Beechcraft secures largest general aviation propeller driven aircraft order in history

This has become a year full of milestones for our company. First, we announced our emergence as Beechcraft Corporation in February. That was soon followed by the inaugural winglet flight of the 400XPR, the 4,000th delivery of the G36 Beechcraft Bonanza, and the celebration of two outstanding quarterly reports. Then, on August 1, another milestone moment occurred. Beechcraft announced that it had secured the largest general aviation propeller driven aircraft order in history. The order is for up to 105 King Air 350i aircraft, valued at $788 million, and a comprehensive maintenance programme, valued at more than $600 million, with the entire value of the deal totalling up to $1.4 billion.

The customer—Wheels Up—is a new membership-based private aviation company formed by Marquis Jet founder Kenny Dichter. Wheels Up has forged an exclusive partnership with Beechcraft to offer members access to the King Air 350i for the first time, lowering the entry point for private aviation. Wheels Up is designed to appeal to individuals and corporations currently flying privately, as well as new entrants to private aviation.

The first 35 King Airs will be delivered between now and mid-2015 as Wheels Up initially focuses on the north-eastern United States. Nine aircraft will be delivered before the end of 2013. The deal includes options for 70 additional aircraft as Wheels Up expands nationally over the next two to three years.

“The Beechcraft King Air 350i is the perfect aircraft for Wheels Up due to its proven track record of tremendous flexibility and efficiency for regional travel,” said Beechcraft CEO Bill Boisture. “The pairing of the 350i and support from our worldclass maintenance organisation with the innovative founders and management team of Wheels Up is a winning combination.”

The Wheels Up King Air 350i aircraft will have several special enhancements for Wheels Up members including state-of-theart interiors, Wi-Fi connectivity and a luxury lavatory vanity. The Wheels Up deal also includes a comprehensive maintenance programme from Beechcraft in North America and Western Europe. It will include service for airframe, engines, avionics and propellers; scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, labour, parts and consumables. From its Hawker Beechcraft Services Wilmington, Delaware, hub, which is strategically located for this programme, the maintenance programme will also include mobile AOG support.

“We are excited to offer the King Air 350i for the first time on an exclusive basis in a national fleet format as Wheels Up redefines private aviation’s entry point,” said Wheels Up founder and CEO Kenny Dichter. The substantial order also creates even greater optimism for Beechcraft employees, especially along the company’s final assembly line. “This is a huge morale builder,” said Bill Brown, Executive Vice President for Beechcraft’s Global Operations. “It’s always exciting to be building a plane to a customer’s specifications. And to do 35 identical airplanes creates even greater efficiencies, not only in Plant IV, but also in flight, paint and completions.”

Brown also assured that any aircraft order—large or small—is treated with the same attention to quality and safety by Beechcraft’s employees. And the same focus is given to supporting every customer’s needs.

With more than 7,000 deliveries, the King Air has been a top-selling aircraft for nearly 50 years. As its segment’s greenest aircraft, the King Air 350i can take more passengers farther on less fuel for consistent savings. State-of-the-art design and performance options represent new heights of power and durability. And the King Air 350i’s new interior is the most comfortable and capable cabin ever offered in its class.

King Airs serve a variety of missions ranging from traditional transport of personnel and high-value cargo, to electronic and imagery surveillance, air ambulance, airway calibration, photographic mapping, training and weather modification.