I would note that the Meridian has a great - and very affordable - maintenance schedule. Definitely an appeal of the plane and its one engine.

Is this PLM phenomenon in the King Air unique to King Air, or is it a PT6 thing that happens to be installed on a lot of King Airs?

The Meridian would default to the annual inspection rules under 91.409 being a single engine airplane. Does Piper publish another inspection program you can select? And if so, can you outline the major parts of the program?

Mike C.

The Meridian would default to the annual inspection rules under 91.409 being a single engine airplane. Does Piper publish another inspection program you can select? And if so, can you outline the major parts of the program?

Mike C.

It’s unique to King Airs, because of the placement of the fuel controllers on a PT-6, the cable going to the RH engine is longer, because it has to go to the outboard side of the motor. The left cable is shorter, the theory is that the left cable has less resistance because it’s shorter so it typically lets the power lever fall back quicker. Unfortunately, the left is the critical engine and since the movement disarms autofeather, you have a big unfeathered prop at the worst possible stage of flight.

As pointed out, it gets worse on the 350 because the engines are further from the centerline and the right engine is producing 1050 shp in the words of Aubie Pearman “you got a big ass 1000 horsepower fan blowing air over the right wing and turning you sideways while it’s doing it”

(I hope I got that quote right, it has been a few years, Boo will correct me if not)

The Meridian would default to the annual inspection rules under 91.409 being a single engine airplane. Does Piper publish another inspection program you can select? And if so, can you outline the major parts of the program?

Mike C.

It sounds like I am dogging the King Air and I am not, this is an awareness issue. The simple check of those friction locks will stop these accidents from happening. I’m certainly not dogging the 350, it has one of the best safety records of any aircraft ever manufactured, certainly better than any other turboprop including the PC-12.

That is not my recent (over the last two years or so) experience at FSI or CAE.
Good discussions in class concerning PLM.

Having flown and managed both I think it's quite a bit true. The pc12 is for sure cheaper to operate (as long as you don't count the cost of money).

A proline 21 KA is a antique compared to even a /45

Having flown and managed both I think it's quite a bit true. The pc12 is for sure cheaper to operate (as long as you don't count the cost of money).

Is there really that much difference in speed? My M600 is about the same speed as a PC 12 and times when I’ve been in front of, or in trail of a king air 200 typically matching their speed within rounding error. But then the PC12s sometimes seem to be operating a little bit below advertised speed as well. I guess they’re different versions of the 200/250 with different engines and modifications.

Any King Air 200 series newer than 2008 is a 300kt airplane, King Air 350 is about 295.

You can still find some older 200 / B200's that haven't been upgraded with Blackhawk engines that are only 270 - 275 kts.

So, what does it cost to maintain a KA200? Not at Textron, but at smaller guru shops? I know it all depends on what overhauls are due, but if you average it all together, approximately what does a 200 cost to maintain for 150-200 hours per year?

For a frame of reference in what I'm including, my Meridian is about $30K per year at PA46 guru shops. $10K for inspections, $3K for ICA's and miscellaneous SB's, $10K for squawks and $7K for overhauls (prop, FCU, generator, windshield, etc. - averaged/amortized), not including the engine, I figure that as a DOC. With that structure in mind, best I've been able to determine a TBM is about $75K per year and I've believe a PC-12 is around that $75K also. What does a 200 average when including the overhauls, etc?

Broad range of maintenance cost on the 200 series since they have been built from 1974 until today. but assuming we are talking 20 years old or less to put them in the same vintage as the above, I would say $50k - $70k a year.

If you take a King Air to a shop known for King Airs, like Stevens here in Nashville, you can probably expect your bill to be $40k or less on most years that you do the Phase 1&2 and then $50k - $70k on the years you do a Phase 3&4, then you have the 5/6 year items such as props and gear.

That's getting you service center level maintenance cheaper than Textron, to my point there are a lot of great King Air shops that are smaller and more economical, which will get you closer to the $50k per year number.