Beechcraft King Air 90

The Beechcraft King Air 90 is the smallest member of the King Air family: two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprops and a pressurised cabin, built in many versions from the C90 to the C90GTx. Textron Aviation still supports the fleet, and in Europe some of these aircraft fly charter as air taxis under an operator's AOC.

Cabin: club seats, a low ceiling and a toilet that depends on the version

The cross-section is almost square with rounded corners: 1.45 m high and 1.37 m wide, with a cabin about 3.84 m long. In the King Air 90 you walk bent forward, but once seated there is enough room for legs and shoulders. The pressurised cabin lets the aircraft climb above most of the cloud, which many piston twins of this size cannot do.

The usual charter layout:

• four club seats with folding tables and one or two more further back
• seats that slide and recline, but no bed
• no galley and no cabin crew, cold catering loaded before departure

Engines and propellers are louder than in a jet; from the C90B, four-blade propellers with synchrophasing reduce noise and vibration. Internet depends on the aircraft, and many have none.

Baggage, skis and pets

The baggage area sits at the back of the pressurised cabin, so it is heated and reachable in flight. With four people it takes about four medium suitcases and a few soft bags. Skis and golf bags have to be announced in advance, as the layout and the number of free seats decide whether they fit.

A dog or cat flies in the cabin next to its owner once the operator has agreed. It needs a microchip, a rabies vaccination given at least 21 days before travel and an EU pet passport; the UK, Ireland, Malta, Finland and Norway also require tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before entry.

Versions, short runways and the weather

Versions you will meet in charter, all with almost the same cabin:

• C90A and C90B with PT6A-21 engines; the C90B added four-blade propellers
• C90GT with PT6A-135A engines flat-rated to 550 hp, for a better climb and cruise
• C90GTi with a Collins Pro Line 21 cockpit, and the final C90GTx with winglets and a maximum take-off weight of 4,756 kg (the specifications quoted are for this version)
• E90 and F90, rarer versions with more powerful engines, the F90 with a T-tail

In C90GTx form the King Air 90 cruises at about 504 km/h (272 knots) and climbs to 9,144 m. Beechcraft quotes 2,334 km with a light load; with a full cabin and IFR reserves about 1,450 km remains. Flying lower than a jet, the crew more often has to go around summer thunderstorms.

At maximum weight and sea level the take-off to 15 m height needs 605 m and the landing from that height 640 m. Operators add safety margins for commercial flights, but the aircraft still reaches airfields that many jets cannot use:

Two engines under European rules

EU rules let single-engine turboprops carry paying passengers at night or in cloud only when the operator holds a SET-IMC approval. With two engines the King Air 90 is outside this rule, so an evening return from Samedan in December does not depend on such an approval. Heavy icing or a line of storms can still delay the flight.

• Crew: the type is certified for one pilot, and some operators send two; tell us if you want a two-pilot crew
• Domestic legs: Madrid - Ibiza or Vienna - Salzburg need an EU operator, London - Edinburgh a UK one
• Borders: no passport control within Schengen, but the operator needs passport or ID details; EU citizens flying to the UK need an ETA

King Air 90 routes from European hubs

Thirty one-way legs from all thirteen hubs, each flown by the King Air 90 without a fuel stop with a typical load, from Zurich - Sion at 166 km to London - Cannes at 1,036 km. Prices are for the whole aircraft with crew, before airport fees and passenger taxes. Flight time is based on the great-circle distance plus taxi, climb and approach.

Up to two hours: where the small King Air pays off

Two to three hours: non-stop, but slower than a jet

The calculator gives an indicative price for the King Air 90 or another class of aircraft on your own route, including smaller airfields with turbine fuel and customs.

King Air 90 charter price

The hourly rate starts at EUR 2,000 for the whole aircraft with crew and fuel. A short leg still costs more than that rate multiplied by its time: taxi, climb and approach take the same minutes on any flight, and the operator adds positioning and a minimum charge. Zurich - Sion lasts 0:52 h and costs from EUR 5,500.

On longer legs the total gets closer to the rate. Milan Linate - Olbia (1:37 h) costs from EUR 7,000, London - Geneva (2:10 h) from EUR 8,500 and London - Cannes (2:48 h) from EUR 9,500, one way. You pay for the King Air 90, not per seat, so with four on board each person pays much less than with two.

Split between the passengers, Paris Le Bourget - Chambéry comes to:

Paying less on short legs

Shared flights are hardly ever offered on this type, so we do not promise them.

Empty Legs: occasional, mostly in summer

Empty King Air 90 legs come up now and then, mostly in summer on short legs to Sardinia, Corsica and Croatia. With few aircraft in European charter they are hard to plan around; discounts of 30-60% are examples, not guaranteed.

Larger King Air, PC-12 or a small jet

Clients usually compare this type with the larger King Air, a single-engine turboprop at a similar price and a very light jet.

How to book

To find a King Air 90 we need:

• route, date and time, and the small airfield if you prefer one
• the number of passengers and bags, with skis, golf bags or pets
• wishes such as an enclosed toilet or two pilots

We always try to find a King Air 90 close to your departure, but each case depends on the operator's availability and contract. Every offer names the operator, the version and the year of the aircraft.

Questions about the Beechcraft King Air 90

• • How much does a King Air 90 flight cost?

  • From EUR 2,000 per flight hour. According to the table, Nice - Calvi costs from EUR 6,000, Madrid - Ibiza from EUR 7,000 and London - Geneva from EUR 8,500 for the whole aircraft one way, before airport fees and passenger taxes.

• • What does the price consist of?

  • Flight time with fuel and crew, positioning, airport and handling fees, passenger taxes, catering, winter de-icing and the crew's hotel if the aircraft waits for a return.

• • How can I fly it more cheaply?

  • Return on the same day where possible, choose an airport where an operator keeps a King Air 90 and stay flexible on the time. A King Air 200 or a PC-12 is worth asking about as well.

• • Are there Empty Legs on the King Air 90?

  • Now and then, mostly in summer on short legs to Sardinia, Corsica and Croatia. Discounts of 30-60% are examples, and the leg can be cancelled if the aircraft gets a full charter.

• • How many people fit in a King Air 90?

  • Usually six seats, and Beechcraft allows up to seven passengers with one pilot. Three or four people travel most comfortably, which is also what the weight allows with full tanks and light bags.

• • Is there a toilet on board?

  • On the C90GTx a rear toilet was standard. On older aircraft it depends on the equipment, so for longer legs we choose one with a toilet and have the operator confirm it.

• • How far can it fly without a stop?

  • Up to 2,334 km for the C90GTx with a light load, about 1,450 km with a full cabin. The longest leg in the table is London - Cannes (2:48 h); with six people and heavy bags even that may need a stop in a headwind.

• • How much baggage and how many skis fit?

  • The 1.36 m³ area behind the seats takes up to 159 kg, about four medium suitcases and some soft bags for four people. Skis and golf bags fit when seats are free, so give their number with the request.

• • Can I bring my dog?

  • Usually yes, in the cabin next to you once the operator has agreed. Give the breed, weight and carrier size, and bring the EU pet passport with a valid rabies vaccination.

• • Can it use small airfields such as La Môle or Courchevel?

  • La Môle near Saint-Tropez, Cannes-Mandelieu and Samedan are all in the table, with a crew trained for the airfield and, on hot days, a possible load limit. The Courchevel altiport is too short for the type, so the aircraft lands at Chambéry.