B1900D Questions
 

I'm thinking about taking a leave to fly a 1900D for a small company (non-airline). Any 1900 drivers out there have any info on the AP/FD? Someone was telling me they don't have autopilot or coupler functions. Is this true? I've looked at some photos of the cockpit and it looks like it has rudimentary EFIS. It's hard to imagine this thing doesn't have some sort of autopilot.

If you can answer that plus list a few pros and cons it would help me make a decision.

Thanks

Why do you care? I would be asking quality of life, pay, and benefits questions. At the end of the day, those are the only things that matter.

I care because it all matters to me. It helps me make an informed decision. I already know about those things you already asked. No one on here can answer QOL, pay & benefits question for this company anyway.

Anybody care to actually help me out with a few helpful opinions?

Since your name is KINGAIRPIC I assume you have flown a King Air. The 1900 is the same thing.

Also, you can put an autopilot into almost anything. Does that 1900 have an autopilot? I have no idea. It was an option.

It's easy to fly. If you decide not to take the job do me a favor and give me the contact info. I could use a job!

Some of them do some dont. My airline only has 2 airframes with AP. The EFIS is very rudemetry ( Collins 84 ), but it is all you really need, and if it has AP it will be coupled to the FD panel above the EADI, ( in other words the AP is only there to follow whatever commands the FD gives it.)and it (FD) isnt coupled to the altitude alerter in non AP aircraft. In the case of our non-AP aircraft if you are flying the FD the pilot is basically the servo...lol:D. The AP itself is usually located on the center console about midway down by the Capt. right leg, if your using cockpit pics to locate it. The plane honestly doesnt need AP, because it trims hands free very easy, it is a joy to fly..just like your King air ( we call it a King Air Heavy). I know its ugly, but I love this plane....

Flew the 1900 for about 1000 hours in the 121 world. We did NOT have autopilot installed on ours, but I heard that autopilot is an option. I flew both the C and D models. The C had no glass at all. The D had a very basic EFIS. Since you are asking about the D I'll go more into it.

1. No AP on the ones I flew
2. FD was avail, but would not capture altitudes so was basically only useful in cruise or on an ILS.
3. We had no auto anything...no anti skid, no power steering, no FADEC or any other protection for the engines....no 1 button/1 knob engine starting...
4. Airplane is basic enough that if it is broke it is broke....it doesn't get confused like some other planes
5. Flies super stable once you get it trimmed out
6. Can hold a ton of ice
7. Once again noting is automatic so you have to turn on the ice protection. Boots don't have an auto mode you just pop em when the wing looks too scarey....on a side note the longer you let ice build up the better it breaks off....I never saw it truly "bridge", but if you blew the boots early not much ice came off.
8. Not sure if this is fleet wide or was more specific to my company but it was kinda common for one prop to go into ground idle during the flare if you hit idle before hitting the ground...that got fun fast.
9. Just remembered this and wish other planes I have flown had it...but you could preselect a course for the CDI and then when you got to the turn flip it to active and then you had time to set up your next turn.

All in all it was a good plane. It was easy to fly and straight forward. Was the only plane I flew that I felt was slightly overpowered which was nice. I would fly one again in a heart beat if the pay and QOL was right. V1 cuts were sporty....especially if they failed the autofeather as well.

Its been about 6 years since I flew the 1900, but thats pretty much what I remember about it.

Hey, thanks for the info! Left the King Air job about three years ago. Autopilot was terrible on that thing. I chose to hand fly. Was the best flying aircraft I've ever had the chance of putting my hands on. I still used to wish the AP functioned reliably on those longer legs. Especially when I was single pilot and digging out charts.

There is some interesting stuff in there. Thanks! Never heard of a prop going into ground idle in the flare. That would get interesting.

Thanks again!

Yup its happened to me once going into EYW, that'll get your attention real fast. Always keep torque in until your WOW....never flight idle at 2 feet, some of these birds will do this, so I just prefer to land with some power...

Sounds like it beats the hell out of the Junkstream I flew.