Beechcraft 1900

Last updated

Beechcraft 1900
Beech 1900D, Air New Zealand Link (Eagle Airways) JP6920497.jpg
General information
Type Regional airliner, cargo, and corporate aircraft
Manufacturer Beech Aircraft Corporation
Raytheon Aircraft Company [1]
StatusIn service
Primary users Ameriflight
Number built695
History
Manufactured1982–2002
Introduction dateFebruary 1984
First flightSeptember 3, 1982 [2]
Developed from Beechcraft Super King Air

The Beechcraft 1900 is a U.S made twin-engine turboprop regional airliner manufactured by Beechcraft. It is also used as a freight aircraft and corporate transport, and by several governmental and military organizations. With customers favoring larger regional jets, then-owner Raytheon ended production in October 2002. [3]

Contents

Developed from the Beechcraft Super King Air, the aircraft was designed to carry passengers in all weather conditions from airports with relatively short runways. It is capable of flying in excess of 600 miles (970 km), although few operators use its full-fuel range. In terms of the number of aircraft built and its continued use by many passenger airlines and other users, it is one of the most popular 19-passenger airliners in history. [4]

Development

A Continental Connection 1900D ContinentalConnection.jpg
A Continental Connection 1900D

The 1900 is Beechcraft's third regional airliner after the Beechcraft Model 18 and Beechcraft Model 99 Airliner.

The Beechcraft 1900's design lineage began in 1949 with the Beechcraft Model 50 Twin Bonanza, a 5-passenger, reciprocating engine utility aircraft designed for the U.S. Army. A larger passenger cabin was added to the Twin Bonanza's airframe, and called the Model 65 Queen Air. This aircraft was, in turn, further modified by adding turboprop engines and cabin pressurization, and named the Model 90 King Air. A stretched version of the King Air was later developed and designated the Model 200 Super King Air. Beechcraft developed the 1900 directly from the Super King Air, in order to provide a pressurized commuterliner to compete with the Swearingen Metro and the British Aerospace Jetstream. [5]

The 1900 first flew on September 3, 1982, with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification awarded on November 22, 1983, under Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) 41C airworthiness standards. [5] Like the 1900, the 1900C was certified under SFAR 41C, but the later 1900D version was certified to FAR Part 23 "Commuter Category" standards. [6]

The 1900 entered service in February 1984, [5] with the first ExecLiner corporate version delivered in 1985. A total of 695 Beechcraft 1900 aircraft were built, making the airliner the best-selling 19-passenger airliner in history. [4] [lower-alpha 1] In 1991, the price of a 1900D Airliner was $3.95 million. [7] With market trends favoring larger 50- to 90-seat regional jets, Raytheon ended production of the Beechcraft 1900 in October 2002.[ citation needed ] Many airlines continue to fly the 1900.

Design

Beechcraft 1900C N640MW (15289859001) (cropped).jpg
Beechcraft 1900C
The 1900 has single passenger seats either side of an aisle Air New Zealand Beech 1900D cabin.jpg
The 1900 has single passenger seats either side of an aisle

Since the 1900 is derived from the King Air, all 1900s share certain characteristics with that aircraft. Cockpit controls and operations are similar to those of the King Air. The aircraft's noticeable deviations from the King Air comes from its longer fuselage and the presence of "stabilons", which are small horizontal stabilizers at the rear of the fuselage for overcoming T-tail blanking when the aircraft is in higher angles of attack. Additional fins for yaw stability were installed on the tail for 1900Ds, which also feature a taller cabin to allow for a "stand-up cabin" with more walking headspace like conventional airliners. While Federal Aviation Regulations require two pilots for passenger airline operations, the 1900 is designed and certificated for single-pilot operation in corporate or cargo settings, as is the King Air.

The 1900 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop engines. The 1900 and 1900C use two PT6A-65B engines, each flat-rated at 1,100 shaft horsepower (820  kW ). The 1900D uses two PT6A-67D engines, each rated at 1,279 shaft horsepower (954 kW). The propellers are manufactured by Hartzell, with four blades on each propeller. The blades are made from composite materials.

Performance

At FL230, the 1900D cruises at 280 kn (520 km/h) true airspeed while burning 772 lb (350 kg) per hour. [7] Range with 19 passengers for a flight plan with instrument flight rules fuel reserves for a 100 nmi (185 km) alternate airport and 45-minute hold is 680 nmi (1,260 km). [7] It can take off from 3,740 ft (1,140 m) runways at a weight of 16,950 lb (7,690 kg), at sea level and ISA conditions. [7] It can operate on grass and rough runways.

The airplane is certified to fly up to an altitude of 25,000 feet (7,600 m) above mean sea level with its pressurized cabin. [8] It is designed to operate in most weather conditions, including icing conditions, and it is usually equipped with weather radar to help pilots avoid severe weather. [8] The aircraft can be fitted with a lavatory, using space otherwise available for passenger seating and cargo storage. [8]

Variants

1900

The original design is known simply as the Beechcraft 1900. It features two airstair passenger boarding doors: one near the tail of the aircraft much like the smaller King Airs, and a second at the front just behind the cockpit. It has a small cargo door near the tail for access to the baggage compartment, which is behind the passenger compartment. Only three airframes were built, with "UA" serial numbers of UA-1, UA-2, and UA-3. UA-1 and UA-2 are stored at a Beechcraft facility in Wichita, Kansas. UA-3, registered FAB-043, served in Bolivia until it crashed in November 2011. [9]

1900C

Danish Air Transport 1900C Danish Air Transport Beech 1900C.jpg
Danish Air Transport 1900C

It quickly became clear that having two airstair doors on an aircraft holding only 19 passengers was excessive. In creating the 1900C, Beechcraft kept the front airstair, but eliminated the aft airstair door, installing an enlarged cargo door in its place. Other than the redesigned door layout, the early 1900Cs were substantially similar to the original 1900s. These were assigned serial numbers starting with the letters UB. A total of 74 UB version were built, many of which remain in service. [6] Aircraft in the UA and UB series employ a bladder-type fuel tank system in the wings. Later 1900Cs use a wet wing fuel system: entire sections of the wing are sealed off for use as fuel tanks. This design change allowed more fuel to be stored, substantially increasing the 1900C's range. The wet wing 1900Cs were assigned serial numbers beginning with "UC." These aircraft are also referred to as 1900C-1s. The wet wings proved popular, and the UC is the most common version of the low-ceiling 1900, with 174 UC airframes built. [6]

Raytheon manufactured six 1900C aircraft for use by the U.S. military. These were assigned "UD" serial numbers, UD-1 through UD-6.

1900D

The 1900D has a larger cabin to allow passengers to walk upright inside Vincent Aviation Beechcraft 1900D (ZK-VAB) over New Zealand's South Island.jpg
The 1900D has a larger cabin to allow passengers to walk upright inside

While the 1900C had become a popular regional airliner, Beechcraft undertook a substantial redesign of the aircraft, and in 1991 introduced a new version called the 1900D.

The 1900 and 1900C, like most 19-passenger airliners and small business jets, have fairly small passenger cabins, with ceilings so low that passengers (of typical male heights) cannot walk through the interior without bending forward. The 1900D was designed to remedy this by providing a "stand-up cabin", which would allow most passengers to walk upright. It is one of only two 19-seat airliners with this feature, the other being the British Aerospace Jetstream 31/32. [6]

Because the taller passenger cabin adds both weight and drag to the airplane, other elements of the 1900D were also changed. More powerful engines and modified propellers were installed, winglets were added to reduce drag and increase the wings' efficiency, and the tail was made larger in response to the more powerful engines. The cockpit was updated with an Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS). The 1900D was certified under the then-new FAR Part 23 "Commuter Category" standards, which had replaced the earlier SFAR 41C. Since the UD serial numbers were already in use by the military 1900s, the 1900D airplanes have serial numbers beginning with UE. The 1900D is the most popular version of the airliner, with 439 of the 1900D built. [6]

Super Freighter

A supplemental type certificate has been awarded to Alpine Air Express to convert 1900D into cargo aircraft. The STC involved adding a second emergency exit to the cockpit and converting the interior to a cargo configuration. The 1900D can carry 900 cubic feet of cargo, 30% more than a 1900C. Powered by PT6-67D, the super freighter has a max takeoff weight of 17,120 lbs and is certified under the commuter category. Due to its standup cabin, the 1900D has a large internal volume. The large volume lends the aircraft well to the cargo industry where many packages are bulky and low in density. The 1900D is able to carry nearly as much volume as an EMB-120 and is certified for single pilot cargo operations. The single pilot crew and surplus of airframes allows for reduced operator costs. [10]

Military C-12J

The U.S. military designation for the Beechcraft 1900C is C-12J. This is a variant of the C-12 Huron, which is the most common designation for military King Airs. The C-12J includes the six Beechcraft 1900s with 'UD' serial number prefixes built for the U.S. military, as well as other 1900Cs in U.S. military service.

Examples of C-12J aircraft in military service include one used for GPS jamming tests at the 586th Flight Test Squadron, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, [11] and three based at the 459th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan. [4] The U.S. Army operates both C-12J and 1900D aircraft along with other C-12 (King Air) aircraft. [12]

King Air ExecLiner

The King Air ExecLiner was a marketing name for a corporate version of the Beechcraft 1900C.

Operators

Two 1900Ds of Maverick Airlines N886MA (10624006213).jpg
Two 1900Ds of Maverick Airlines

Civilian operators

In July 2018, a total of 114 1900Cs and 192 1900Ds were in airline service: 207 in the Americas, 63 in Africa, 25 in Europe and 11 in the Asia Pacific and Middle East. Airline operators with nine or more aircraft were: [13]

Military operators

A 1900D of the Swiss Air Force arrives at the 2016 RIAT, England. Beechcraft 1900D (code T-729) of the Swiss Air Force arrives Fairford 7Jul2016 arp.jpg
A 1900D of the Swiss Air Force arrives at the 2016 RIAT, England.

Accidents and incidents

Specifications (Beechcraft 1900D)

Data from Raytheon: Beechcraft 1900D Passenger Specifications and Performance [46]

General characteristics

Performance

Avionics

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

Notes

  1. The Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner series outsold the 1900 series by eight aircraft, but many were built as corporate Merlins and purpose-built Expediter freighters. The 19-seat de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter outsold both types, with nearly a thousand built and sold, but it is typically used in different operations.

Related Research Articles

US Airways Express was the brand name for the regional affiliate of US Airways, under which a number of individually owned commuter air carriers and regional airlines operate short and medium haul routes. This code sharing service was previously operated as USAir Express. Mainline carriers often outsource to regional airlines to operate services in order to increase frequency, serve routes that would not sustain larger aircraft, or for other competitive reasons. US Airways Express operations were conducted from smaller markets in the United States, Canada, and the Bahamas primarily centered on US Airways' major hubs and focus cities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antonov An-26</span> Soviet turboprop transport aircraft

The Antonov An-26 is a twin-engined turboprop civilian and military transport aircraft, designed and produced in the Soviet Union from 1969 to 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antonov An-28</span> Utility transport aircraft by Antonov

The Antonov An-28 is a twin-engined light turboprop transport aircraft, developed from the Antonov An-14M. It was the winner of a competition against the Beriev Be-30, for use by Aeroflot as a short-range airliner. It first flew in 1969. A total of 191 were built and 16 remain in airline service as at August 2015. After a short pre-production series built by Antonov, it was licence-built in Poland by PZL-Mielec. In 1993, PZL-Mielec developed its own improved variant, the PZL M28 Skytruck.

de Havilland Heron Small propeller-driven British airliner, 1950

The de Havilland DH.114 Heron is a small propeller-driven British airliner that first flew on 10 May 1950. It was a development of the twin-engine de Havilland Dove, with a stretched fuselage and two more engines. It was designed as a rugged, conventional low-wing monoplane with tricycle undercarriage that could be used on regional and commuter routes. A total of 149 were built; it was also exported to about 30 countries. Herons later formed the basis for various conversions, such as the Riley Turbo Skyliner and the Saunders ST-27 and ST-28.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iran Aseman Airlines</span> Airline in Iran

Iran Aseman Airlines is the third-largest Iranian airline headquartered in Tehran. It operates scheduled domestic passenger services and regional international services.

Tassili Airlines is an Algerian passenger airline, based in Algiers, owned by Sonatrach, the national state-owned oil company of Algeria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Midwest Flight 5481</span> 2003 aviation accident in North Carolina, United States

Air Midwest Flight 5481 was a Beechcraft 1900D on a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina, to Greenville–Spartanburg International Airport in Greer, South Carolina. On the morning of January 8, 2003, the Beechcraft stalled while departing Charlotte Douglas International Airport and crashed into an aircraft hangar, killing all 21 passengers and crew aboard and injuring one person on the ground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaska Central Express</span> Airline of the United States

Alaska Central Express is an airline based at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Anchorage, Alaska, United States. It is a cargo and small package express service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpine Air Express</span> American cargo airline

Alpine Air Express is an American airline based in Provo, Utah. It operates scheduled and chartered air cargo services on over 100 routes throughout Utah, Montana, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho, California, and Colorado.

Ameriflight LLC is an American cargo airline with headquarters at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. It is the largest United States FAA Part 135 cargo carrier, operating scheduled and contract cargo services from 19 bases to destinations in 250 cities across 43 US states as well as in Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America. Ameriflight serves major financial institutions, freight forwarders, laboratories, and overnight couriers in the US, and provides feeder services for overnight express carriers nationwide and internationally. Ameriflight averages 525 daily departures with over 100,000 combined flight hours annually and a 99.5% on-time performance. Ameriflight employs over 700 people.

Compagnie Africaine d'Aviation, renamed FlyCAA in 2013, is a regional airline from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, based at N'djili Airport in Kinshasa. It offers an extensive network of domestic scheduled passenger flights, as well as cargo flights. Due to safety and security concerns, CAA has been included in the list of air carriers banned in the European Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Water landing</span> An aircraft landing intentionally on a body of water

In aviation, a water landing is, in the broadest sense, an aircraft landing on a body of water. Seaplanes, such as floatplanes and flying boats, land on water as a normal operation. Ditching is a controlled emergency landing on the water surface in an aircraft not designed for the purpose, a very rare occurrence. Controlled flight into the surface and uncontrolled flight ending in a body of water are generally not considered water landings or ditching.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boeing 747 hull losses</span>

As of July 2020, a total of 64 Boeing 747 aircraft, or just above 4% of the total number of 747s built, first flown commercially in 1970, have been involved in accidents and incidents resulting in a hull loss, meaning that the aircraft was either destroyed or damaged beyond economical repair. Of the 64 Boeing 747 aircraft losses, 32 resulted in no loss of life; in one, a hostage was murdered; and in one, a terrorist died. Some of the aircraft that were declared damaged beyond economical repair were older 747s that sustained relatively minor damage. Had these planes been newer, repairing them might have been economically viable, although with the 747's increasing obsolescence, this is becoming less common. Some 747s have been involved in accidents resulting in the highest death toll of any civil aviation accident, the highest death toll of any single airplane accident, and the highest death toll of a midair collision. As with most airliner accidents, the root of cause(s) in these incidents involved a confluence of multiple factors that rarely could be ascribed to flaws with the 747's design or its flying characteristics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rumbek Airport</span> Airport in Rumbek, South Sudan

Rumbek Airport is an airport in South Sudan, near Rumbek, the capital of Lakes State. The airport is served by several national airlines and by air charter service providers.

In aeronautics, loss of control (LOC) is the unintended departure of an aircraft from controlled flight and is a significant factor in several aviation accidents worldwide. In 2015 it was the leading cause of general aviation accidents. Loss of control may be the result of mechanical failure, external disturbances, aircraft upset conditions, or inappropriate crew actions or responses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aerolift Philippines Flight 075</span> 1990 aviation accident

Aerolift Philippines Flight 075 was a scheduled domestic flight from Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Surigao Airport. On 18 May 1990, the Beechcraft 1900 operating the flight crashed just after takeoff, 1 km south of the airport, killing all 19 passengers and 2 crew, as well as a family of four on the ground. Flight 75 was the second fatal accident of a Beechcraft 1900 and remains the worst loss of life in a crash involving that model.

References

  1. "Type Certificate Data Sheet No. A24CE" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 23, 2016. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  2. Jackson 2003, pp. 535–536.
  3. "Beech 1900 Airliner". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 John Pike. "C-12J". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 Francillon 2001, p. 57.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Raytheon Airline Aviation Services". Archived from the original on October 17, 2007. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Aarons, Richard N. (December 1991). "Inflight report: Beech's 1900D Airliner/Execuliner" . Business & Commercial Aviation. Vol. 69, no. 6. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc. pp. 46–51 via Internet Archive.
  8. 1 2 3 Beechcraft 1900D Aircraft Flight Manual, Raytheon Aircraft Corporation
  9. Aeronave de la FAB aterriza de emergencia, retrieved 18 January 2015
  10. "Super Freighter | Shipping | Alpine Air Express | United States". Alpine Air Express. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  11. "Holloman Air Force Base - Fact Sheet Media". af.mil. Archived from the original on May 26, 2011. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  12. "UsArmyAviation.com - Fixed Wing Page 1". usarmyaviation.com. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  13. "World Airline Census 2018". Flightglobal.com. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 "World Air Forces 2021" . Flightglobal Insight. 2021. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  15. "Twin Jet F-GTVC (Beech 1900D - MSN UE349)". www.airfleets.fr.
  16. Cutler, David (April 17, 2012). "Factbox: How Sudan and South Sudan shape up militarily". Reuters.com. Thomson Reuters. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
  17. Hoyle Flight International 4–10 December 2018, p. 56.
  18. Hoyle Flight International 8–14 December 2015, p. 49.
  19. "Audit of the Department of State's Administration of its Aviation Program" (PDF). September 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 23, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  20. Ranter, Harro (November 23, 1987). "ASN Aircraft accident Beechcraft 1900C N401RA Homer Airport, AK (HOM)". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network . Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  21. Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Beechcraft 1900C-1 RP-C314 Manila International Airport (MNL)". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  22. Military Aviation Accidents Archived September 20, 2012, at the Wayback Machine , TaiwanAirPower.org
  23. "Introduction to conflicting N811BE Accident Investigation Reports". Iprr.org. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  24. "block island - safety hyushin - air safety - 1993 - 1706 - Flight Archive". flightglobal.com. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  25. "ASN Aircraft accident Beechcraft 1900C N811BE Block Island, RI". Aviation-safety.net. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  26. Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Beechcraft 1900C-1 N55000 Saranac Lake-Adirondack Airport, NY (SLK)". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  27. "NTSB Report: United Express Flight 5925" (PDF).
  28. "F-GSJM/F-GAJE". www.bea.aero.
  29. "Controlled flight into terrain, Régionnair Inc., Beechcraft 1900C C-FGOI, Saint-Augustin, Quebec, 4 January 1999". www.tsb.gc.ca. Transportation Safety Board of Canada. November 15, 2000. A99Q0005. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  30. "Controlled Flight Into Terrain, Régionnair Inc., Raytheon Beech 1900D C-FLIH, Sept-Îles, Quebec, 12 August 1999". www.tsb.gc.ca. Transportation Safety Board of Canada. January 10, 2002. A99Q0151. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  31. "ASN Aircraft accident Beechcraft 1900C-1 S9-CAE Quilemba". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  32. "ASN Aircraft accident Beechcraft 1900C N127YV Mena, AR". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  33. "UPDATE ON NTSB INVESTIGATIONS INTO RECENT BEECH 1900D ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS." National Transportation Safety Board . November 21, 2003. Retrieved on February 13, 2009.
  34. Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Beechcraft 1900D 7T-VIN Ghardaïa-Noumérat Airport (GHA)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
  35. Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Beechcraft 1900C N27RA Tonopah-Test Range Airport, NV (XSD)". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  36. "ASN Aircraft accident Beechcraft 1900D 5N-JAH Besi, Obanliku". Aviation-safety.net. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
  37. "BBC NEWS - Africa - Engine fault 'caused Sudan crash'". bbc.co.uk. May 3, 2008. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  38. Correction: South Sudan declares three-day mourning for crash victims Archived August 10, 2017, at the Wayback Machine Sudan Tribune 3 May 2008
  39. Ranter, Harro. "Accident description". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  40. "No survivors in Karachi plane crash". TGeo TV Pakistan. Archived from the original on July 28, 2012. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  41. "19 dead after tourist plane crashes in Nepal". Australian Broadcasting Corporation .
  42. Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Beechcraft 1900C-1 ZS-PHL São Tomé Island Airport (TMS)". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  43. Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Beechcraft 1900C YV1674 Miami Executive Airport, FL (TMB)". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  44. Pyae Thet Phyo, Swan Ye Htut (February 10, 2016). "Five killed in military plane crash in Nay Pyi Taw". The Myanmar Times . Retrieved February 10, 2016.
  45. Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Beechcraft 1900D 4610 Pyin Oo Lwin". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  46. Raytheon: Beechcraft 1900D Passenger Specifications and Performance Archived 2012-03-15 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 30 December 2010

References