$5.8M for a King Air?

Hi all,

Was just reading the King Air article in this month's Flying and saw the
price w/ the new avionics suite (why they went with Collins is beyond
me, but that's another story).

Just wondering if I'm the only one who did a double-take at the price.
$5.8M for a KING AIR? Jeez...if anyone had to wonder why Raytheon/Beech
is having financial trouble, this is why. You can buy a nice Citation
for that, and while the King Air would be a sweet personal aircraft, if
I had that kind of cash burning a hole in my pocket I know what I'd be
buying with it!

Of course, given a Baron with steam gauge instrumentation is $1.3M this
overpricing thing seems to be a common problem with them. I'll grant
you the Beech and Piper products are targeted at different markets, but
$700K for the new Seneca V with Meggitt displays looks like a far more
reasonable deal to me.

Now, if only Piper would start building Cheyennes again...*sigh*.

-Doug

--
--------------------
Doug Vetter, CFIMEIA

http://www.dvcfi.com
--------------------

My guess is there are still enough Beechcraft loyalists to buy these King
Air's. I don't get it, but Beech has at times gone overboard in the King Air
service and warranty claims. I can remember getting warranty on a 20 year
old King Air 200. (A far cry from the whippings they gave the Bonanza
crowd!)

Plus, the 350 has it's niche. There is no better airplane for moving heavy
loads short distances in comfort. The 350 will carry a full load of
passengers and any baggage they can come up with, plus full fuel, and still
be 1000 pounds below gross.

What you're saying is nothing new. At $600,000, it was doubtful anyone would
buy a King Air in 1965! I flew for a man (RIP) who bought a brand new Lear
31A. For the money he could have bought three times the airplane, used. But
there are some who like to buy new, period. Plus, there are fantastic tax
benefits right now for buying new. It's like buying a new airplane for 1/2
off!


Best,
Karl

You ain't buying a jet that can carries as many people as a King Air 350 for
$5.8m and you ain't operating a jet that carries as many people as a King
Air 350 for less than twice what the King Air costs. Most of these
airplanes are owned by companies who are using them to make money and ego or
status is not a consideration when the decision maker isn't going to be on
the airplane anyway.

Mike
MU-2


"Doug Vetter" wrote in message
. net...
Hi all,

Was just reading the King Air article in this month's Flying and saw the
price w/ the new avionics suite (why they went with Collins is beyond
me, but that's another story).

Just wondering if I'm the only one who did a double-take at the price.
$5.8M for a KING AIR? Jeez...if anyone had to wonder why Raytheon/Beech
is having financial trouble, this is why. You can buy a nice Citation
for that, and while the King Air would be a sweet personal aircraft, if
I had that kind of cash burning a hole in my pocket I know what I'd be
buying with it!

Of course, given a Baron with steam gauge instrumentation is $1.3M this
overpricing thing seems to be a common problem with them. I'll grant
you the Beech and Piper products are targeted at different markets, but
$700K for the new Seneca V with Meggitt displays looks like a far more
reasonable deal to me.

Now, if only Piper would start building Cheyennes again...*sigh*.

-Doug

--
--------------------
Doug Vetter, CFIMEIA

http://www.dvcfi.com
--------------------

The King Air at 5.8 is a 350. 10+ passenger with 2 crew members. It is a
business people hauler not a personel aircraft.

In article , JerryK
wrote:

The King Air at 5.8 is a 350. 10+ passenger with 2 crew members. It is a
business people hauler not a personel aircraft.

To fly it, you get type rated. It is the same type rating as for the
Beech 1900C airliner.

******It is the same type rating as for the Beech 1900C airliner.*****


Used to be, but not anymore.


Karl
BE30, CE500, Lr-Jet, DA-50