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wrxpilot · March 20th, 2008, 08:52

I've got about 100 hrs in the C90 and E90. Both are straight forward, nice airplanes to fly.

You will be setting your power with torque. At first it will feel a little weird setting power, as there isn't a direct real seat of the pants feeling compared to a piston (it's very smooth), and there's the spool up time too. You set power with the torque gauges. The engines probably aren't rigged perfectly, so you may have to move the levers around a little bit to keep the torque matched.

Takeoff:
Auto Feather, Auto Ignition, Lights, Strobes, Transponder on, Wx radar on (if applicable, probably not in your case), and bleed valves open (very important!!). Line up on the runway, hold brakes, set and match torques to 600 lb. Release brakes and bring torques up just short of redline (don't go all the way, otherwise the engines will overtorque one you get up in the air). Drag a a very SLIGHT amount of brakes for directional control until you get your speed up. Rotate at 90 kts, positive rate, landing/taxi lights off, gear up. Pitch 7 degrees up for climbout. Set props (2000 RPM in our C90) - be very careful the engines don't over torque when doing this (e.g. don't start pulling the props back with the torques at redline - ever!). Through 1,000 ft AGL, Auto feather off.

Climb:
As you climb, you will have to keep adding torque. Just like a piston engine loses manifold pressure with alt, so does a turbine. You keep adding torque to hold it below redline. Limiting factors are N1 (keep it under 100%) and ITT. You won't have to worry about these limits until you get pretty high up (near the FL200 at the earliest, at least with our Blackhawk conversion). Climbing through 10,000 ft, recognition lights off, check cabin pressurization.

Level off:
Bring the torques back about 150 lb from redline. Bring the props back to 1900 RPM, then you can bring torque just under redline. Make sure it doesn't overtorque as you speed up. The airplane will really start to climb, so you may even want to level off 100 ft below your target alt. Be ready to trim. Our airplane will true out at around 256 kt if we're in the teens. Again, this is with the blackhawk conversion so your's could be different.

Descent:
Set pressurization, pitch the nose down, and bring the power back to 1,200 lbs or so. Usually I'll descend around 1,000 fpm, and will stay a few kts below the barber pole. I'll adjust power as necessary. Watch the torques, as you'll have to pull them back several times during the descent. As with props, the engines start making more power down low. Recognition lights on below 10,000 ft.

Terminal area:
Don't forget about the speed limits in Class C/D airports. Not something you really had to deal with before in the seminole

! When you get around 8-10 mi out, start bringing power back. If the guy lets you, bring it all the way back to 800 lb at first just so that things aren't happening too quickly.

Initial approach:
Approach flaps on downwind or extended base. In our C90 you have to be below 184 kias for appch flaps, which you should be at anyway if you're in the pattern. These airplanes REALLY want to pop up when you put the appch flaps out. If you do not get on top of this immediatly with some fwd trim, you will pop up 100-200 ft easily. So just be ready for that.

Depending upon how I've entered the pattern, I like to put the gear down on downwind abeam my landing spot, or on base. Remember to put the lights on and auto feather arm.

Final:
I like to fly final around 140 kts until I get on short final. Then I start bringing the power back to hold 120, and on short, short final start slowing it up. Across the threshold, power to idle. It'll probably feel a little nose heavy when you bring the power back, so just hold the nose up a little. This plane is very nice to land, so don't worry you'll pick up the sight picture pretty quick. Don't ever bring the power below 400 lbs on final. It will drop like a rock and it takes too long to get the engines spooled back up when they are that low (dangerous!).

Touchdown:
Props forward, power levers up over the gate and back for reverse. You'll be amazed how quickly you slow down (we operate ours in fields less than 3200 feet all the time, with plenty of room to spare).

For an ILS:
When the GS is 2 dots above, appch flaps. When the GS is 1.5 dots above, gear down.

Engine outs:
Don't go all crazy like we were all trained on the pistons. This airplane has PLENTY of power to easily climb high and fast on one engine - even at takeoff. So just fly the plane first and maintain control - then Identify, Verify, and Feather. The shutdown procedure is a little more complicated than a piston, so refer to the checklist.

Miscellaneous:
This airplane needs a lot of trim. It flys great, but you have to use the trim! Also, the props aren't counter-rotating so don't forget your right rudder in the climb, particularly if you're climing out pretty steep. Level turns pretty much don't need any rudder.

Good luck, and try not to be too intimidated. These are AWESOME flying airplanes and very forgiving.

March 20th, 2008, 08:52	#10
wrxpilot Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Somewhere in FL Posts: 331	Re: Need King Air info I've got about 100 hrs in the C90 and E90. Both are straight forward, nice airplanes to fly. You will be setting your power with torque. At first it will feel a little weird setting power, as there isn't a direct real seat of the pants feeling compared to a piston (it's very smooth), and there's the spool up time too. You set power with the torque gauges. The engines probably aren't rigged perfectly, so you may have to move the levers around a little bit to keep the torque matched. Takeoff: Auto Feather, Auto Ignition, Lights, Strobes, Transponder on, Wx radar on (if applicable, probably not in your case), and bleed valves open (very important!!). Line up on the runway, hold brakes, set and match torques to 600 lb. Release brakes and bring torques up just short of redline (don't go all the way, otherwise the engines will overtorque one you get up in the air). Drag a a very SLIGHT amount of brakes for directional control until you get your speed up. Rotate at 90 kts, positive rate, landing/taxi lights off, gear up. Pitch 7 degrees up for climbout. Set props (2000 RPM in our C90) - be very careful the engines don't over torque when doing this (e.g. don't start pulling the props back with the torques at redline - ever!). Through 1,000 ft AGL, Auto feather off. Climb: As you climb, you will have to keep adding torque. Just like a piston engine loses manifold pressure with alt, so does a turbine. You keep adding torque to hold it below redline. Limiting factors are N1 (keep it under 100%) and ITT. You won't have to worry about these limits until you get pretty high up (near the FL200 at the earliest, at least with our Blackhawk conversion). Climbing through 10,000 ft, recognition lights off, check cabin pressurization. Level off: Bring the torques back about 150 lb from redline. Bring the props back to 1900 RPM, then you can bring torque just under redline. Make sure it doesn't overtorque as you speed up. The airplane will really start to climb, so you may even want to level off 100 ft below your target alt. Be ready to trim. Our airplane will true out at around 256 kt if we're in the teens. Again, this is with the blackhawk conversion so your's could be different. Descent: Set pressurization, pitch the nose down, and bring the power back to 1,200 lbs or so. Usually I'll descend around 1,000 fpm, and will stay a few kts below the barber pole. I'll adjust power as necessary. Watch the torques, as you'll have to pull them back several times during the descent. As with props, the engines start making more power down low. Recognition lights on below 10,000 ft. Terminal area: Don't forget about the speed limits in Class C/D airports. Not something you really had to deal with before in the seminole ! When you get around 8-10 mi out, start bringing power back. If the guy lets you, bring it all the way back to 800 lb at first just so that things aren't happening too quickly. Initial approach: Approach flaps on downwind or extended base. In our C90 you have to be below 184 kias for appch flaps, which you should be at anyway if you're in the pattern. These airplanes REALLY want to pop up when you put the appch flaps out. If you do not get on top of this immediatly with some fwd trim, you will pop up 100-200 ft easily. So just be ready for that. Depending upon how I've entered the pattern, I like to put the gear down on downwind abeam my landing spot, or on base. Remember to put the lights on and auto feather arm. Final: I like to fly final around 140 kts until I get on short final. Then I start bringing the power back to hold 120, and on short, short final start slowing it up. Across the threshold, power to idle. It'll probably feel a little nose heavy when you bring the power back, so just hold the nose up a little. This plane is very nice to land, so don't worry you'll pick up the sight picture pretty quick. Don't ever bring the power below 400 lbs on final. It will drop like a rock and it takes too long to get the engines spooled back up when they are that low (dangerous!). Touchdown: Props forward, power levers up over the gate and back for reverse. You'll be amazed how quickly you slow down (we operate ours in fields less than 3200 feet all the time, with plenty of room to spare). For an ILS: When the GS is 2 dots above, appch flaps. When the GS is 1.5 dots above, gear down. Engine outs: Don't go all crazy like we were all trained on the pistons. This airplane has PLENTY of power to easily climb high and fast on one engine - even at takeoff. So just fly the plane first and maintain control - then Identify, Verify, and Feather. The shutdown procedure is a little more complicated than a piston, so refer to the checklist. Miscellaneous: This airplane needs a lot of trim. It flys great, but you have to use the trim! Also, the props aren't counter-rotating so don't forget your right rudder in the climb, particularly if you're climing out pretty steep. Level turns pretty much don't need any rudder. Good luck, and try not to be too intimidated. These are AWESOME flying airplanes and very forgiving.