King Air C90B

The Beechcraft King Air C90B is a twin‑engine turboprop that entered service in 1974 as part of the highly successful King Air family. Developed from the earlier Model 90 series, the C90B incorporated a more powerful Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A‑21 engine delivering 550 shaft horsepower, which gave the aircraft a cruise speed of roughly 285 knots and a range of 1,200 nautical miles. Its pressurized cabin, capable of seating up to eight passengers or a mixed crew‑passenger configuration, offered a comfortable, low‑altitude alternative to jets for corporate, medical‑evacuation, and special‑mission operators. Robust landing gear, a high‑wing design and excellent short‑field performance made the C90B suitable for operations from rugged, unpaved airstrips, a factor that contributed to its widespread adoption by government agencies and regional carriers worldwide. Over the decades the aircraft’s reliability, relatively low operating costs and straightforward maintenance have cemented its reputation as a workhorse of general aviation. The King Air C90B helped establish the turboprop as a viable bridge between piston‑engine trainers and high‑speed jets, influencing the design of subsequent models such as the King Air 200 and 300 series.

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