Beechcraft King Air turboprops approved for new IS&S ThrustSense Autothrottle upgrade

WICHITA, Kan. (Aug. 4, 2020) – Textron Aviation today announces special type certification (STC) approval of Innovative Solutions & Support (IS&S) ThrustSense Autothrottle on the Beechcraft King Air 300 series equipped with Pro Line Fusion avionics and new production Beechcraft King Air 360 turboprops. This is in addition to the STC that was received in 2019 for Pro Line 21-equipped Beechcraft King Air 200 series.

Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker customers receive factory-direct support by Textron Aviation, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, through a global network of service and part centers, mobile service units and 24/7 1CALL AOG support.

The autothrottle supports pilots in their critical mission of delivering people or goods safely by automatically managing engine power from the takeoff roll through the climb, cruise, descent, go-around and landing phases of flight. This enhancement reduces pilot workload and supports them in their continuous vigilance to prevent over-speed or under-speed, over-temp and over-torque conditions.

“Thousands of pilots take to the skies daily for a wide range of missions in their Beechcraft King Air turboprops,” said Brian Rohloff, senior vice president, Customer Support. “We’re committed to supporting our customers and operators with the latest technology and avionics upgrade options that offer them maximum support and efficiency.”

Control of the ThrustSense Autothrottle is housed in an easy-to-install flight instrument that provides standby functionality on a high-resolution display. This optimized retrofit design allows installation without any structural modifications to the existing throttle quadrant—enabling seamless implementation and intuitive pilot control.

King Air leadership

Nearly 7,600 Beechcraft King Air turboprops have been delivered to customers around the world since 1964, making it the best-selling business turboprop family in the world. The worldwide fleet has surpassed 62 million flight hours in its 56 years, serving roles in all branches of the U.S. military and flying both commercial and special mission roles around the world.

Images:

King Air 360 cockpit

King Air 360 exterior