King Air 360 celebrates 100th delivery

Textron has surpassed a major milestone with the 100th delivery of the Beechcraft King Air 360, solidifying the turboprop as one of the world's most popular family of business turboprop aircraft. The 100th aircraft was delivered to Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center, a longtime Textron customer. CBCC leads in global cancer care through cutting-edge clinical trials which have led to drug developments in cancer care. The organization has spent decades working with the UCLA TRIO Network and provides patients with access to new clinical trials. Many of the clinical trials have changed the way cancer therapy is provided. The CBCC Clinical Research Organisation provides patients access to these trials all over the world. "The addition of this aircraft will be a game changer for us in terms of productivity," CBCC Medical Director Dr. Ravi Patel said. "We are excited about the increased capability the King Air 360 will give us to globally expand our cancer care delivery and research." Since 1964, nearly 7,800 Beechcraft King Air turboprops have been delivered globally. The Beechcraft King Air is the best-selling business turboprop family and the worldwide fleet has reached more than 62 million flight hours in its nearly 60 years of flight. The turboprop family has served all branches of the U.S. military and has flown both commercial and special mission roles around the world. The King Air 360 cockpit features the Innovative Solutions andamp; Support ThrustSense Autothrottle, supporting pilots in their missions of delivering passengers or cargo through automated management of engine power through all phases of flight. Another important update in the King Air 360 cockpit is the addition of a new digital pressurization controller to automatically schedule cabin pressurization during climb and descent, thereby reducing pilot workload and increasing passenger comfort. "We take pride in providing aircraft solutions for our customers with the latest in aviation technology," said Lannie O'Bannion, senior vice president of global sales and flight operations. "The King Air 360's updated airframe, avionics and interior provide our passengers with a comfortable and reliable flight experience. The King Air family of aircraft is renowned for its versatility and reliability, and this 100th delivery of the 360 is an exciting milestone in the continued success of a legendary product."