Beechcraft has celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first King Air flight with several three-ship flyovers of Beech Field in Wichita, Kansas, yesterday.
The flyovers, which included three King Airs: C90GTx, 250 and 350i, marked 50 years since the maiden flight of the first conforming Model 90 prototype on 20 January 1964.
“The significance of that first flight 50 years ago cannot be overstated, nor can the work of Beechcrafters over the past five decades to turn that one model into the legendary King Air brand,” said Bill Boisture, CEO of Beechcraft.
“The King Air captures more than 50% of the worldwide business turbo-prop market each year because we’ve continued to innovate and build upon its foundation with the latest advancements in technology, durability, utility and comfort. Today’s celebration launches a year-long commemoration of the King Air legacy that began in earnest with the first flight of that first prototype.”
Company pilots flew the first official flight of the conforming prototype as housands of spectators including employees, Wichita residents and local and state dignitaries watched.
The flight from Beech Field began an FAA-approved accelerated flight test program. With five aircraft in the test program, the King Air received type certification from the FAA four months later on 27 May. First customer deliveries began in July.
Since then, over 7000 King Airs have been built, with the world-wide fleet accumulating over 60 million flight hours.