Beechcraft delivers first King Air to Wheels Up

Wheels Up Beechcraft King Air 350i

The new King Air 350i is the first of 35 King Air’s that Wheels Up ordered earlier this year.

Wheels Up Beechcraft King Air 350i

Beechcraft delivered the first King Air 350i to Wheels Up in a special ceremony during the National Business Aviation Association in Las Vegas today. The private membership company placed a record-breaking order for up to 105 King Air 350i turboprobs earlier this year. The equipment contract (including options) is worth $788 million, with the maintenance bringing the overall value to $1.4 billion.

“Today’s delivery is the culmination of many months of collaborative work between the Beechcraft and Wheels Up teams to structure a program for mutual success,” says Shawn Vick, Beechcraft’s executive vice president, Sales and Marketing.

The first 35 Beechcraft King Airs will be delivered to Wheels Up between now and mid-2015, which includes an eight deliveries before the end of 2013. The deal includes options for 70 additional aircraft as Wheels Up expands nationally over the next two to three years.

“In our early days of selling and taking our program to the consumer, we’ve seen an overwhelming response and interest in the King Air 350i aircraft,” says Kenny Dichter, founder and chief executive officer of Wheels Up. “We are looking at history in the making in the private aviation business with the launch of the Wheels Up membership model, which offers travellers a total flight solution.”