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Hawker Beechcraft Corporation Goes Hi-Tech, Hi-Def with New Beechcraft King Air 350i

Written by thomas · Filed Under Aeronautics News 

October 9, 2008

thomas

The world’s most legendary turboprop is now the world’s most advanced

ORLANDO, Fla. (Oct. 5, 2008) – Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC) today announced the new Beechcraft King Air 350i – a dramatic technological leap forward for what is the most successful turboprop family of all time. The new King Air 350i sets all-new standards in cabin luxury, entertainment and flexibility and is now the greenest choice available to business travelers. The new King Air 350i delivers unmatched fuel efficiency and the lowest operating cost per seat mile making it the greenest business aircraft available today. The King Air 350i was launched at the 2008 National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Annual Meeting and Convention in Orlando.

The new Beechcraft King Air 350i highlights four key areas of interior upgrades:
·            The Most Advanced Infotainment System in the Business – Rockwell Collins Venue™ integrated Cabin Management System (CMS) featuring video screens, iPod connectivity and much, much more
·            Category-Busting Cabin – Re-designed with an emphasis on luxury, passengers will think they have stepped into an aircraft costing many millions more
·            A New Standard of Quiet – An exclusive multi-step noise reduction process drops sound levels by 4 dBA making the King Air 350i quieter than many competitive jets
·            Revolutionary new Beechcraft FlexCabinTM capability – a whole new way of reconfiguring the cabin, dramatically increasing mission flexibility.

“The new King Air 350i completely transcends typical market segmentation. It will continue to provide the full fuel, full seats, full baggage capability the King Air 350 has always been known for, and now will incorporate a totally new interior that is unmatched by any turbine business aircraft in its price range – jet or turboprop,” said Jim Schuster, chairman and CEO of Hawker Beechcraft. “Utilizing a platform that is already one of the most efficient and environmentally-friendly in our industry to create an aircraft that beats the competition in both cabin system technology and mission flexibility further solidifies our company’s global leadership in business aviation.”

The King Air 350i will be the first turboprop aircraft on the market to sport the new Rockwell Collins Venue™ cabin management system. The system supports multiple Personal Entertainment Devices (PEDs), including DVD, CD and MP3 player, Apple iPod®, Sony PlayStation and Xbox 360 gaming consoles, laptop computer, digital and video camera, USB data-storage devices and future HDMI devices.

“The focus with the King Air 350i was integrating cabin functionality and flexibility into an aircraft that has unmatched mission flexibility. The King Air 350i is without a doubt the world’s best ’go anywhere, do anything’ business aircraft,” said Brad Hatt, HBC president, Commercial Sales. “And now it also has the most advanced cabin management system available of any aircraft near its price point.”

The new CMS system features a 15.3-inch swing-out monitor in the forward entertainment cabinet with wide-screen display showing digital hi-definition video and entertainment. High-definition screens at each seat location can be added. Nine programmable switch panels control the Blu-ray disk, CD and MP3 Player, audio and video jukebox, 3-D Airshow moving map and flight information. Cabinets are also equipped with standard USB charging ports and docking station for travelers’ Blackberry, cell phone, camera and iPod.

In addition to enhancements in the cabin management system, Beechcraft King Air’s trademark flexibility has now been stretched even further. The King Air 350i’s new state-of-the-art interior features Beechcraft FlexCabin capability, enabling the owner to mix-and-match or remove aft club components including optional ottomans for either aft facing or forward facing seats. In the end the entire aft club seating area can be reconfigured to meet the specific needs of travelers’ mission that day.

The King Air 350i’s ultra-modern cabin is also an entirely new design that compliments the advanced flexibility and new technology debuting in the aircraft. The sleek interior design was modeled after the Premier IA, which has been extremely well-received in the market and spotlights the unparalleled cabin capabilities at its price point. The updated interior includes all-new headliner, seat tailoring and tables, electrochromic window darkeners, LED lighting, increased legroom, and optional seat warmers. In addition, the King Air 350i includes an optional vanity in the aft lavatory area that incorporates a variety of toiletry storage areas, running water, automatic LED lighting and dual mirrors, and is located next to the King Air 350i’s in-flight accessible baggage area for total passenger privacy and convenience.

In addition to advanced interior capabilities, the King Air 350i is now the quietest King Air ever. Cabin sound levels have been greatly reduced to an average of 78 dBA, equal to or better than competitive business jets.

First flight of the King Air 350i is scheduled for October 2008 with FAA Certification planned for Q3 2009. The first delivery will take place Q4 2009, and European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) certification is expected in Q1 2010.

Hawker Beechcraft Corporation is a world-leading manufacturer of business, special-mission and trainer aircraft – designing, marketing and supporting aviation products and services for businesses, governments and individuals worldwide. The company’s headquarters and major facilities are located in Wichita, Kan., with operations in Salina, Kan.; Little Rock, Ark.; Chester, England, U.K.; and Chihuahua, Mexico. The company leads the industry with a global network of more than 100 factory-owned and authorized service centers. For more information, visit www.hawkerbeechcraft.com.

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