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The lo test commuter-cer t i f ied Beech o i r l iner prov idesstond-up heodroom ond new stqndords of sofety, whi le

mqinto in ing I 9OO-ser ies ef f ic iencies.

BDDCH'S I9MD

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By RICHARD N. AARONS

46 Business & Commercio l Aviot ion I December l99l

Bu".h', Model 1900 airliner, in vari- redesign of the aircraft. The mostous iterations, has been one ofthe bet-ter success stories in the l9-passengerregional carrier fleet. It also has pro-vided admirable special-mission ser-vice for both government and businessusers.

As of this writing, some 260 Beech1900s had entered service. Those air-craft were certif ied under the oldSFAR 23l41C, which enabled manu-facturers to license heavy aircraftunder the light aircraft rule. (Thebreak between heavy and light air-craft, you'l l remember, occurs at12,500 pounds.)

In any event, the FAA ruled produc-tion of aircraft certifred under SFAR23l4IC had to end on or before Octo-ber 17, 1991. Airplanes designed tocarry 19 passengers and built afterthat date must be certi{ied under thenew FAR Pafi 23 commuter category.Existing 19-passenger aircraft weregrandfathered and are allowed toremain operational with their currentowners indefrnitely.

Each manufacturer in the 19-pas-senger aircraft marketplace has takena unique approach to the post-Octoberworld. Wichita-based Beech decided touse the recertifrcation requirement asan opportunity to undertake a major

obvious and important change was toalter the cabin cross-section to providestand-up, walk-around headroom.

A LITTLD BACKGROI.INDThe first Beech 1900 airliner flew in1982. The 1900c-with its rearrangeddoors and improved systems-wasintroduced in 1984. Some 23 regionalairlines, several corporations and theU.S. government account for the exist-ing Model 1900 fleet.

The airplane has been evolving con-tinuously since its introduction, as evi-denced by the fact that the model lineis defined by five serial numberseries-UA-1 to UA-3, UB-1 to UB-74,UC-1to UC-174, UD-military series C-12J and UE-1 and after. The UA serieshas dual airstair doors; the UB serieshas a forward airstair and a rear cargodoor. Each UAruB series aircraft has atotal fuel capacity of 425 gallons inwing and center section bladder tanks.Each UC/UD/UE aircraft has a totalfuel capacity of 667 gallons, with 482gallons in the outer wing panels and185 gallons in auxiliary tanks locatedin the wing center section.

Of course, the 1900D, or UE series,the subject of this report, is dramati-cally different from earlier models. It

Stqndord qvionics include duol four-inch Collins EFIS. The entrqnce door islorEer thon thot of the l9OOC, soboording pqssenEers do not hove toduck thrb0gh rhe portol.

has a 14-inch increase in cabin height,more powerfu l engines, and newwinglets and strakes. Perhaps moreimportant, it is fully certified underthe FAR 23 commuter rule.

MA"JOR CHANGDSIn that the 1900D grew out of the1900C, it is best understood in com-parison to its predecessor. Obviously,the D model is bigger and heavier. Theaccompanying three-views show the1900D cross section. As you explorethe photos and drawings on thesepages, you'll see most of the importantdifferences between the C and the D.

The new cross section creates astand-up cabin and cockpit. The cabinaisle height is now 71 inches, except atthe wing carry-through where a rampreduces that height to 65 inches. Theentrance door is larger than that ofthe 1900C, so boarding passengers donot have to duck through the portal.The new door design also incorporatesimprovements in the closure mecha-nism to reduce the brute force neces-sary to maneuver it closed or open-adesign change in response to the factthat more women are joining regionalcarrier ground crews every day.

Escape hatches are larger for simple,quick egress. Even the windows are

Business & Commerciol Aviolion I December l99l 47

larger (and tinted), providing a light,spacious feeling in the cabin, which isfree ofthe "tunnel effect" that botherssome passengers traveling aboard thisclass of aircraft.

Cabin vibration isolators are includ-ed in the 1900D to reduce both noiseand vibration. Our subjective impres-sion after two-plus hours in the air-craft is that the isolators do their workwell in the cabin.

The real driver in the design of the1900D was the requirement to certifi-cate a 19-passenger aircraft under thenew commuter ru les. Many of theaerodynamic and systems changeshave to do with that certification goal.

For example, the D model has newrotor-burst protection, including sepa-rate paths for primary and secondaryflight controls, hydraulic lines, fireextinguisher and firewall valve controlwiring. The flap system has been sim-plified too. The D model has three flappositions-zero, takeofVapproach, andland-compared to four on the Cmodel.

Wing and airframe structure hasbeen beefed up in the 1900D to handlethe airplane's increased takeoff andzero fuel weights. Beech engineers tellus this strengthening also will resultin an improved fatigue life.

The C model has aerodynamic

devices sticking out all over the place;the D model did not escape that treat-ment. But as we will see later, thesedevices work together to make the1900D one of Beech's nicest-handlingmachines in the regional fleet.

Practically all of this hardware issubject to walk-around inspection. Ifyou look at the accompanying photo ofthe wings, you'll notice they have beenout f i t ted w i th an ex tens ion andwinglets. Just ahead of each wing rootis a horizontal surface that generates avoltex to hold flow together throughthe wing/fuselage intersection.

Addit ional vortex generators arelocated at the leading edge of the out-board f laps. These reduce the stal lspeed. The 1900C's wing fences andinboard wing vortex generators aregone. The D model's wing is wet andholds 4,468 pounds of fuel. Outboardvents have been moved to accommo-date the w ing le ts . Two fue l -s igh tgauges are mounted on the undersideof each wing. These measure main-tank capacity and are graduated at0.50, 0.75 and full. All fueling is over-wing, but Beech engineers tell us theycan add single-point refueling to theoption list with a rework of the Beech-jet single-point fueler.

Note, too, that the area of the wingdeice boots has been expanded andthat the posit ion l ights and strobelights have been repositioned to thewinglets. The position lights are dual-bulb units, so failure of one bulb willnot prevent dispatch. The recogrritionlights are standard.

Working aft, you will see the famil-iar T-tail with its vertical tailets, oneat either end of the horizontal tai l .These fixed devices create an increasein effective vertical tail surface. Notethat they now sport deice boots. The Dmodel's horizontal stabilons create aneffect ive increase in horizontal tai lsurface and a significant increase inc.g. range. In fact, with the 1900D,crews can offer their passengers ran-dom seating without concern for c.g.problems. The c.g. envelope of the D isfour to 40 percent of MAC. Note the Dmodel's stabilons are mounted signifr-cantly higher than those on the Cmode l . Th is shou ld reduce grounddamage on the D model.

New on the 1900D are the large dualventral fins. These add to stability andcontrol at high angles ofattack. A clos-er inspection of the empennage willrevea l a la rge e leva tor tab , dua l

Severol inlerior options ore offered, including o | 2-possenger triple clubqrrongemenl ond on | 8-possenger high'density oirline type.

48 Business & Commercio l Aviot ion I December l99l

INFLIGHTRDPORT

pushrod trim-tab actuators, a longerchord rudder (to lower Vtuc), and aredesigned tailcone to accommodatethe new rudder.

Power is supplied by two Pratt &Whitney PT6A-67D engines capable of1,613 shp each, but flat-rated in thisinstallation to 1,279 shp. The C modelis powered by the -658 engine flatrated to 1,100 shp. Improved perfor-mance throughout a wider tempera-ture l imit is the legacy of the newengines, which have a 6,000-hourTBO. The engine has a new overspeedgovernor and new exhaust stacks.Beech engineers have limited reversethrust to engine-saving low levels andhave developed tables for par t ia l -power takeof fs-both customerrequests.

Propellers are new Hartzell compos-ite-blade devices. They have higheractivity, a wider chord and allow acomfortable, quiet 1,400 rpm cruise.The 1900D's prop deice is capable ofsignificantly higher amperage than theC model's system.

Changes were made in the cowling,firewall and aft nacelle to meet thenew commuter certification rules. On-wing hot sections (3,000 hours) arepossible. Ifyou look closely at a 1900Din flight, you'll notice that the wheelsdo not retract fully but rather stickout of their wells a few inches like theDC-3. And like the DC-3 it's entirelypossible to land a 1900 with the wheelsin the well and then apply brakes for acontrolled wheels-up landing. Thisdesigrr is not only a significant safetyelement but could be a significantmoney saver when it comes to repairsafter a gezrr-up incident.

INTDRIOR IMPROVDMENTSIn addition to stand-up height andlarger windows, Beech has made sev-eral other changes aimed at improvingpassenger comfort. For example, themodular cabin side panels have beenredesigned to accommodate the higherindividual cabin reading lights, aislelights and oxygen masks. Armrestshave been built into the side panels.Seats are regular airline style unitswith recline mechanisms, tray tablesand under-seat storage for carry-onbaggage.

Dual air conditioning systems-onefreon system for ground operationsand one air cycle machine for opera-tion aloft-are standard. Cabin airducting has been moved to improve air

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Business & Commerciol Aviotion I December 1991 49

The l9d)D hos the fomilior T-roil wirhiis verlicol toilets, one qt either end ofthe horizoniol roil. The wings oreouffined with on exlension ondwinglets, increosing effective verticoltoil iur{oce.

distribution and to clear the way forthe new split-control routing. The newindividual air vents are 1.5 inches indiameter.

The flat-floor aft baggage compart-ment comprises 175 cubic feet in typi-cal airline configuration. However, amoveable cabin bulkhead is availablefor split-cabin operations. In the stan-dard configuration the aft baggagearea can accommodate 1,630 pounds ofbaggage or 85.8 pounds per passenger.The aft baggage compartment isaccessed via a cargo door that mea-sures 52 inches high by 52 incheswide. The door sill is about 57 inchesabove the ramp. The standard 19-pas-senger interior can be converted to anall-cargo interior in just less than 30minutes.

While most 1900Ds are expected togo to regional air carriers, some will goto corporate operators and serve asutility aircraft, business shuttles orexecutive transports. Therefore, sever-al interior options are offered includ-ing a 12-passenger t r ip le c lubarrangement, a 14-passenger high-density/double club mix and an 18-pas-senger high-density airl ine typelayout. While the corporate buyer cancustom design an interior, the pre-formed sidewalls will limit the scope ofcustomization. In any case, the airlineseats are surprisingly comfortable andshould serve well for the D model'stypical missions-4S minutes to twohours.

IN THE COCKPITThe 1900D's cockpit will delight anyregional carrier fllgt. Beech engineershave revised the electro-luminescentinstrument sub-panels and overheadpanels striving for organization andsimplicity. The annunciator panelsalso have been reworked.

INFLIGHTREPORT

Standard avionics include four-inchCollins EFIS on both pilot and copilotsides. Collins weather radar and nav-com controls are on the center panel.A flight director is standard; autopilot(Coll ins APS65H) is optional. Yawdamp/rudder boost also is available asan option.

THD MISSIONThe 1900D is first and always an air-liner, whether it's flying for a regionalcarrier or a decentralized corporation.Airliners and utility aircraft have tocarry their own weight in an economicsense-they have to make money.

With a maintenance completion fac-tor of99.5 percent, the 1900D can take15-hour block days in stride. In ananalysis developed for a prospectivecustomer, Beech scheduled round tripsfrom a hub to six destinations rangingfrom 100 nm to 250 nm. Beech sum-marized the work this way: The blockday comprised 15 hours and eight min-utes including 10:33 block hours and4:35 b lock turns. The 1900D wi l ldepart the overnight maintenancefacility at 0630 hours, work a 15:08block day and return to the mainte-nance facility by 2138 hours in timefor a full shift of maintenance----even acomplete hot section-and make an0600 gate time the next morning.

A major part of the maintainabilitystory, says Beech, arises from the newPT6A-67D engine. It runs cooler thanits predecessor, provides more powerat higher altitudes and has longerTBOs, yet has outstanding commonali-ty with the 1900C. These powerplantsprovide a 3,800-foot takeoff distance atfull gross weight; a 16-minute climb toFL 25O, a high-speed cruise above 280

knots and a power margin at all condi-tions. Beech estimates that operatorswill budget one man-hour of mainte-nance per flight hour. Field replace-able major components include wingtips, flaps, horizontal stabilizer, con-trol surfaces, windshield/windows,wing access doors, engines, propellers,instruments, radome, landing gear,antennas, vapor cycle air conditionerand air rycle machine.

FLIINGTIID I9fi)DIt has seemed to us over the years thatthe last element in the design of someregional aircraft has been flyabilityand pilot comfort. After all, mostregionals are flown by relatively youngpilots who are happy to get a money-paying seat anywhere, let alone in a19-passenger turboprop.

If, indeed, that observation is valid,the Beech 1900D is an exception. Thecockpit is roomy, comforbable and wellventilated. The seats are better thanmost we've tried in this class aircraft.The noise levels are a bit high, butmost crews, we suspect, will snuggledown into their Dave Clarks and enjoythe view.

The airplane handles well on theground and is quite maneuverable ona crowded ramp when both enginesare running even with mechanicalsteering. That maneuverability disap-pears when one engine is shut down. Ifyour operations call for engine-outtaxi, you'll need the optional power-assist steering package.

Preflight and runup are typical KingAir/PT6A with some simplifications.Ground idle is higher in this PT6Ainstallation than most, so there isn'tas much shuffling around the quad-rant during second engine start and inbringing electrical system components

5O Business & Commerciol Aviotion I December l99l

weishr (lb/ks)Mox rompMox tokeoffMox londingMox zero fuelBOWMox fuelUsefulMox poyloodPoylood mox fuelFuel mox poylood

loodingsWing loodingPower looding

VolumesCrew stotion 103 cu. ftForword entronce 39 cu. ftForword cobin boggoge 17 cu.h

1280lb/127 kslMoin cobin 584 cu. ftUnderseot stowoge 32.2 cu.ltAft boggoge oreo 175 cu. h

(r ,5 I 0 lb,z685 ks)Boggoge oreo/pox I 1.8 cu. ft

Dimensions (see fi reeviews)

SPECIFICATIONSBEECH I9q)D AIRLINER

17,060/7,73816,95O/7,68816,100/7,303r 5,000/6,8041O,360/4,6994,468/2,O278,600,/3,9014,640/2,1Os4,132/1 ,8743,960/1,796

54.7 lb/sqlIo.6lb/hp

25,000 ft 680 nmMox cruise speeds (15,000 lbl

10.000 fr 281 KrAS

Per{ormsnceRonge*

8,000 flr 2,000 frr 6,000 fr

r 5,000 fi20,000 ft25,000 fl

r 6.950 lbField length_**

450 nm490 nm540 nm

Stoll soeed35 deg. flops@ 16,000 lb 87 KCAS

Field lengh**(l 7 deg. fops, SL/lSAl (ft/m)16,000 lb 3,470/1,058

290 KTAS287 KTAS280 KTAS

3,740/t,140

(l Z deg. flops, 5,000 ftllsA + 30"C)16,000 lb 4,990/1 ,s2l16,950 lb

Climbs,630/1,716

{St/lSA, 16,950 lb) (fpm,zmpmlAll-engine 2,625/800Engineoul 675/206

. Seruice ceiling{sl,/lsA, 16,950 lb} (ftlm)Allengine 33,000* * */

10,058Engineout 17,500/5,334

*Ronge is colculoted ot high-sp*d cruise power ot otypicol operoting weighi of I 0,360 pounds with I 9 porsengers (3,800 lb/1,724 kgl ond IFR fuel reseryes for q

lO0nm olternote plus o 45ninute hold ot 8,000 feet.

**Deision speed ronges from l0l to l0Z KCAS forqbove field lengths.

""*Moximum certified oltitude is 25.000 ft.

Pilols trqnsilioning from eorlier models will find thcl their lot hos improved. Theoirplone hondles well during flqre, touchdown ond londing

on line. Takeoff acceleration is brisk.as is climb. Visibility in all flight atti-tudes is excellent. The airplane getsnoisy and bumpy as it approaches astall, then breaks cleanly. There'splenty of control throughout themaneuver. Engine-out controllabilityis excellent. We flew low-speed steepturns in various configurations withan engine out and found the airplaneto be entirely well behaved. Thephugoid is positive damped and rela-tively long (we observed 30 seconds).Autopilots are optional on the 1900D.Hand flying, however, is not a chore.The airplane trims up well and is rockstable. Because the 1900D will cruisecomfortably on one engine above16,000 feet, operators do not have toprove drift down capability on mostmountainous routes.

Our speed checks were accomplishedin near ISA conditions. Long-rangecruise power (1,400 rpry1l2,014 poundstorque) at 8,500 feet generated 182KIAS (214 KTAS) burning 383 poundsper hour per side. High-speed cruise at8,500 feet geneiated 240 KIAS (280KTAS) burning 585 pounds per side.At FL 230 we trued out at 280 KTASburning 386 pounds per engine. All ofour checks showed speeds three ormore knots above book expectationsand fuel flows a bit lower than thebook predicted.

The controls are well harmonizedand feel surprisingly light, particularly

when maneuvering for approach andlanding. For an airplane that looks abit ungainly, the 1900D is really a niceflying machine. Frankly, we were sur-prised with how well the airplane han-dles during flare, touchdown androllout. Our subjective feel was thatthe 1900D may be the nicest landing"King Air" made. Later, several Beechpilots agreed with that observation.

The bottom line is that pilots transi-tioning from earlier 1900Cs will onlyfind their lot has improved. Pilots newto the 1900-series will find this air-plane is one of the nicest they've everflown,

BUYINGTIID IgOODBeech is working out productionschedules for the 1900D right now. Sofar the order book looks healthy. MesaHoldings has ordered 50 1900Ds and isaccepting them at the rate ofone permonth. The Mesa airplanes will fly inseveral liveries including Mesa, UnitedExpress, USAir Express and AirMid-west. MarkAir Express of Anchorage,Alaska has ordered five 1900Ds andCommutair of Plattsburgh, New Yorkhas orders for 2O. All of these opera-tors currently use v€rrious versions ofthe 1900C. New customer orders willbe handled by an expansion of the1900D assembly line. The price of theBeech's 1900D Airliner is about $3.95million; price of the Execuliner is$4.67 million. BICA

Business & Commerciql Aviotion ! December l99l 5l