FAA Certifies Raisbeck Swept Blade Propellers for King Air 350s; Deliveries Begin

Raisbeck Engineering announces the FAA certification of its 4-Blade Swept Propellers for the King Air 350 family.

The backlog of orders for the newest version of Raisbeck/Hartzell swept blade propellers has begun immediately, with first production shipset going to Raisbeck dealer Stevens Aviation in Dayton, OH, for installation on Denison Aviation’s Indianapolis-based 350. The second shipset is headed to Elliott Aviation in Des Moines, IA, for installation on Iowa State University’s 350. Both aircrafts’ OEM propellers were up for overhaul.

The FAA certification follows a four-year development program, including two-and-a-half years of flight testing of five different designs, including three five-blade versions. “This has been a most intense and interesting program, and included the flight-test evaluation of potential competitor products,” says Keith Anderson, Engineering vice president and chief engineer for Raisbeck. “Nowhere else have I had the luxury of testing other brands to introduce improvements prior to certification. The entire Swept Blade Propeller program with Hartzell—spanning the King Air 200 and C90/E90 series, and now the 350—has been a very rewarding program for all of us at Raisbeck.” Since launching the Swept Blade program, Raisbeck’s engineers have flight-tested 12 different propeller designs on King Airs.

Initial production rate has been set at four to five shipsets per month, adjustable upward until supply meets current demand. According to Bill Cadow, Raisbeck’s Sales vice president, “We expect a steady initial flow of orders coming just from the annual 40-plus in-service fleet of OEM props facing their third overhaul—a perfect time to upgrade.” Others will order to satisfy their particular needs for a quieter cabin, increased takeoff and climb performance, and ramp appeal.

Raisbeck’s engineers are now developing a companion EPIC Performance Package for the 350, which includes a target increase in maximum power cruise speed of over 10 knots. It will be an option for 350 prop purchasers and only offered with the Swept Blade Propellers. Current buyers of 350 propellers will be offered a very special price if they desire the EPIC Performance Package at a later date.