Airplanes Blog - Airplanes

New Beechcraft King Air 350i is Most Advanced Turboprop

The Hawker Beechcraft Corporation has long been the most successful turboprop family on the market. It seems that officials have no intention of letting their great reputation slide – they have just announced the arrival of Beechraft’s most technically advanced aircraft turboprop, the Beechcraft King Air 350i.

The brand new King Air 350i has set new standards for turboprop aircraft. The aircraft has not only raised the bar regarding technology, but has also improved cabin luxury, aircraft flexibility and entertainment. All these features make the King Air 350i the most appealing choice currently available to business travellers looking for ways to reduce their frequent flyer miles by owning an aircraft. What’s more, the aircraft is also greener – it delivers unmatched fuel efficiency and is also the aircraft with the lowest operating cost per seat mile. This great new aircraft was launched at the 2008 National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Annual Meeting and Convention. The convention took place in Orlando, Florida.

So exactly what sort of improvements can you expect to enjoy when you fly in a King Air 350i? The Rockwell Collins Venue™ integrated Cabin Management System provides passengers with the most advanced infotainment system currently available. Not only is the system fitted with video screens, it also has iPod connectivity, a DVD, CD, MP3 player, Sony Playstation and Xbox 3 gaming consols, a laptop computer and many other features. The cabin has been redesigned to give it a more spacious and luxurious feel – one that is usually synonymous with much more expensive aircraft. The unique design of the Beechraft FlexCabin™ can also be easily reconfigured for dramatic flexibility. The aft club components can be mix-and-matched to the owner’s desires, while optional ottomans can be made to face forward or aft. The seat rearrangement is relatively easy and can be done to suit the traveller’s needs for that specific day. The King Air 350i has an exclusive multi-step “noise reduction process” that lowers the sound emitted by the aircraft by 4dBA. This means your ride is much quieter and more enjoyable. With features like this you scarcely need to mention the fact that the aircraft continues to carry the features that have put it in the lead up to this point. The new King Air 350i is undoubtedly the best ‘go anywhere, do anything’ business aircraft in the world!

First Fuel Cell Powered Flight

Up until now aircraft making use of fuel cells have not been powered exclusively by this power source. But that all changed on the September 30, 2008, at the Stuttgart airport where the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) presented their very first exclusively fuel-cell powered aircraft.

Pre-Historic Inspiration

Who would have thought that an ancient creature that once soared through the skies approximately two hundred and twenty million years ago would be able to influence the future? The natural features that made Pterodactyls the stealthy flying predators of the earth are the inspiration behind the creation of an aircraft that is beyond imagination. The Pterodactyl might not be around to compare the new aircraft to, but if their legendary abilities are anything to go by, the futuristic aircraft will most certainly be turning heads.