Textron Aviation has supplied the first two of potentially 64 Multi-Engine Training System (METS) Beechcraft King Air 260 aircraft contracted by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) on January 25, 2023, after a comprehensive competitive process.
The Beechcraft King Air, crafted and manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc., a subsidiary of Textron, is the focal point of this delivery.
These aircraft, designated as the T-54A, are set to replace the Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) fleet of T-44C Pegasus planes at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi. Serving as a variation of the twin-engine, pressurised Beechcraft King Air 260, the T-54A will modernise the fleet, providing a more representative model of subsequent fleet aircraft. The T-44 has served for over four decades.
The T-54A incorporates an updated avionics suite and automation features to better prepare students for the sophisticated aircraft they will operate in the fleet. According to Bob Gibbs, vice president of Special Missions Sales at Textron Aviation, “The T-54A benefits from an active Beechcraft King Air assembly line in Wichita, Kansas, where all required METS avionics and interior modifications are installed on the line; keeping costs down, aircraft conformity consistent across the fleet and optimizing the delivery schedule to the Navy. We are thrilled to continue our 47-year relationship of Textron Aviation aircraft conducting multi-engine flight training for Navy, Marine and Coast Guard Aviators.”
METS-specific capabilities encompass factory options for TACAN (Air-to-Air), angle-of-attack (AOA), V/UHF radio, digital audio system, engine trend monitoring, condition-based maintenance plus, observer/jump seat, passenger mission seats and full-face oxygen masks.