King Air 90
ICAO BE9LThe smallest King Air, used for liaison and multi-engine training. Live King Air 90 positions.
Flying right now
Live · 30sAirframe
- Manufacturer
- Beechcraft
- Role
- Light utility transport and training
- Class
- L2T — Landplane, 2 turboprop engines
- Crew
- 2
- First flight
- 20 January 1964
- In service
- 1964
Operators airborne
About the King Air 90
The King Air 90 is the original of the family and the smallest of them, and its military life is mostly training. Canada uses a fleet of C90s at Portage la Prairie to teach multi-engine flying, and those aircraft — civil-registered, contractor-operated — are among the most consistent appearances on this page.
The US Navy flies the UC-12 variant for light transport, and a number of smaller air forces operate one or two for liaison and calibration work.
It is a modest aircraft doing modest jobs, but it flies constantly, which is why it shows up more than more glamorous types.
Callsign prefixes
- CFC
- Canforce — Royal Canadian Air Force training
- NAVY
- US Navy UC-12 flights
How to recognise it
- —A small low-wing twin turboprop with a conventional tail, not the T-tail of the larger King Airs.
- —Three-bladed propellers and a short cabin with four or five windows.
- —Visibly smaller than a C-12 Huron when seen together.
Common questions
+ How is the King Air 90 different from the C-12?
Size and tail. The 90 is the smallest of the family with a conventional tail; the C-12 is based on the larger King Air 200, which has a T-tail and a longer cabin.
+ Why are Canadian training aircraft civil-registered?
Multi-engine training in Canada is delivered under contract by a civilian provider, so the aircraft carry civil registrations while flying a military syllabus.
+ What is the UC-12?
The US Navy and Marine Corps designation for King Air-based light transports. Several variants exist across the King Air family, some under this designator and some under others.