Many aircraft owners are entrepreneurial by nature, looking for new opportunities, ideas and efficient ways to deploy capital and maximize their return. This mindset creates new and more affordable ways to fly the open sky without having 150 strangers sitting next to you. A common avenue to making aircraft ownership more affordable is to be…
Helping Friends and Neighbors – King Air pilot among founders of Pilots for Patients
When pilots Wayne Petrus and Philip Thomas flew missions for Angel Flight South Central in the early 2000s, they noticed the tremendous need for flights originating from their home state of Louisiana. Angel Flight was doing an admiral job, but with the organization based in the Dallas metro area, many of their pilots were also…
On the Shoulders of Giants: Building on the Beechcraft and Cessna legacies inspire Textron Aviation leader Ron Draper
Five years ago, Ron Draper became president and chief executive officer of Textron Aviation at the age of 50. Earlier this year, Draper talked to King Air magazine about what he calls his “not normal” career path from farmer to the C-suite, the importance of faith and family in his life and his enthusiastic return…
South Africa-Bound: Taking a B100 to the other side of the world
There aren’t many King Air B100 aircraft in the world. I think it is one of the better King Air models, but others love the mighty 3XX, 2XX and the various 90 models. The little known B100 was designed and built in the mid-1970s when Beechcraft anticipated a Pratt & Whitney employee strike could impact…
Aircraft Purchase Agreements: Devils Lurk in the Details
In a perfect world, the seller or buyer of a used aircraft would hire an experienced aviation attorney to draft a purchase agreement. The other side then negotiates modest revisions and everyone signs. That perfect world rarely exists. I’m frequently asked by fellow owners to review purchase or sales contracts drafted by others, and I’m…
First Impression: WOW! – Flying with Garmin’s Autothrottle and Autoland Systems
Surprised, pleased and honored were the feelings I had when I received a phone call from Garmin’s Senior Business and Commercial Aviation Sales Manager Scott Frye, inviting me to come to their headquarters in Olathe, Kansas. I’d meet with and get briefed about their new Autothrottle and Autoland systems by some of their flight test…
Headed for the Heavies – RCAF uses King Air 350 to economically train its pilots in preparation for flying heavy aircraft
As the four-blade aluminum propellers of the Beechcraft King Air 350 spun to a stop at Alaska’s Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport’s North Terminal, freight handlers stared at the aircraft’s civil lettering and red maple leaf roundels. When the cabin door opened, three men in military flight suits stepped from C-GSYC. As they unloaded training…
Wearing It Well – Master pilot celebrates 25 years of owning his Beechcraft King Air F90
Jim Kirvida proudly reached 25 years of ownership of N911CF, a 1980 Beechcraft King Air F90, earlier this year. The president of Custom Fire Apparatus, Inc. in Osceola, Wisconsin, has previously owned and operated a King Air 200 (BB-843) and a King Air C90A (LJ-1198) as well as two Cessna 425 Conquest twin turboprop aircraft.…
The Making of a Movie Star
Meet the guys who helped prepare the King Air for a starring role in “On a Wing and a Prayer” Photos provided by Doug Scroggins unless specified otherwise The first thing you the reader of King Air magazine should know about the film “On a Wing and a Prayer” is that it was written and…
Oshkosh Diversions: Three itineraries to consider during the annual EAA AirVenture
If you’re planning to fly to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh – which runs July 24-30 this year – we’ve rounded up three suggestions of destinations to explore on your way to or from Wisconsin. Whatever direction you’re traveling, consider diverting to one of these worthy stops. Minneapolis, Minnesota Visitors come to the largest city in a…