King Air 200 modifications?

[Conquest Driver]

I'm looking at possible King Air 200 modifications.

Firstly a gross weight increase STC. I gather that CenTex is one possibility. Secondly, the Garmin 1000 avionics upgrade.

So if there are any folks from Fast Air or any other operator who might wish to comment, I'm interested. I'm looking for opinions on how you like the modifications, what they cost, what benefits you achieve from them, any warnings or pitfalls, etc.

Thanks in advance

[single_swine_herder]

Contact the Ops Mgr or Chief Pilot at the Saskatchewan Air Ambulance Service in Saskatoon.

They've done both of the mods you've asked about, plus other performance enhancing improvements.

306-933-5255

[orion3]

You can contact Fast Air at 204-982-7240 or their PRM at faprm@flyfastair.com

[FOD_Vacuum]

I am not sure if you have looked into the CanTex (Halo kit) upgrade features, but there is a website that explains all the details and costs. http://www.centex.aero/halo-250
The benefits are small with the costs associated in the upgrade IMO. You would have to operate a good consistent couple of years to break even with the upgrade. $80,000 is the price to essentially legally allow 920 lbs extra fuel or pax. Basically, there is mostly paperwork involved and If you have a spar strap(many king airs already have one), your already structurally set up to take the extra load, just not legally. If I were to fly a King Air with this upgrade, I would take the extra fuel over extra baggage or people, lets be real.

[single_swine_herder]

Its the legal part that makes the mod worthwhile. Obviously, it depends on the stage length of your operations to determine whether the gas or the stuff is the way to go.

[rigpiggy]

I have the limitations from centex, depending on whether shear fitting in wing or not P 4.4 rev 1 7/12/23 your wing life limit is reduced

[Conquest Driver]

Regarding the Gross Weight increase, it doesn't change the Zero Fuel weight, so I see it as an opportunity for more alternates plus some longer flights.

My thanks for all the helpful replies, both public and private. I found them to be useful and constructive.

[turbo-prop]

The one big negative with centex is that they have not done any testing with raisebeck, so you cannot take credit for the raisebeck mods! You must use the centex performance charts, or where there they don't produce charts, then you have to use the POH.

[AWOS]

Stupid question, but if you're under 703 and apply the CanTex kit, does that mean your maintenance has to be carried out in accordance with 704 requirements?

[Conquest Driver]

Question, but if you're under 703 and apply the CanTex kit, does that mean your maintenance has to be carried out in accordance with 704 requirements?

I don't think so. In the U.S "Commuter" aircraft are those certified over 12,500 pounds gross takeoff weight. You need Balanced Field length and so forth.

In Canada the difference between 703 and 704 on the BE20 is determined by the seating configuration.

CAR 703 "a seating configuration, excluding pilot seats, of nine or less".

So, in my opinion, the aircraft remains a 703 aircraft unless you put more than 9 passenger seats into it.

[turbo-prop]

Conquest driver is correct, operating with 9 or less seats allows you to operate 703. As well as exempts you from having to use TOFL, Centex now publishes a takeoff distance chart, so the only time you will need to use the TOFL is for a take-off below 1/2 mile.

[WeatherMaster]

http://www.raisbeck.com/products/kingair/b200gt

[bobcaygeon]

The STC can be applied on a leg by leg basis ie the restrictions only apply when above 12500.
Keep in mind that when above 12500 you are limited to 9 pax by the STC because there is only one emergency exit.
This is because the centex kit is mostly safety equipment required by Part 23 ie above 12,500.

There is only one downside to the G1000..... all those spare avionics and engine gauges you have sitting in stores now will collect dust

[goingnowherefast]

Up-gross kit is $85 000 and allows you to carry 920# more fuel/payload, but still 11000# ZFW. So incredibly useful on long trips, not so much on short trips with big loads where you are limited by ZFW.

I've never flown G1000, but I've heard wonderful things about it. Saves ~300 lbs by removing old fashioned avionics. Much more useful on short trips than the up-gross because it's lowering the empty weight. Also costs $365 000.

May not be able to take credit for the Raisbeck mods on paper with the up-gross, but the plane will physically perform better and give a better safety margin in the real world. Flying out of 5000' paved runways, I wouldn't care, but 3000' strips, I sure would want Raisbeck.

[flyinhigh]

The STC can be applied on a leg by leg basis ie the restrictions only apply when above 12500.

This is actually not correct. Centrex advertises this a capability, however TC will not allow the operator to just flop back and forth. When Fast Air did the conversions we had many discussions with TC local and Ottawa in regards to this.

[single_swine_herder]

The STC can be applied on a leg by leg basis ie the restrictions only apply when above 12500.

This is actually not correct. Centrex advertises this a capability, however TC will not allow the operator to just flop back and forth. When Fast Air did the conversions we had many discussions with TC local and Ottawa in regards to this.

You may be thinking of the discussions of doing a "Flip-Flop" between operating under 704 one leg then 703 the next. Also, that was a Policy Decision, not a regulation. I never saw the problem, but TC HQ believed it was confusing for pilots as to which regs and standards would apply.

[flyinhigh]

No many operators switch from 703 to 704, leg for leg (perimeter comes to mind)

With centex you switch the aircraft from normal category to commuter category. To do this it requires enteries upon other items that only maintenance can do.

The down side of this, is if your are operating a commuter category aircraft in commuter operations, than your aircraft requires 2 over wing exits (be-20 does not).

[co-joe]

Up-gross kit is $85 000 and allows you to carry 920# more fuel/payload, but still 11000# ZFW. ...

That would bump your range up around something crazy like 1500nm! Good gawd who would ever want to spend 6 hours straight in a king air? You could do Inuvik to Great Falls Montana with Calgary as the Alternate. Straight to the chiropractor when you get home.

[Conquest Driver]

Hey, try 9.3 Reykjavik to Goose, single pilot in a 404. Took my spine a week to recover.

However on the subject of BE20 long range, if alternates are few and far between and you only have a few long range high profit flights, then I like the idea.

[flyinhigh]

That would bump your range up around something crazy like 1500nm! Good gawd who would ever want to spend 6 hours straight in a king air?

My personal record thus far is 5.8.

[goingnowherefast]

Picture loading the plane up with 8 pax, couple hundred pounds of bags in the pod or wing lockers. Now your at ZFW of 11,000lbs. That leaves 1500lbs for fuel, which isn't a whole lot. Fly 250nm out, drop off pax, fly 250nm home, alternate 75nm away. You'll be well over 12,500lbs with minimum legal fuel.

[Conquest Driver]

It's 1500 pounds without the mod or 2420 with it. I know which I'd prefer.