Beech 1900 Lack of Autopilot Question

jwp_145

jwp_145

GhostRider in the Sky
WHy is it that the 1900 does not have an autopilot? All of the King Airs I've been in have one on the pedestal, or if a new one, on the glareshield.
 
According to Tab Express' website (circa 2002) they take them out so you can learn to fly the plane yourself.
 
But there must be a logical answer. Heck even the Baron in your pic has one, and it doesn't carry a dozen people.
 
jwp_145 said:
But there must be a logical answer. Heck even the Baron in your pic has one, and it doesn't carry a dozen people.
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I actually enjoy hand flying the Baron over using the autopilot. In all seriousness, I'm not sure of the exact answer but I think it has to do with weight.
 
jwp_145 said:
But there must be a logical answer. Heck even the Baron in your pic has one, and it doesn't carry a dozen people.
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I'd have to say the simple answer is that they can be operated without them pretty easily and it reduces maintenance cost. Some of AMF's have autopilots and some of them don't. It's the same way with their 99's.
 
beechpilot said:
I actually enjoy hand flying the Baron over using the autopilot. In all seriousness, I'm not sure of the exact answer but I think it has to do with weight.
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My friend had a Be55 with some ancient autopilot... when you clicked on or off the altitude hold the airplane lurched like you just hit clear air turb!

And the STec in the SR20s is not much better with heading mode... just oscillates back and forth.
 
I flew the 1900 and it was a very stable aircraft. Most of the block times were around an hour so it probably wouldn't have decreased workload that much.

At Skyway, it was a VOR to VOR airplane so there was really not much else to tinker with.
 
jwp_145 said:
My friend had a Be55 with some ancient autopilot... when you clicked on or off the altitude hold the airplane lurched like you just hit clear air turb!

And the STec in the SR20s is not much better with heading mode... just oscillates back and forth.
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Yeah, I hear ya. I've run into that on occasion. That's when you're like "damn't, I've had enough of this!" and just handfly.
 
Doug Taylor said:
I flew the 1900 and it was a very stable aircraft. Most of the block times were around an hour so it probably wouldn't have decreased workload that much.

At Skyway, it was a VOR to VOR airplane so there was really not much else to tinker with.
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Were you guys a B190/A? At least then you could count down the DME.
 
Actually, we had TCAS so it was a different designation I think, but for the most part, /A.
 
Weight issue.

When the weights changed, it got harder to load a 1900 all the way if you have bad weather. The auto pilot and supporting equipment weighs close to 200 lbs.

That, and the mx issue. Because the 1900 under 121 is a 2 pilot operation, there is no need for the autopilot.. so why spend money on it.
 
Since virtually all 1900s were sold to regional airlines with 2 pilot crews, there wasn't a need for an auto pilot. You already have a second pilot anyway, why pay for the upkeep for a third.

Now that many 1900s are showing up as freight feeders flown by a single pilot, "george" is being installed. I'm not sure if an AP is required per the MEL or not if it is flown single pilot.

One of the AMF pilots told me that they own the STC for the autopilot in the B99, since it never had one from the factory.
 
USMCmech said:
One of the AMF pilots told me that they own the STC for the autopilot in the B99, since it never had one from the factory.
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They are just starting to make auto pilots standard equipment in all the aircraft. It's a slooowww process. They've been working on it for almost 2 years.:)
 
jwp_145 said:
WHy is it that the 1900 does not have an autopilot? All of the King Airs I've been in have one on the pedestal, or if a new one, on the glareshield.
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The aircraft was certified under Part 23 (commuter category) standards. Does not require things like autopilot, flight control disconnects, or the same electrical bus separations you are required to have on a Part 25 aircraft. You can always add it on but it costs $$$

Part 23 is much easier to certify than Part 25 aircraft. Part 23 aircraft in the commuter clause cannot weigh more than 19,000lbs on takeoff. 1900 pilots: What is the max takeoff weight of the 1900 (17,120 or something. Like to hear from the guys with a lav onboard the 1900)? Autopilots cost a lot of money and weight that could be a pax bag, you don't need it.
 
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