Beechcraft King Air 350i & 350ER Get Situational Awareness & Navigation Upgrades

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Beechcraft King Air 350i and 350ER aircraft will now come standard with iTAWS (integrated Terrain Awareness and Warning System). (Photo courtesy of Textron Aviation.)

At the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE 2018) in late May, Textron Aviation announced additions to its twin-engine Beechcraft King Air 350i and 350ER that will bring better navigation, more accurate storm information, and increased situational awareness to pilots. Chief among them is that the iTAWS (integrated Terrain Awareness and Warning System) will now come standard on the aircraft via integration with the Rockwell Collins-produced Pro Line Fusion avionics system’s high-resolution SVS (Synthetic Vision System).

iTWAS provides aural and visual warnings to the primary flight display and multifunction displays; Textron says it will replace the standalone TAWS line-replaceable unit and all the wiring and complexity that goes with it.

But Wait, There’s More

Also now standard with the King Air 350i business and special mission turboprop aircraft is multi-scan radar with turbulence-detection ability that automatically spots short, mid, and long-range weather. In addition, Textron is adding an optional feature to enable uploads of wireless chart and flight plans from an iPad using the Rockwell Collins ARINCDirect app. This feature also enables the avionics to wirelessly receive and upload v-speeds.

All new Beechcraft King Air turboprops include Pro Line Fusion flight decks, and Textron Aviation says the King Air 250 will receive the new features eventually. Rob Scholl, Textron Aviation senior vice president of sales and marketing, says, “Integration of the latest technology and comfort throughout the cockpit and cabin have made the Pro Line Fusion-equipped King Air 350i a success since it achieved certification and entered service in late 2015.”

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Beechcraft’s King Air 350i and 350ER implement iTAWS via their Pro Line Fusion avionics system’s high-resolution SVS (Synthetic Visions System). (Photo courtesy of Textron Aviation.)

Changing How Operators Fly

Textron Aviation says the Pro Line Fusion is “one of the most trusted avionics architectures,” and says its inclusion in King Air planes unites it with “the first full touch-screen flight display system.” The avionics system’s “one-of-a-kind intuitive flight deck interface” features three interchangeable 14-inch HD, touch-controlled displays that Textron says change how operators fly.

The company notes that pilot training for Pro Line Fusion-enabled King Air aircraft is available at the TRU Simulation + Training ProFlight training center near Tampa, Florida. TRU also offers aircraft maintenance training for King Air craft in Wichita where Textron Aviation is headquartered.

In addition to King Air, Textron Aviation also produces Cessna-branded aircraft and owns the Hawker brand. If you’re in the market for Beechcraft, Cessna, or Hawker aircraft, you’ll find numerous new and pre-owned models for sale on Controller.com.

Source: Textron Aviation

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