Aircraft overview
The Beechcraft 1900 is a pressurised, twin-turboprop commuter aircraft developed from the King Air line. Its low wing, retractable landing gear and T-tail accompany a cabin sized for 19 passengers. It serves the smaller end of regional airline transport.
Development began in 1979 from the Beech B200, and the original model was certified in 1983. The 1900D introduced a deeper, stand-up cabin and different engines, control surfaces and weight limits. It received FAA approval on 19 March 1991.
Photograph: Alec Wilson · 15 September 2021 · Photo source: F-GLNF (51478626757) · CC BY-SA 2.0
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At a glance
Beech 1900D · technical specification dated March 2022; C-model figures remain separate
- Engines
- Two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67D turboprops1900D installation.
- Passenger / crew seating
- 19 passengers + two crew seatsMaximum seating arrangement, not a minimum-crew ruling.
- Maximum take-off mass
- 17,120 lb · 7,765 kg1900D whole-aircraft limit.
- Length / wingspan
- 17.628 m / 17.657 m1900D dimensions.
- Height
- 4.542 mAt a 3° ground attitude.
- Cabin
- Pressurised; stand-up heightThe D’s fuselage is 14 inches deeper than the earlier design.
- Propeller installation
- Hartzell HC-E4A-3(x) / E10950 series1900D approved propeller model family.
In Air Defender
Role guidance · v0.8.16.0
Air Defender v0.8.16.0 lists the Beechcraft 1900 as a regional airliner. The game’s family name does not specifically select a 1900C or 1900D; the D is the real-aircraft example here.
Compare the unpressurised Twin Otter and the larger ATR 72. Use Aircraft Data with flight-plan information when investigating a contact.
Game catalogue values · v0.8.16.0
In-game specifications
These figures come from the game’s general aircraft reference. A matching civilian register entry can supply different fields in Aircraft Data. How to read the two layouts →
- Role
- Regional Airliner
- Category
- Regional Aircraft
- Service ceiling
- 25,000 ftA reference upper height. Read Flight Info for the contact’s present height.
- Maximum speed
- 280 knotsA reference maximum, not the speed the aircraft is flying now.
- Cruise speed
- 260 knotsA typical speed for the main part of a flight, not a guaranteed commanded speed.
- Stall speed
- 83 knotsA reference for specified conditions. Stalling means the wing loses lift, not that an engine stops.
- Typical crew
- 2
- Powerplant
- Twin turboprop engines (Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A) Compare engine types →
- Manufacturer
- Beechcraft (USA)
Use the right procedure
In depth
From the King Air to a commuter aircraft
The 1900 programme extended the B200 design for 19-passenger commuter services. The constant-section fuselage was lengthened, while the structure behind the rear door was shortened. Certification of the original 1900 and 1900C was completed on 22 November 1983.
Structure and pressurisation
The family uses all-metal construction, a low wing, retractable landing gear and a T-tail. Its pressurised cabin distinguishes it from unpressurised utility transports of a similar passenger capacity.
The 1900D’s fuselage is 14 inches deeper, giving its passenger cabin standing height. The change was accompanied by revisions to the engines, control surfaces and approved weights, rather than simply fitting a taller interior.
PT6A-67D powerplant
Two PT6A-67D engines power the 1900D. As turboprops, they use turbine power to turn propellers. The earlier 1900 and 1900C use PT6A-65B engines. The PT6A-67D installation described here is for the 1900D.
Passengers, cargo door and weight
Both the C and D have a 19-passenger seating scale, but the C designation identifies the cargo-door model. The maximum arrangement provides two crew seats in addition to the 19 passenger seats.
The 1900D take-off limit is 17,120 lb. The earlier C has its own baseline and weight-increase-kit limits; those are not alternative figures for an unspecified D.
Variants
1900 / 1900C
Earlier PT6A-65B-powered models; the C identifies the cargo-door configuration.
1900D
Deeper stand-up passenger cabin, PT6A-67D engines and revised controls and weights; FAA-approved in 1991.
After 1998
2016 · type-certificate ownership
The type-certificate holder became Textron Aviation on 12 October 2016. That later corporate change does not alter Beechcraft’s place in the aircraft’s development history.