Beechcraft Secures EASA Approval for Fusion King Airs

The European Aviation Safety Agency approved Beechcraft’s new Pro Line Fusion-equipped Beechcraft King Air 350i/ER and 250 turboprop.

“We’re looking forward to getting the upgraded King Air 350i/ER and 250 into the European marketplace, where owners/operators have responded enthusiastically to the investments we’ve made in bringing the latest technology, safety and comfort to the cockpit and cabin,” said Kriya Shortt, senior v-p, sales and marketing. The company, which noted that Europe has remained a strong marketplace for its King Air lines, originally announced the upgrades during last May’s European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE).

First certified by the U.S. FAA on the King Air 250 in July with the 350i/ER following in November, the newly equipped twin turboprops include a full touchscreen display system and enhancements in the cabin. The new flight deck includes three interchangeable 14-inch displays with integrated touchscreen checklists, graphical touchscreen flight planning, high-resolution synthetic vision system, multi-sensor flight management system, access to automatic wireless database and chart uploads and a open architecture for future upgrades. In addition to the avionics, Wi-Fi is now standard on the King Air 350i/ER and 250, as are electronically dimmable window shades.

U.S. certification on the King Air C90Tx is anticipated this year.

Beechcraft affiliate company TRU Simulation + Training is offering training for the Pro Line Fusion King Airs at its new ProFlight training center near Tampa, Fla., and maintenance training models will be available at the Wichita facility.