
Textron Aviation Celebrates 60 Years of King Airs
More than 7,700 of the turboprop twins have been delivered worldwide, with the fleet surpassing 64 million flight hours.
Textron Aviation celebrated 60 years of Beechcraft King Airs at the recent Sun ’n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida. The Wichita-based aircraft manufacturer displayed its flagship King Air 360 along with a Cessna Skyhawk, Turbo Skylane, Turbo Stationair, Caravan, and Citation M2 Gen 2 during the six-day show, which closed on April 14.
The first King Air 90 prototype took to the skies on Jan. 24, 1964, followed by a short 10-month flight test schedule which concluded with service entry that October. That was followed by the derivative King Air 100, 200, and 300 series. King Air 90-series turboprop twins were in continuous production from 1964 until 2021. Textron Aviation still produces the larger King Air 260 and 360.
According to the company, King Airs “excel in a multitude of scenarios, whether it's taking off from rugged dirt runways, accessing remote and challenging locations across the globe, supporting philanthropic missions, or embarking on extraordinary journeys.”
More than 7,700 of the turboprop twins have been delivered worldwide, with the fleet surpassing 64 million flight hours.