Beechcraft King Air B200

Beech introduced the King Air in 1964 as a turbine-powered evolution of the Queen Air piston twin. The original Model 90 had PT6A-6 engines and seated 6 to 8 passengers. The line expanded through the 100, 200, and 300 series across the next two decades. The Super King Air 200 launched in 1974 with a T-tail (the King Air's defining visual feature), the wing extensions, and the PT6A-41 engines. The B200 designation came in 1981 with the upgraded PT6A-42 engines at 850 shp per side.

The B200 stayed in essentially unchanged production from 1981 through 2008 when Hawker Beechcraft introduced the G1000-equipped B200GT. The 250 (with composite winglets) followed in 2008, and the King Air 250 (Textron-era) continued through 2019. The current production variant is the King Air 260, introduced in 2020 with G1000 NXi, refined cabin, and minor system updates. All variants use the PT6A-42, PT6A-52, or PT6A-60 engine family depending on specific model. The B200's 40-year production history is the longest of any turboprop currently in production.

The fleet includes corporate flight departments, government and military operators (the C-12 family is a B200 variant), special-mission aircraft (medevac, surveillance, aerial mapping), and personal owners. Roughly 2,500 are flying worldwide. Parts and shop support are excellent through Textron and the established turbine-twin service network. Pratt & Whitney Canada continues to support all variants of the PT6A-42 family in the King Air fleet.

The B200 cruises at about 290 KTAS at FL250 burning 95 gph total (47 to 48 gph per side). Long-range cruise drops to 270 KTAS on 78 to 82 gph total. The B200 is faster than a Pilatus PC-12 and slower than a TBM 900. Twin-engine redundancy makes it the preferred turboprop for corporate flight departments, charter operations, and pilots who fly over water or hostile terrain regularly. Service ceiling is FL350 (operational) with PT6A-42 engines.

Useful load is substantial. A typical B200 has about 3,800 to 4,200 pounds of useful load depending on equipment. With full fuel (544 gallons usable, 3,646 lbs), that's still about 200 to 600 pounds for people and bags. Most flights run at less than full fuel because the cabin doesn't typically need 1,800 nm of range. With 4 hours of fuel (about 320 gallons), useful load for cabin payload is 1,500 to 1,800 pounds. That's six to eight adults with luggage in real comfort. Range with reserves is about 1,800 nm at long-range cruise.

The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-42 (or PT6A-52 on later variants) powers the B200. The -42 is rated at 850 shp per side. Pratt's published TBO is 3,600 hours with a hot section inspection at 1,800 hours. The PT6A-42 family has the deepest fleet history of any business turboprop engine, with King Air installations alone accounting for thousands of operating units worldwide.

Real-world reliability is the PT6's defining characteristic, and the PT6A-42 in particular has been operating in the King Air fleet since 1981. Most engines reach TBO routinely. Many run beyond TBO under on-condition programs. Shop and parts support is the deepest of any turboprop engine in the GA fleet.

Off-program engine overhauls run $350,000 to $500,000 per engine depending on findings. Multiply by two. The high volume of PT6A-42 overhauls in the field keeps pricing competitive. Most B200s in personal-owner hands are enrolled in either Pratt's ESP or Jet Support Services Inc (JSSI) coverage. Corporate flight departments often run their own self-insurance programs against scheduled and unscheduled engine work.

Plan on $1,100 to $1,600 per flight hour at 250 hours a year of utilization, all-in. King Air B200 costs are dominated by fuel and engine programs, plus the doubled fixed costs of operating two engines instead of one. Fuel runs $520 to $665 per hour at 95 gph and $5.50 to $7 for Jet A. Engine programs (ESP or JSSI for both engines) run $360 to $560 per hour at typical utilization tiers. Annual fixed costs (hangar, insurance, annual inspection, training) add $180 to $300 per hour at 250 hours a year of utilization.

Insurance is the wildcard, same pattern as other turboprops but with twin-engine considerations adding to the calculation. First-time turboprop owners can pay $40,000 to $75,000 a year for first-year coverage on a B200. Established King Air pilots with 500-plus hours in type pay $18,000 to $32,000. Most corporate flight departments have negotiated insurance terms that don't reflect the personal-owner market. Pilots stepping up from personal piston twins typically need 25 to 50 hours of dual instruction before solo PIC time.

Acquisition cost in mid-2026: Early B200s (1981-1995) with high hours and basic panels trade $1.5 to $2.2 million. Mid-cycle B200s (1996-2008) run $2.0 to $3.0 million. B200GT and 250 aircraft (2008-2019) trade $2.5 to $3.8 million. King Air 260 aircraft (2020+) run $4.0 to $5.5 million on the used market. New 260 from Textron starts above $7.0 million.

The King Air's service network is the deepest in the turbine-twin market. Authorized Textron Service Centers, independent King Air specialists, and Pratt & Whitney Canada-certified shops are available across North America. Parts depth is excellent. Resale value holds up well across all variants due to fleet demand.