King Air 260 Certified

Textron Aviation’s latest turboprop has received FAA certification. The Beechcraft King Air 260, announced late last year, has been approved, while the company has quietly discontinued the smaller C90 series King Airs after declining sales. As previously announced, the 260 features upgrades including the Innovative Solutions & Support (IS&S) ThrustSense autothrottle, a new digital pressurization controller and an updated Collins Multi-Scan RTA-4112 weather radar.

“The continual conversations we have with our customers play an integral role in the decisions we make about the design of new aircraft, as well as enhancements to our existing fleet,” said Chris Hearne, senior vice president, Engineering and Programs. “With the King Air 260, we utilized that valuable feedback and truly elevated the flying experience for both pilots and passengers. And now, with certification complete, we are looking forward to getting the King Air 260 into the hands of so many eager customers.”

According to Textron Aviation, the new King Air 260 “combines the platform’s rich history of rugged reliability and versatility with state-of-the-art upgrades and next-generation capability, offering a greater ease of flying.” The nine-passenger twin cruises at 310 knots with a range of 1,720 NM.

The C90 GTx will no longer be produced, nor will the Cessna Citation Sovereign+, Textron confirmed this week. The C90 was the King Air with the closest roots to the original turboprop twin of the early 1960s, itself derived from the piston-engine Queen Air.