Originally Posted by Boris Badenov

I'm pretty sure Iowapilot and I work for the same company. We did the "recurrent" package at Simcom, rather than the "initial", since we did a fair bit of training in the airplane and got our 135 PIC signoff before going down there. It's a fine program, and Leif definitely knows his stuff, but the sims are non-motion and my recollection is that they don't "feel" much like the plane itself. I'm not sure I'd want to try flying it without some actual time in the plane. I've rarely heard anything bad about Howell and plenty good.

My impression of the plane overall is that it's a great performer, and perfectly safe, but as everyone says, it requires a bit more effort when something goes wrong than a KA or other similar aircraft. It's nothing a normally skilled pilot who is current and stays that way can't handle. It's also built like a brick outhouse. No idea where the reputation for being difficult in ice came from, as I've been in a fair amount of ice in it and never had any white-knuckle moments.

Operators that I'm aware of are: ACT, Air 1st, Bankair (I think they've parked at least some), Epps, and I think Royal still has some, although I don't know whether they're still flying. Those are of course all 135 cargo. Don't know how many corporate operators there are.