US Customs orders two additional King Air 350CER aircraft

Textron Aviation announced Tuesday it was awarded a contract for the 26th and 27th Beechcraft King Air 350CER turboprop aircraft for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations (AMO).

The Beechcraft King Air 350CER is designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc.

“These two Multi-role Enforcement Aircraft will join a fleet of King Air 350 turboprops used to safeguard the United States as part of the coordinated application of AMO’s aviation and maritime law enforcement resources,” said Bob Gibbs, vice president, Special Mission Sales. “This represents the third and fourth Beechcraft King Air 350CER ordered for AMO in 2020.”

The agency’s aircraft are equipped with a sophisticated array of technology that can be deployed for ground interdiction operations, air-to-air intercept operations and medium-range maritime patrols, including active and passive sensors and an optimized communications suite.

The Beechcraft King Air 350CER aircraft is an extended range version of the King Air 350i twin-engine turboprop aircraft. Two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A or optional factory installed PT6A-67A turboprop engines with Hartzell four blade propellers power the King Air 350CER aircraft.

Nearly 7,600 Beechcraft King Air turboprops have been delivered to customers around the world since 1964.

Textron delivers King Air 350ER aircraft to Victoria Police

Textron Aviation announced Tuesday it delivered a Beechcraft King Air 350ER aircraft to Australian aviation service company Skytraders, which will operate and maintain the aircraft on behalf of Victoria Police.

The Beechcraft King Air 350ER is designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc.

The King Air 350ER will primarily support Victoria Police Air Wing and its team of Tactical Flight Officers, who lead airborne law enforcement, training, search and rescue, and extended offshore marine safety missions throughout the state of Victoria, Australia.

“By integrating the King Air 350ER into their fleet, Victoria Police Air Wing greatly enhances the capabilities of the professionals who respond to more than 5,000 taskings every year,” said Bob Gibbs, vice president, Special Mission Sales for Textron Aviation.

The custom-configured mission package for Victoria Police includes advanced mission management system, ground moving target indicator object detection, Tactical Flight Officer workstations, tactical radios, satellite communications and a data downlink. The extended range King Air is also fitted with optional factory installed Pratt and Whitney PT6A-67A engines.

Ministry of Health of Greece orders two Beechcraft King Air 350C aircraft

Textron Aviation Inc. was awarded a contract by Sundt Air for two Beechcraft King Air 350C turboprop aircraft to support air ambulance and medevac missions throughout Greece.

The Athens-based aircraft will be owned by the country’s Ministry of Health, with the Hellenic Air Force overseeing maintenance and operation in support of disaster relief, medical rescue, inter-hospital transfer and repatriation to mainland health care services. Medical staff from the National Centers for Emergency Care will administer medical care to patients aboard the aircraft.

The ministry’s King Air 350C aircraft is equipped with a cargo door and a Spectrum Aeromed dual stretcher system, which includes redesigned stretchers to accommodate bariatric patients and incubators raised by electrically powered loading devices. Additionally, medical cabinets, on-board oxygen with overhead lighting and equipment mounts, stowaway tables and adjustable seats provide an easy-to-sanitize, comfortable work environment for the medical staff and passengers.

The King Air 350C aircraft is a version of the King Air 350i twin-engine turboprop aircraft configured  with an optional cargo door, resulting in enhanced mission flexibility. Two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A turboprop engines with Hartzell four-blade propellers power the King Air 350C, and a fully integrated Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion digital avionics suite provides pilot(s) with state-of-the-art touchscreen controls.

US Customs and Border Protection purchase two King Air 350CER aircraft

Textron Aviation Inc. was awarded a contract for two additional Beechcraft King Air 350CER turboprop aircraft for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations. After mission modifications by Sierra Nevada Corp., these two Multi-role Enforcement Aircraft (MEA) aircraft will join a fleet of 23 other King Air 350 aircraft used to safeguard the United States homeland as part of the coordinated application of CBP’s aviation and maritime law enforcement resources.

"These aircraft can fly six-hour missions and can deploy to hot spots where multi-sensor patrols assist both ground and marine agents to detect, interdict and prevent acts of terrorism as well as the unlawful movement of people, illegal drugs and other contraband toward or across the borders of the United States,” said Bob Gibbs, vice president, Special Mission Sales.

The CBP MEA is equipped with a sophisticated array of active and passive sensors, technical collection equipment and satellite communications capabilities that can be deployed for ground interdiction operations, air-to-air intercept operations and medium-range maritime patrols. The aircraft is operated by a crew of four, including two highly trained sensor operators who employ the mission equipment and coordinate the information flow to the ground.

The Beechcraft King Air 350CER aircraft is an extended range version of the King Air 350i twin-engine turboprop aircraft configured with an optional cargo door, resulting in enhanced mission flexibility.  Two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A or optional factory installed PT6A-67A turboprop engines with Hartzell four blade propellers power the King Air 350CER aircraft, and a fully integrated Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion digital avionics suite provides pilot(s) with state-of-the-art touchscreen controls.