By Kate Sarsfield at Farnborough air show
Raytheon Aircraft is targeting certification and first delivery by year-end of the extended-range, special-mission version of its Beechcraft King Air 350 twin turboprop - the 350ER - as its appeal as a corporate aircraft grows.
The 350ER, which was unveiled at last year's Paris air show, has undergone a redesign following a decision by the Wichita-based manufacturer last year to replace the aftermarket nacelle fuel tanks with tailor-made tanks that can carry "significantly" more fuel than the extra 30% promised by the off-the-shelf solution, says John Brauneis, vice-president special missions.
He adds: "We had a choice of certificating the aircraft with an uncertificated tank that eats into the aircraft's centre-of-gravity range and increases its drag, or we could design our own system and get it right."
Brauneis says the company has received substantial interest in the 350ER in not only the special- missions role - fitted with a belly radome and Raytheon surveillance equipment - but also for commercial applications.
The 350ER is already certificated to a maximum take-off weight of 7,480kg (16,500lb), an increase of 680kg over the standard King Air 350, giving an 8h endurance. The new model also has a range of 4,260km (2,300nm), 1,100km more than its lighter stablemate, allowing it to fly non-stop from California to Hawaii. "The 350ER's extra take-off weight is an added benefit for the commercial operators, who can either use it to carry more fuel or more passengers," Brauneis says.
He suggests that, given the choice, customers will always opt for more range. "With the cost of fuel continuing to rise, operators want to fill all three tanks, which will give them enough fuel to complete their operation and refill the aircraft at its original base where the fuel is often cheapest."
Meanwhile, Raytheon is stepping up its marketing efforts in Europe for the corporate version of the 19-seat 1900D twin-turboprop to take advantage of the business aviation boom in the region. The company has sold 15 corporate versions worldwide and only three aircraft in Europe, including a recent sale to a Belgian charter company for delivery in the fourth quarter.
Source: Flight International
