Understanding the King Air 200: Features and Performance Overview

The Beechcraft King Air is the most popular turboprop twin of all time, and the most popular turboprop of all time, and they give no appearance of letting off the gas any time soon. If anything, with brand new contracts for the T-54, the King Air family of aircraft is only just getting started. If the T-44 Pegasus and the C-12 Huron are any indicator of longevity, these newest King Airs will grace the skies of Corpus Christi for decades to come. 

The King Air 200 remains one of the most prolific members of the Beechcraft King Air family, with thousands in service and hundreds in the air around the globe at any given time. Here is our take on why the King Air 200 is still the King.

Overview of the Beechcraft King Air Family

The Beechcraft King Air family is a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by Beechcraft, comprising models divided into two families: King Airs (Model 90 and 100 series) and Super King Airs (Model 200 and 300 series). We are focusing on the King Air 200-series, which is widely used in the government, namely the Department of Defense. The King Air B200 is a version of the Super King Air that has served in the U.S. military for over fifty years as the C-12 Huron and the many derivatives of this aircraft. 

The King Air line comprises four families: Model 90 series, Model 100 series (King Air family), Model 200 series, and Model 300 series. The Model 90 series is still used widely in the federal and state governments. One of the more noticeable roles for the Model 90 series is as the FAA Flight Check aircraft. The King Air B200 is also used widely by a number of agencies from the Border Patrol to the Army, Marines, and Navy. 

The King Air 200 is part of the Beechcraft King Air family, the most popular turboprop business aircraft ever. In all, over 7,500 King Airs have been made and they have been in continuous production for almost seventy years now. Think about that for just a minute: almost seven decades of continuous production, and each successive generation gets better than the last. It is a truly evergreen design, where new avionics suites can be built into a tried and true design, along with the latest updates to the classic Pratt & Whitney PT6 engine. 

Design and Development of the King Air 200

The King Air 200 was developed from the Model 100 King Air, with essentially the same fuselage and changes to the rear fuselage to accommodate a new T-tail and structural changes to allow higher maximum pressurization. Over time, though, the King Air B200 line of aircraft became the Super King Air and were stretched out both in length of fuselage and wingspan to become a significantly larger and more capable aircraft. Also, the engines were upgraded to increase shaft horsepower by 200 per side.

The first prototype flew for the first time on October 27, 1972; a second prototype took to the air on December 15 the same year. The 200 received civil certification in December 1973 and the first civil delivery took place in February 1974. 

The U.S. Army promptly built a Super King Air fleet by acquiring several hundred King Air B200 aircraft and coining them C-12 Hurons. The maximum range was also increased from the Model 90 and Model 100 aircraft because fuel capacity was increased, while fuel economy remained similar. Also, the maximum speed saw impressive increases of around 15%, and cruise speed increased proportionately. 

Engine and Performance

King Air B200 aircraft are the most popular twin engine in the world, and are also a great choice for certain noise sensitive airports. 

  • The King Air 200 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-41 turboprop engines, each with 850 shp. This is a significant increase for the Model 90 (550 SHP) and the Model 100 (715 SHP). The more powerful engines also lend the King Air 200 to operate at a higher altitude on average.  
  • The aircraft features a noise-reduced cabin, contributing to passenger comfort, and is impressively stable due to its T-shaped horizontal stabilizer. 
  • The King Air 200 has a range increase due to larger fuel tanks. The King Air 200 can fly on average about 300-400 miles further than the Model 90, with more passengers, and more cargo. 
  • The B200GT was introduced in 2007, with a new model of PT6 engine developed specifically for it by Pratt & Whitney Canada.

Avionics and Electronics

Newer aircraft offer cutting-edge touchscreen avionics technology, greater passenger comfort, and enhanced payload options. Most of them are equipped with Rockwell Collins Proline avionics, although this is not universal since all operators can request different avionics. 

Additionally, some Beechcraft King Air 200 operators have upgraded their avionics suites on their fleets to use the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics system, offering advanced features such as electronic flight instrument system (EFIS), autopilot, and reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) requirements. 

The beauty of owning and operating King Airs is that with so many samples available, there are lots of options to upgrade them and more than enough service centers to handle the work globally. 

Safety and Maintenance

The King Air 200 has a strong safety record, with numerous modifications and upgrades available to improve safety and performance. In fact, it is one of the safest overall aircraft in the world. The total King Air fleet has logged over 40 million flight hours, from executive transport to special mission operations. Beechcraft developed the Super King Air series to do better on fuel than a jet with excellent range, have a robust landing gear for short field and austere field operations, and a max speed that still put it in the same ballpark as some light jets.

The aircraft is operated by various government agencies, including the United States Army, Botswana Defense Force Air Wing, Chilean Air Force, Algerian Air Force, and Venezuelan Air Force. The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia (RFDS) operates 34 King Air B200/B200Cs, and again, the U.S. DoD operates several hundred of which we are parts and services procurement experts 

Twin turboprop engines not only increase thrust and short field performance, but are a major safety factor. This isn’t to say that you can’t have problems with twin engine aircraft; fuel starvation has been a problem with King Airs, although much of the time this ends up being human error. 

Overall, though, the King Air B200 family have been exceptionally reliable and robust aircraft with an excellent track record of operational performance. 

Model 200 military variants

Over the course of the program, there have been many variants of the C-12 Huron. You would expect this for any airplane that has spent nearly fifty years in continuous service; there have been huge advances in powerplant technology, especially avionics technology since it was introduced. 

UC-12B

One of the first and more significant variants of the C-12 is the Navy and Marine Corps UC-12B. This was the first Huron with a cargo door adapted to the airframe. The cargo door is 52”x52”, which is the size necessary to accommodate a standard military air cargo pallet. High-value and time-sensitive cargo can be loaded on the UC-12B quickly, and since it can operate from small airstrips with limited services, it can provide cargo support to many austere places in the world. 

C-12D

Still one of the most common Huron in circulation, the Delta model is based on the King Air A200CT, powered by the PT6A-41 or -42 engines which produce 850 shp per side. The Delta was the first Army variant to be equipped with a cargo door, like the UC-12B. The seats can be easily removed, and a roller kit is installed to quickly transport priority cargo anywhere in the world. With a 2,000 nm range, the Huron can quickly get critical cargo to most places quite fast. 

‍Special Military Variants 

Since the C-12 Huron is such an adaptable airframe that has proven to be rugged and performs well in all environments, it was a natural selection to be used for special missions. The RC-12 Guardrail is probably the best known and has been the backbone of the Army’s aerial ISR fleet for about forty years. The Air Force operates an ISR version of the C-12 as well, which is the MC-12 Liberty. This is derived from the larger King Air 350 family of aircraft. Most of the MC-12s are 350ERs, which provides a much longer loiter time for the MC-12 to stay on location for long durations. 

Does a King Air 200 require two pilots?

Technically speaking, no, the Beechcraft King Air B200 is certified for single-pilot operations. Practically speaking, though, very few operators practice this. The DoD specifically does not approve this practice and their C-12/UC-12/RC-12/MC-12 fleets always operate with two pilots. 

How big is the cabin on a King Air 200?

This depends on the maximum configuration seating, or if it is flown as a cargo aircraft. The Beechcraft King Air 200 has a cabin that measures 16.7 feet long by 4.5 feet wide by 4.8 feet tall, giving it a total cabin volume of 356 cubic feet, giving ample cabin width for passengers or even as an air ambulance. 

Operational Capabilities

The King Air B200 family of aircraft have carved out a niche for themselves that will be practically impossible to replace. From intermediate and advanced trainers in the military (the T-44 was a Model 90 but it served for decades, and the T-54, a B260, will operate for decades). 

  • The King Air 200 is operated by non-governmental organizations, such as Ambulance Victoria of Austria and the United Kingdom’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
  • The aircraft has been used for aerial surveying and reconnaissance, with the Model 200T variant.
  • The King Air 200 can travel to more airports than major carriers, making it a great choice for both personal and professional travel. It can use runways as short as 2,000’ and can even operate on dirt or gravel runways, something that basically no jet can do. 

Modifications and Upgrades

Numerous aftermarket modifications and upgrades are available for 200 and 300 Series King Airs. Some of the most popular upgrades are propellers, which have come lightyears in terms of smooth operation and quietness. 

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Of course, the other major update that many business-class aircraft routinely receive are avionics suite upgrades, which the King Air 200 is a great candidate for. The King Air can operate just about anywhere in the world, and a common cockpit layout allows for common upgrade packages, saving you time and money. 

Beechcraft King Air B200 Sustainment With Greenwood Aerospace

The C-12 has proven itself to be a rugged, reliable aircraft, but there will inevitably be times when parts need to be replaced or maintenance is required. A robust supply of quality aircraft parts and accessories is essential for keeping your C-12 Hurons in the air. At Greenwood Aerospace, we work with many different parts suppliers to ensure an uninterrupted supply chain for quality OEM C-12 parts.

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As well as our reliable parts procurement channels and aircraft sustainment services, we offer: 

The Greenwood Advantage

No matter what branch of service, or if you are a federal agency operating King Airs if your mission involves King Air aircraft, we are your #1 procurement professional for parts. Also, we provide MIL-SPEC packing and can even warehouse your parts, so you don’t have to worry about it. 

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‍ Give us a call to talk specifics, or start a quote today!

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