With the price of fuel, the aviation world has renewed its love affair with the turboprop and the ultimate celebration of the breed is scheduled for next week in Scottsdale, Ariz. The Turboprop Expo starts Oct. 30 and features a jammed agenda of technical seminars, the inevitable political discussions and social events. There will also be a glimpse of the efforts to restore the granddaddy of turboprop success stories by the King Air Foundation.
The foundation is currently restoring the first King Air (originally designated the LJ-1) to its fresh-from-the-factory condition and when its complete the aircraft will be used to flown to air shows, corporate events, aviation schools and flying clubs to raise money for charities such as the Christopher Reeve Paralysis, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Progeria Research Foundation. In 2014, on its 50th birthday, it will be donated to a museum.
