Just wondering what the range is for the Beech 1900. I was on a flight from DSM-MKE last week and overheard a member of the ground crew say that the pilot landed with 126 gallons. Is that cutting it too close?

I was feeling cramped after sitting on the aircraft for 1 1/2 hours and the guy in front of me at a bulkhead seat (1-B?) was 6'1' or so and obviously could not get comfortable.

The 1900D Passenger configuration has a fuel capacity of 665 gallons (US), the 1900C Passenger configuration has a capacity of 667 gallons. So it looks like he landed with nearly a 19% reserve.

Now, if he'd said 126 pounds . . .

DSM-MKE is 311 miles

I've flown MKE-STL (317 miles) a few times in the Beech. With high winds slowing things down and forcing circling the airport, my longest flight was over 2 hours wheels up to wheels down. A long time in a cramped plane with no lav or service!

I do know that the B1900 often shuttle fuel. Basically they fill up once in MKE and then do the round-trip without refueling at the outstation. While it's more expensive to carry the extra weight on the outbound, it saves money by not having to contract fuel at each little airport.

Once on a GRR-MKE leg we were about to depart when the pilot announced we were going to take on fuel in GRR, something they normally didn't do, due to high winds on the way there.

If anyone here knows; I would love to know what the fuel burn rate is for the B1900, and at what level the pilot would have mentioned his fuel level to the tower to get priority landing.

Hi,

From here;

http://www.ameriflight.com/Misc/Aircraft/be1900.htm

fuel consumption is 110 GPH ( gallons per hour) so given 126 gallons remaining on landing, enough for an hour's flying time?

Regards

TBS

Unfortunately, the flying pencil is the antithesis of best care in the air.

I love these... I'm at the gate right now, about to get on one in fact.

My most fun flight on a Beech was Toronto-Allentown. Weather was bad in Allentown/Philadelphia/Newark but pilot said we would give it a try (the next morning's flight back was quite full).

11/2 hour bouncing in the clouds going there. Can't land. Another 1 1/2 hour bouncing in the clouds coming back.

Spent the (Friday) night in Toronto. Fun times.

The FAA requires a 45-minute fuel reserve (although Midwest may have it's own internal fuel policy). The pilot would probably not report low fuel to the tower until he dipped into that reserve. Landing with just over an hour's fuel is fairly routine with smaller aircraft, but I think the jets usually like to have a little more than that.

I don't mind MKE-GRR or MSN, but STL and DSM are a bit far in such a cramped plane. Since the leases on the B1900 are up within a year, they might not be around much longer.

I do have to say, before 9/11 when the pilots wouldn't close the door to the cockpit and you could watch the flight and landing, I looked forward to flights in the Beech the most! I flew MKE-MSN one dark stormy night and sat right up front. Watching that landing through the front window was an awesome experience!

I flew this useless piece of _______ MKE-GRR-YYZ. Had to deplane at GRR just to take a whiz. Never again.