Textron Aviation’s Beechcraft subsidiary received FAA type certification for its second King Air model, the 350i/ER, to be fitted with the Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion touchscreen avionics suite. Deliveries of Fusion-equipped Beechcraft King Air 350i/ERs are scheduled to begin shortly.
Certification of the King Air 350i follows approval for the Fusion flight deck aboard the King Air 250 last summer. As with the 350i, deliveries of Fusion-equipped King Air 250s are expected to begin by the end of the year. Certification for the C90GTx is expected to follow in the first half of 2016.
The new Fusion avionics, which replace Pro Line 21 systems, include three 14-inch interchangeable, high-resolution displays and touchscreen capability. Other features include high-resolution synthetic vision, full multi-sensor flight management system, presets that will reconfigure all three displays with one touch and availability of automatic wireless database and chart uploads. The system was designed with an open and scalable architecture for future upgrades.
In addition to the cockpit upgrades, the newly certified King Air 350i also has received upgrades to the cabin features, including standard Wi-Fi capability and electronically dimmable window shades.
Textron Aviation and Rockwell Collins announced during the most recent European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition it was making the Pro Line Fusion suite standard on its King Air line, a move that Christi Tannahill, senior vice president for turboprop aircraft and interior design, said was in direct response to customer feedback. “Offering the latest technology in the cockpit and cabin has resulted in great market reaction,” she added.