or Reverse while sitting in the
no longer on the LPS, it makes no difference where it is. hangar or on the ramp with the engines not running,
of course the propeller blades will be in the feathered
The emergency descent procedure calls for using position. That’s as far away from the LPS as they can
the landing gear extended speed limit as the proper get. If you now try to move the LPS, it cannot happen.
airspeed. This varies from 156 knots to as high as about Resistance on the lever’s cable will be felt and if some
180 knots, depending on the exact King Air model. Even very strong and very dumb pilot continued to pull
with Idle power – also specified in the procedure – the back, the cable could be stretched to the point that
propellers will still be solidly holding their maximum the whole LPS mechanism takes a real beating and
governing speed – and you’ll have the governor set for gets badly out-of-whack.
its maximum speed since the procedure also calls for
prop levers being moved fully forward. In other words, Imagine standing outside of a closed, hinged door to
you will be operating “on the governor,” not on the LPS, a room. The door swings inward toward you. Grab the
not in an underspeed condition, so moving the LPS handle, pull, and the door opens. Now imagine that
back to flatter blade angles achieves absolutely nothing. the door is already wide open, jutting out 90 degrees
from the wall. Now grab the handle and pull. Nothing
Two interesting notes: First, when I was a wet-
happens. The door is already at its widest open position
behind-the-ears newbie instructor at the Beech factory
and all you will feel is stiffness in your muscles as you
and hadn’t learned enough to know better, one of the
pull, but the door does not move.
That’s a silly, but somewhat proper, analogy about

what takes place if you select Beta and Reverse with the
propellers not on the Low Pitch Stops … you’re trying
to open a valve that is already open!
So to summarize, if we pick up the power levers and

pull aft during an emergency descent, all we will get is
resistance on the levers, possible LPS mis-rigging, and
no extra drag.
Let me relate one more story from my Beechcraft

factory training days, and this one isn’t a lie. In about
1974, I was giving transition training to a pilot who had
been flying a King Air A90 that his company had replaced
with a new C90. A part of our flight training syllabus
was to give a real engine failure during a two-engine
balked landing exercise. Needless to say, we had a rule
to do all real engine shutdowns at or above 5,000 feet
AGL. Typically, we would start a “make believe” landing
pattern at 8,000 feet or so, and end up with gear down,
full flaps, and landing speed all set no lower than 6,000
feet. As the instructor yelled, “Deer on the runway! Go
around,” he would pull one condition lever to fuel cut-
off. The whole intent of this exercise was to show that
the procedure absolutely could not be accomplished
without losing significant altitude; that full flaps and one
engine, near the ground, was a commitment to land. If
the pilot tried to hold altitude, speed would quickly be
lost, getting us even further from VYSE and definitely
close to VMCA. 

This particular day, my transi- In this situation, with slow
tioning student had been doing an airspeed and no power whatsoever,
excellent job, as would be expected the left propeller had definitely
with his previous A90 time. We had reached an underspeed condition,
briefed this maneuver and he totally resting solidly on its Low Pitch
knew what to expect. I made the Stop. So when the LPS was moved
“Go Around” call and pulled the to Reverse, the blades followed! Of
left condition lever back to the fuel course, without any fuel, we never
cut-off position. He began executing added power as would normally
the procedure perfectly: Power went happen when one leaves Beta and
to the proper ITT or Torque limit, enters Reverse, but we certainly had
the propeller levers were smoothly a negative blade angle and all the
advanced full forward, the flaps extra drag that comes with it.
came up, the gear came up, and all
the while he managed to obtain and I looked over at my student and
hold VYSE very nicely, as well as asked the obvious, “Why did you
heading. This older C90 did not have do that?!”
the optional autofeather system, so His answer was, and is, very
now came the “Identity, Verify, and interesting. He was feeling very
Feather” steps. embarrassed and stupid. His
He said aloud, “Left foot is dead,” answer? “I did it because I saw the
and pointed at the low reading on red and white stripes for Reverse
the left torque gauge. He then slowly and thought they were the red and
and carefully pulled the left power white stripes for Feather.”
lever back to Idle to verify that no This early C90 – like more than
sound or thrust change occurred. half of all King Airs still flying
The landing gear warning horn today – did not have the Ground
was triggered by this action and Fine power lever stop that came
he even reached for the button in later years. The only separation
and silenced it! Only one thing between Beta and Reverse is shown
remained, feathering. He brought by the stripes being painted on
his hand off of the silence button the power quadrant. There was
back to the power quadrant, grabbed certainly no intention on his part
the left power lever – the one he’d to lift the power levers in flight nor
just brought to Idle – picked it up, to pull them back into Reverse …
and pulled it all the way back to but it certainly happened due to his
Maximum Reverse! error in selecting the correct lever
If there’d been a video of my face, for feathering.
you’d be surprised how wide my As I keep saying, y’all be careful
eyes could open! And if there had out there! KA
been audio, you’d know that I am not
averse to letting certain expletives About the Author: King Air
leave my lips! expert Tom Clements has been
flying and instructing in King
The airplane seemed to pivot Airs for over 43 years, and is the
around that left propeller as we author of “The King Air Book.” He
turned about 90 degrees left and is a Gold Seal CFI and has over
found ourselves in what seemed to 23,000 total hours, with more
be a straight-down pitch attitude than 15,000 in King Airs. For
… although I doubt it was much information on ordering his book
more than 20 degrees, if even that. go to www.flightreview.net.
I pulled power back on the right Tom is actively mentoring the
engine and pushed the left power instructors at King Air Academy
lever forward over the Idle gate. in Phoenix.
Control was immediately regained
so we eased out of the dive, added If you have a question you’d like
power on the right engine, leveled Tom to answer, please send it to
off, and got our heart out of our Editor Kim Blonigen at kblonigen@
throats and back in to our chests. cox.net.

Flight of the“Waikiki Beech”
In 1949, William Odom flew a Model 35 “Bonanza” nonstop from Hawaii to
New Jersey, setting two world records for light aircraft, as well as demonstrating
the reliability of Beechcraft’s single-engine flagship.
by Edward H. Phillips
C
harles Lindbergh, Wiley Post, Sir Frank Kingston- between New York, London and Paris was increasingly
Smith, Amelia Earhart − names that have earned becoming commonplace.
a special place in aviation history for their long-
distance flights. Lindbergh was first to fly solo, nonstop Onto this stage stepped a young pilot named William
from New York to Paris, France; Post flew around the “Bill” Odom. Born in Oklahoma but raised in Missouri,
world not once but twice, the second time solo; Kingston- Odom helped fight the war by ferrying bombers from
Smith blazed the first sky trail from England to Australia, America to England, and later flew transports above
and the lanky, shy woman from Kansas captured the the infamous and deadly “hump” from India to China,
hearts of America and the world with her daring flights, delivering much-needed supplies to the fighting men
the last beset by a mystery that is yet to be solved. on the ground. Bill’s record-setting achievements began
after the war when he flew a Douglas A-26 Invader,
These and many other pilots, both male and female, named “The Reynolds Bombshell,” around the world in
made headlines in the late 1920s and throughout the 78 hours, smashing the mark set in 1933 by Wiley Post
1930s as the airplane revolutionized travel between flying the famous Lockheed monoplane, “Winnie Mae.”
distant places. Even such remote regions as the frigid and One year later, Odom followed up that feat by circling
inhospitable Arctic and Antarctic had been conquered the globe flying the same A-26 solo in less than 73 hours.
by air, and the vast Pacific Ocean between America
and China had been traversed by Juan Trippe and his Confident of his cumulative abilities as an airman as
fleet of Sikorsky and Boeing “Clippers.” By 1940, there well as a navigator, by 1948 Odom was contemplating
were few potential record-setting challenges remaining a nonstop flight from Hawaii to the United States,
to long-distance fliers, and World War II had put an end
to almost all civilian flying for five years. In the wake of Introduced in 1947, the four-place Beechcraft Model 35 was not the only
the war, however, public interest in aviation remained all-metal, general aviation airplane to emerge in the postwar era, but it
high. Airline service in the United States expanded quickly established itself as the most advanced single-engine, light airplane
significantly, and air travel across the Atlantic Ocean on the market. Its combination of cabin comfort, speed and economy were
unmatched by its competitors. (EDWARD H. PHILLIPS COLLECTION AND TEXTRON AVIATION)

Record-Setting Beechcrafts: 1949-1979
The following is only a sampling of important speed 1971: Louise Sacchi; speed record for Class C-1.d Group
and distance records captured by Beechcraft airplanes 1 aircraft; New York-London, 3,443.5 miles in 17 hours,
during a 30-year period. 22 minutes, 54 seconds; average speed: 198.8 mph;
Beechcraft Bonanza A36.
1949: Captain William Odom, Beechcraft Bonanza
A35; Honolulu-Oakland, 2,406.9 miles in 22 hours, 1975: Denys Dalton and Terry Gwynn-Jones; around-
six minutes. the-world record for piston-powered aircraft; 24,854
miles in five days, two hours, 15 minutes; Beechcraft
1949: Captain William Odom, Beechcraft Bonanza
Model 60 Duke.
A35; Honolulu-Teterboro, New Jersey, 4,957 miles in
36 hours, two minutes. 1977: Jack Rodd and Harold Benham; shortest elapsed
time around the world in a single-engine aircraft; 10
1952: Paul Burniat, Brussels, Belgium; world speed record
days, 23 hours, 33 minutes; Beechcraft Bonanza S35.
of 225.7 kilometers per hour, Beechcraft Bonanza.
1977: Dieter Schmitt; 4,300 miles nonstop, New York
1953: Mrs. Marion Hart, nonstop Newfoundland-Ireland,
City-Munich, Germany, in 25 hours, 48 minutes;
Beechcraft Bonanza.
Beechcraft Bonanza F33A.
1958: Pat Boling, world record for nonstop flight in a light
1978: F.T. Elliott, Jr., Thomas Clements; three speed
airplane; Manila, Philippines-Pendleton, Oregon; 7,090
records over a recognized course; 233.2 and 206.2;
miles in 45 hours, 43 minutes; Beechcraft Bonanza J35.
distance in a straight line, 2,033.9 miles, San Francisco-
1960: James D. Webber; world altitude record of 34,862 Poughkeepsie, New York; Beechcraft King Air C90.
feet, Beechcraft Model 65 Queen Air.
1979: Marie McMillan; world speed record for National
1966: Robert and Joan Wallick; round-the-world record Aeronautics Association Class C1c aircraft; Fresno,
for piston-powered aircraft; 23,629 miles in five days, six California-Las Vegas, Nevada; Beechcraft Bonanza
hours, 17 minutes, 10 seconds; Beechcraft C55 Baron. F33A.
1971: Travor K. Broughan and R.N. Dickeson; around-the- 1979: Jeanette Fowler; world speed record; Sacramento,
world record for piston-powered aircraft; 24,800 miles in California-Los Angeles; 220 mph, Beechcraft Bonanza
five days, five hours, 57 minutes; Beechcraft B55 Baron. A36.
but he needed an airplane that was up to the challenge. airframe was installation of a Continental six-cylinder,
He found it in the Beechcraft Model 35. Developed E-185 engine that was standard equipment in the current
during 1944 and 1945, the all-metal Bonanza was a production Model A35. In addition, special fuel and
major step forward in postwar light airplane design and oil tanks were installed that held 288 gallons and 7.5
replaced the aging but classic, steel tube and fabric- gallons, respectively. The aft cabin seats were removed
covered Model 17 cabin biplane. and replaced with fuel cells that held 126 gallons, and
wing tip tanks each contained 62 gallons.1
The Model 35 first flew on December 22, 1945, with
Beechcraft engineering test pilot Vern Carstens at the In 1949, the record for light airplanes in the Model
controls. The airplane quickly earned an Approved 35’s weight category (aircraft weighing 2,204.7 to 3,858
Type Certificate from the federal government and initial pounds) had been held by Russian pilots Goussarov and
deliveries to customers began in 1947. By the time Odom Glebov since 1937. In September of that year, they flew
was preparing for his flight, more than 1,900 Bonanzas a Moskalev monoplane powered by a 100-hp M-11 engine
were flying not only in America, but in Europe, India an official distance of 2,061.7 miles, from Moscow to
and many other countries. The Model 35 selected for Krasnoyarsk. Odom, however, was aiming to break not
Odom’s flight bore serial number D-4 and was among only that record but also exceed the mark for nonstop
the very first Bonanzas built by the Beech Aircraft miles flown by a light airplane established in 1938 by
Corporation. During the three previous years, it had German aviators Horat Pulkowski and Lieutenant Jenett
served the company well as an experimental engineering flying an Arado AR 79. They covered a distance of more
platform and had been flown (unmanned and under than 3,917 miles from Bengasi, Libya, to Gaya, India.
radio-control) through a series of high-speed dives that
approached 300 mph, followed by high-G pullouts. In January 1949, Odom was ready to make his assault
on both records. The Model 35 was disassembled and
The Beech Aircraft Corporation sponsored both the shipped from Oakland, Calif., to Honolulu, Territory
first and second flights made by Odom. Walter and Olive of Hawaii, via a Douglas DC-4 freighter operated by
Ann Beech not only supported Bill’s plans, they also Pan American Airways. After the airplane had been
threw the weight of Beech Aircraft’s technical expertise assembled and given a series of test flights, Bill and his
behind the project. The only major change made to the trusty Bonanza were ready for takeoff. Their destination

William Odom and the famous “Waikiki Beech” posed for the camera after
was Teterboro, N.J. – more than 6,000 statute miles to their record-breaking flight from Hawaii to New Jersey in March 1949. The
the east. Ahead of them lay nearly 3,000 miles of the vast Model 35 Bonanza eventually was donated to the Smithsonian Institution
Pacific followed by another 3,000 miles of American soil. and as of 2015, was on permanent display at the National Air and Space
On January 12, Odom taxied into position on Runway 8 Museum’s F. Steven Udvar Hazy Center at Dulles International Airport near
at Hickam Field. The takeoff was uneventful, and good Washington, D.C. (EDWARD H. PHILLIPS COLLECTION AND TEXTRON AVIATION)
weather made the long, eastward traverse of the Pacific
relatively easy. near Reno, Nev. Unable to circumnavigate the storms,
and after carefully considering fuel consumption, Bill
Unfortunately, after crossing the West Coast and made a 180-degree turn and landed at Oakland 22 hours
penetrating well inland, he encountered severe weather and six minutes after leaving Hickam Field. He had

As was Bill Odom’s flight, Captain Pat Boling’s journey across the Pacific
Ocean in 1958 was sponsored by the Beech Aircraft Corporation. Boling Fox,” but he soon learned from radio contact with San
flew the Beechcraft J-35 “Philippine Bonanza” nonstop from Manila, Francisco that rough weather lie ahead on his route. As
Philippines, to Pendleton, Ore., setting a world record and easily exceeding a result, Bill detoured 100 miles south, but as he skirted
Odom’s flight of eight years before. In 1960, the Bonanza and its next pilot, around the southern edge of the storms had to revert
Peter Gluckmann, were lost at sea while attempting to fly nonstop from to instrument flying for about one hour. Eventually,
Tokyo to the United States. (EDWARD H. PHILLIPS COLLECTION AND TEXTRON AVIATION) he cleared the worst weather and continued eastward
toward the West Coast, 450 miles away. Soon after he
failed to reach New Jersey, but he had achieved one of was joined by a U.S. Coast Guard Martin PBM that
his goals – he took the record away from the Russians. rode “shotgun” on the Beechcraft until it flew over San
In addition, the flight marked the first crossing from Francisco’s famous Golden Gate Bridge at 4:51 p.m.,
Hawaii to the U.S. mainland by a light airplane. The Eastern Standard Time.
Bonanza had flown a great circle distance of 2,406 miles
although total distance in the air was 2,900 miles. The hardest and most dangerous phase of the flight
was history. The 2,474 miles across open ocean had been
Undaunted, Odom began preparations for a second navigated in slightly more than 16 hours. During that
attempt to reach Teterboro from Hawaii. Two months time, the E-185 engine had consumed 128 of the 288
later at 12:04 a.m. (Honolulu time) on March 6, the gallons on board, leaving 160 gallons of avgas available
Model 35, dubbed “Waikiki Beech,” took off again from to reach New Jersey. As the flight progressed eastward
Runway 8 at Hickam Field after a takeoff run of only over the Sierra Mountains, Odom was forced to change
2,400 feet. The airplane weighed 3,858 pounds (compared course well to the north to avoid more storms. The
to 2,650 pounds for a stock A35) with full fuel and oil detour took him over northern California into Oregon,
tanks. Despite a nearly 50 percent increase in maximum then into Idaho, but the storms were one step ahead
gross weight, the Waikiki Beech managed to climb at of the Waikiki Beech. Odom strapped on his oxygen
400 feet per minute and was soon cruising comfortably mask, went on instruments and climbed the Beechcraft
above the Pacific. Accompanying the Beechcraft for the to 16,000 feet. Finally, after a busy night dealing with
first 900 miles was a Boeing B-17 air/sea rescue aircraft bad weather, Odom and the monoplane emerged over
operated by the Hawaiian Sea Frontier, conducting a Nebraska in the early morning hours.
part of its normal patrol route.
As the sun rose in the eastern sky, the long trek was
More than nine hours later, Odom reported by radio drawing ever closer to its destination. Fortunately, the
that he was overflying the weather ship “Red Head weather cooperated and the remaining hours went by

without incident as Bill looked down on Omaha, Des so well developed in the airplane Odom flew that it
Moines, Iowa; Moline, Ill.; Chicago, Toledo, Ohio, and is now in daily use by scores of large businesses, to
Cleveland. Then, at 12:06 p.m. on March 7, the Bonanza speed and simplify the coming and goings of their
and its pilot landed safely at Teterboro. Total flight time respective staffs. The world record is abundant proof
had been 36 hours, two minutes, and Odom’s careful that the light plane and its power plant have reached
fuel management resulted in about 16 gallons of fuel full stature.” Although the record was impressive by
remaining – an amount sufficient to fly another 370 standards of the day, the era of long-distance, record-
miles. Total cost for fuel and oil: $75. The second flight setting flights and the ensuing public enthusiasm for
of Bill Odom and the Waikiki Beech succeeded not only them was drawing to a close. The advent of the jet
in establishing two world records, but came within a engine and its application to advanced aircraft designs
mere 191 miles of equaling a record for the longest single during the 1950s and 1960s gradually brought the
flight between refueling of 5,464 miles set by a U.S. Air world much closer together, overshadowing the role
Force B-50 bomber during a nonstop, around-the-world of the light airplane. In 2015, a nonstop flight from
flight completed earlier in 1949. Hawaii to New Jersey by a pilot flying a Bonanza would
be ignored by all except the aviation press that would
During the long journey from Hawaii to New Jersey, at least acknowledge it.
both man and machine had performed flawlessly.
After the flight, Beech chief engineer Theodore “Ted” As for Bill Odom and the Waikiki Beech, in the
Wells calculated that if a Model A35 was stripped of wake of their epic accomplishment, the pilot and his
all unnecessary weight and stuffed with fuel and oil trusty Beechcraft toured the nation and received the
tanks, the airplane would be capable of flying more honor and acclaim they so well deserved. Later, the
than 8,000 statute miles nonstop. When asked what airplane was placed on display in the Smithsonian
the flight had achieved, Odom responded, “We set out Institution until 1951 when it was removed and
to prove the efficiency and economy of Beechcrafts by prepared for use by Congressman Peter F. Mack, Jr.
breaking the nonstop distance record.” 2 Renamed the “Friendship Flame,” the airplane was
flown by Mack on an around-the-world, goodwill tour
The prestigious New York Times reinforced Odom’s that covered 33,000 miles in 113 days and visiting
comments: “Qualities of dependability have been 45 cities in 35 countries. 3

Only six months after his record-setting flight, Bill flights, offered to buy the Philippine Bonanza for
Odom was killed in the crash of a North American P-51C his proposed trek across the Pacific. Beech Aircraft
Mustang named “Beguine” that had been custom-built officials declined to sponsor Gluckmann but sold
for air racing events. Although a respected and highly him the airplane, including all the fuel and oil tanks
competent pilot, Odom had relatively little experience but less the IO-470C engine. He installed a 260-hp
in air racing. On the second lap of the 1949 Thompson Continental that was modified to operate at 2,800
Trophy race, he had flown Beguine into third place rpm and 275 horsepower for takeoff. When fueled and
and was gradually catching up with the second- and fully prepared for the flight (including Gluckmann’s
first-place airplanes, both Goodyear F2G Corsair IVs. weight), the airplane tipped the scales at a staggering
According to an eye-witness observation by none 6,020 pounds – far above the J-35’s standard maximum
other than famed pilot Bob Hoover, Odom realized takeoff weight of 2,900 pounds. One Beech engineer
that he was about to fly inside the second pylon and calculated that the Bonanza’s initial rate of climb
rolled the airplane rapidly to the right in an attempt (landing gear retracted) would be zero! 5
to avoid cutting the marker. The Mustang continued
to roll and struck the ground at a 45-degree angle, To give the heavily-laden Beechcraft a boost on
killing Odom instantly.4 takeoff, two Aero-Jet General, Jet-Assisted Take
off (JATO) bottles would be used but only one was
Perhaps the best testimony to William Odom and the eventually installed. The J-35 was airborne after rolling
Waikiki Beech was spoken by aviation pioneer Glenn 6,000 feet down the 8,350-foot long runway before
L. Martin: “Testifying in the most effective manner Gluckmann ignited the JATO bottle. Sixteen hours
possible to the ability of the American aviation industry into flight he was forced to land at Tokyo because of
to produce an aircraft and ideas of dramatic character, severe weather along the intended route. On April 27,
I invite your attention to the recent feat of Captain Bill Gluckmann and the Philippine Bonanza departed
Odom in accomplishing the greatest nonstop flight while Tokyo (without JATO) and headed eastward toward
using a Beechcraft Bonanza.” Midway Island. The J-35 carried sufficient fuel for about
60 hours of flying. According to Bonanza historian
Beech Aircraft Corporation’s final involvement in Larry Ball, Gluckmann intended to reach the United
long-distance flights occurred in 1958 when Pat Boling States and fly inland as far as possible before landing.
flew a Beechcraft Model J-35 named the “Philippine About eight hours after departing Tokyo, he made radio
Bonanza” nonstop from the Philippine capital of contact with a U.S. Coast Guard ship patrolling between
Manila, to Pendleton, Ore., on July 31-August 1. The Japan and Midway. It was the last report received from
J-35 was equipped with the wingtip tanks removed from the pilot. Peter Gluckmann and his Bonanza never
the Waikiki Beech as well as two 31-gallon auxiliary made it to America. What happened remains a mystery,
fuel tanks and three additional tanks installed in the but during the next few days it became clear that both
fuselage that were interconnected. To accommodate man and machine had disappeared somewhere over
the auxiliary tanks, the wing structure was modified the vast Pacific Ocean. 6 KA
to accept wing sections from a Model 95 Travel Air
light twin-engine Beechcraft. Total fuel capacity was NOTES:
402 gallons. In addition, an auxiliary five-gallon oil 1. Ball, Larry; “Those Incomparable Bonanzas;” McCormick-
Armstrong Co., Inc., Wichita, Kansas; 1971.
tank was installed.
2. Ibid.
A number of novel devices were included in the 3. McDaniel, William H.; “The History of Beech;” McCormick-
J-35’s special equipment list: an autopilot, warning Armstrong Co., Inc., Wichita, Kansas, 1971.
horns that would sound every hour or anytime the 4. Tegler, John: “Gentlemen, You have A Race;” Wings
airplane deviated from a preset altitude or airspeed; Publishing Company, Severna Park, Maryland, 1984. In
addition to Odom, a mother in a house and her child
HF radio set, an electric shaver that was powered
playing in the yard were killed when the Mustang crashed
from the cigarette lighter, a coffee percolator, and
on their property.
a vibrating pillow for the pilot seat. Boling flew the
5. Ball, Larry; “Those Incomparable Bonanzas;” McCormick-
Beechcraft a distance of 7,090 statute miles, and the Armstrong Co., Inc., Wichita, Kansas, 1971.
great circle route was 6,856 miles. Of that distance, 6. Ibid
6,555 miles were flown over water compared with only
535 over land. Total flight time was 45.4 hours. Boling
landed with only 11 gallons of fuel remaining – the About the Author: Ed Phillips, now retired and living
250-hp Continental IO-470C powerplant burned 391 in the South, has researched and written eight books
gallons during the flight at an average rate of 8.55 on the unique and rich aviation history that belongs
gallons per hour. to Wichita, Kan. His writings have focused on the
evolution of the airplanes, companies and people that
In 1960, an attempt was made to break Boling’s have made Wichita the “Air Capital of the World” for
record. Peter Gluckmann, who had significant more than 80 years.
experience flying an older Model 35 on long-distance

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Technically...
RECENT
SERVICE BULLETINS,
ADVISORY DIRECTIVES
AND SAFETY
COMMUNICATIONS
From Model Communiqué # KA-2015-01 number airplanes listed. The part number of the kit
issued in March 2015: is 101-3601-0001. Each light bulb is sold separately.
The part numbers of the light bulbs are:
ATA 27 − Lower Rudder Attach Bolt Bent
Landing light bulb: 01-1030-LA, two required.
F-90; 200 Series; 300 Series, B300 Series
Taxi light bulb: 01-1030-LB, one required.
Beechcraft has received a few reports of a bent attachment
bolt at the rudder horn assembly (P/N 101-524059-1) This kit is available through Beechcraft Authorized
and the lower rudder hinge (P/N 101-524063-1). The Service Centers or may be obtained directly from Hawker
part number of this bolt is AN175-20A. This condition Beechcraft Parts and Distribution.
was found after inspection of airplanes that had been
subject to jet blast while parked or left out in heavy
winds without the rudder (control or gust) lock assembly
Service Bulletins
installed. The reports noted a “squeaking” sound when There have been no Service Bulletins issued since the
moving the rudder from stop to stop during inspection. last issue of King Air magazine.
Unfortunately, this bolt is not visible when the rudder The above information is abbreviated for space
is removed, so extra effort is required to gain access to purposes. For the entire communication,
the bolt. Bolt inspection is recommended any time the go to www.beechcraft.com.
rudder is removed.
ATA 33 − LED Taxi and

Landing Lights Kit
LJ-502 and after; BB-734 and
after; BL-37 and after; BY-1 and
after; BZ-1 and after; FL-1 and
after; FM-1 and after; FN-1 and
after
Beechcraft announces the avail

ability of a kit to install LED
taxi and landing lights on serial

Pilots N Paws ®
1st Source Bank................................ Cover 3

is an online meeting Aero-Tow LLC.............................................. 11
place for pilots and AVCON Industries........................................ 13
other volunteers B/E Aerospace............................................. 19
who help to transport rescue Banyan Air Service....................................... 27
animals by air. The mission of BLR Aerospace............................................ 25
the site is to provide a user- Cleveland Wheel & Brake............................. 31
friendly communication venue
Elliott Aviation..................................... Cover 2
between those that rescue,
shelter, and foster animals; and Garmin International........................... Cover 4
pilots and plane owners willing Gill Battery................................................... 22
to assist with the transportation Hillaero Modification Center.........................30
of these animals. Luma Technologies LLC.............................. 13
A general aviation transport McCauley Propeller...................................... 20
requires just one pilot volunteer MORE.......................................................... 11
and is far more efficient and dependable than time-consuming ground transportation for these
Murmer Aircraft Services............................. 11
animals who are often in danger of euthanization. Volunteer pilots retain complete authority of
their planning and flights, and can give as much or as little time as they like. Paul Bowen................................................. 32
Pilots N Paws............................................... 32
SIMPLE AS 1-2-3 WHY JOIN THE PILOTS N PAWS NETWORK?
Precision Avionics Group............................. 15
No bothersome paperwork required! • Enjoy flying while helping a worthwhile
If you love to fly, and you love animals, non-profit organization Raisbeck Engineering........................... 16, 17
please join us now! It’s easy, it’s fun, • Flights are tax-deductible 501c3 Rapco.......................................................... 9
and it’s extremely rewarding. • Expand your network of pilot/aviation contacts Rockwell Collins...................................... 5,6,7
Joining is easy and takes just a and other professionals Select Airparts............................................. 29
minute of your time. • Gain flight experience and log more hours Shaw-Aerox LLC..........................................30
1. Go to www.pilotsnpaws.org • Explore new geographical areas Silverhawk Aviation...................................... 12
and register • An extremely rewarding experience every time
Textron Aviation........................................... 20
2. Post your information and read
Pilots N Paws
other posts ®
Trace Aviation............................................... 8
3. Wait for contacts / make West Coast Aircraft Sales............................ 21
contact with others ® www.pilotsnpaws.org Winner Avition Inc........................................ 4


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A MAGAZINE FOR THE OWNER/PILOT OF KING AIR AIRCRAFT APRIL 2015 • VOLUME 9, NUMBER 4 • $4.

State of the (King Air) Union

APRIL 2015 KING AIR MAGAZINE • ­1

2 • ­KING AIR MAGAZINE APRIL 2015

The enhancements Tannahill mentioned are a new

Meet Christi Tannahill

4 • ­KING AIR MAGAZINE APRIL 2015

Looking at changes in services for the King Air, in

Meet Brad Thress

8 • ­KING AIR MAGAZINE APRIL 2015

Although the company stated it could not disclose

ProAdvantage includes ProParts,

Textron Aviation has been ex-

WINDSHIELDS by Dean Benedict

Windshields with serial numbers

10 • ­KING AIR MAGAZINE APRIL 2015

Windshield Replacement Your POH tells you exactly what to do if a windshield

Extend TBO to 8000 hours!

APRIL 2015 KING AIR MAGAZINE • ­11

12 • ­KING AIR MAGAZINE APRIL 2015

In the photograph (on page 12),

Fly safely, as always. KA

About the Author: Dean

If there is a particular main­

Aviation Group Leaders Ask

14 • ­KING AIR MAGAZINE APRIL 2015

APRIL 2015 KING AIR MAGAZINE • ­15

Don’t Lift the Power

Do not lift the power levers in

That is rather straightforward,

Sadly, yes; some very misguided

18 • ­KING AIR MAGAZINE APRIL 2015

Prop & Wing Boots for

Faster. Better. Smarter.

For more i nfor mati on visit w w w.iceshield.com

That’s a silly, but somewhat proper, analogy about

So to summarize, if we pick up the power levers and

Let me relate one more story from my Beechcraft

20 • ­KING AIR MAGAZINE APRIL 2015

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MT-Propeller Receives FAA STC for Five-Blade

The company says the propeller installation provides:

■ Best vibration damping characteristics for

■ Bonded on nickel alloy leading edge for superior

■ General performance improvement (five percent

■ No propeller speed restrictions on ground while

■ More ground clearance for less FODs

■ Lower ITTs during start-up for less engine wear

■ Unbeatable esthetic ramp appeal

All models comply with the strict German noise

APRIL 2015 KING AIR MAGAZINE • ­29

30 • ­KING AIR MAGAZINE APRIL 2015

ATA 33 − LED Taxi and

Beechcraft announces the avail­

APRIL 2015 KING AIR MAGAZINE • 1

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If there is a particular main

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Beechcraft announces the avail

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