One Brick Short

If ever an airplane could be said to have a “can do” attitude and an “eager to please” work ethic, this is the one. Our flagship Beechcraft King Air model, the next-generation King Air 350, offers the utmost in versatility and capability—making it the definitive “go anywhere, do anything” aircraft.—From the Beechcraft Website

Senior Airman Eric Schloeffel, USAF, in a special report prepared for the American Forces Press Service tells us that the Iraqi Air Force’s 3rd Squadron “took another step on the path to establish a fully functioning airpower capability” as the Iraqi pilots took the controls of a King Air 350 for the first time.

The King Air is the most advanced aircraft in Iraq’s arsenal and enhances the abilities of this reborn air force, Senior Airman Schloeffel writes. It’s also quite comfortable and popular among the business traveling set stateside.

Fill all eight seats in the luxurious double-club cabin. Fill the class leading heated, pressurized, and in-flight-accessible baggage area – the largest in its class. Then, fill the tanks with fuel (enough to fly nearly 1,500-statue miles) and you are ready to take on anything, for business or pleasure.

Or, apparently, war.
“This flight signifies another beginning for the Iraqi air force,“ said U.S. Air Force Capt. Chris Spangenberg, an instructor pilot with the 870th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron. “The King Air gives them a 21st century capability that can be integrated into the overall mission with ground forces. This first flight will open a whole new chapter in this quickly accelerating air force.“

The King Air is a twin-engined, turbo-prop aircraft, proof that the Iraqis will soon be doing it for themselves in the skies over Baghdad. Today twin props, tomorrow Lear Jets.

According to the Armed Forces Press, the aircraft “initially will support training and distinguished visitor-transport missions. As future aircraft arrive, missions also will include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance flights over Iraqi skies to spot insurgents and provide overwatch of critical infrastructure.“

The Iraqi air force previously was flying primarily Cessna 208 and CH-2000 aircraft to accomplish reconnaissance missions, but King Air aircraft have several advantages, which make them a better option, military officials said.

“The King Air is faster than existing assets, allowing it to rapidly arrive on station at any location in the country,“ Spangenberg said. “It also has more endurance, allowing for longer on-station times. The King Air also has a 21st century flight-management system that is complex by any standard and requires much more training.“

Iraqi pilots seemed energized to fly their first mission in the new “jewel of the Iraqi Air Force,“ a jewel that may also be found in the crowns of hundreds of charter airlines throughout the world.

“I feel excited to get up in the air, because we are the first Iraqis to fly this type of aircraft,“ an Iraqi pilot said. “We consider this a step up from what we have been flying and thank the Americans for giving us this opportunity. We’ve trained hard to get here and had great cooperation with the U.S. Air Force the whole way.“

According to Spangenberg, the inaugural King Air flight was a complete success as the Iraqis took months of training to the sky in the name of their country.

“The flight went very well,“ he said. “The Iraqis are very competent pilots. We are now teaching them to fly and employ a new weapon system, which is always a challenge no matter how good a pilot is. We will fly student sorties with the King Air consistently for the next several months but look forward to the near future when two Iraqi pilots are sent out without an American onboard.“

Iraqi pilots already have achieved some initial successes, as an all-Iraqi crew on a recent mission spotted several terrorists manufacturing improvised explosive devices. The crewmembers alerted Iraqi police, who arrived on scene soon after to impede the terrorists’ efforts, Armed Forces Press reported.

By combining high performance, luxury and advanced engineering with unparalleled distinction, the Beechcraft King Air 350 represents the perfect way to get from here to there … while thoroughly enjoying the ride.

And kicking some insurgent buttocks