Textron Aviation Introduces King Air 260

Textron Aviation unveiled its new Beechcraft King Air 260 twin-engine turboprop at NBAA’s Virtual Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-VBACE) on Wednesday. The latest addition to the King Air 200 series features upgrades including the Innovative Solutions & Support (IS&S) ThrustSense autothrottle, a new digital pressurization controller and the Collins Aerospace Multi-Scan RTA-4112 weather radar. Production is already underway for the nine-passenger turboprop with FAA certification and first deliveries expected in 2021.

“These investments reflect our commitment to providing superior upgrades and engineering innovation that create the best flying experience for Beechcraft King Air 260 owners and operators around the world,” said Textron Aviation CEO Ron Draper. “We place an immense value on our conversations with our customers, and the investments we make in our aircraft are a direct result of listening to their input.”

The King Air 260 offers a top cruise speed of 310 knots, 1720-NM range and useful load of 3760 pounds. It is powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-52 engines and equipped with the Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion flight deck. As previously reported by AVweb, Textron introduced a similarly updated 300-series King Air model—the King Air 360—last August. The 360, along with the longer-range 360ER version, received its FAA type certificate in October.