Fleet guide › King Air 250
Turboprop

King Air 250

King Air 250 exterior

Overview

The Beechcraft King Air 250 is a capable twin-turboprop that has earned its place as a workhorse of African business and safari charter. Seating up to eight, it combines a comfortable pressurised cabin with strong hot-and-high performance and the ability to operate from shorter, unpaved strips that exclude jets. Fast enough for meaningful regional distances yet rugged enough for remote fields, the 250 is a versatile all-rounder.

Key specifications

Manufactured by Beechcraft (Textron Aviation), 2011-present.

Passengers
up to 8
Cruise speed
519 km/h
280 kt
Range
2,408 km
1,300 NM
Min runway
1.01 km
3,300 ft
Ceiling
10,668 m
35,000 ft
Baggage
1.6 m3
Airstrips
Paved & unpaved
King Air 250 cabin interior

Detailed specifications

Years of manufacture
2011-present
Number produced
500+
Max take-off weight
5,670 kg
Max payload
1,100 kg
Empty weight
3,455 kg
Crew
1-2
Engines
2 x P&WC PT6A-52 turboprops
Wingspan
17.65 m
Length
13.36 m

Chartering the King Air 250 in Africa

For charter across Africa, the King Air 250 is typically positioned from its home base to your departure airport, flown to your destination, and returned afterwards — the estimate you see on a route search already accounts for this full rotation. Whether it suits a given trip depends on the runway at each end, the distance, and how many seats you need. Search any route to see a live estimate for the King Air 250 alongside every other aircraft that can fly it, then send an enquiry to have operators confirm the exact price.

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Images are representative of the aircraft type — the actual aircraft, cabin layout and interior finish depend on the operating carrier. Specifications are typical planning figures for charter use and vary by individual aircraft configuration. Charter prices are computed estimates confirmed by the operating carrier through the inquiry process.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to charter a King Air 250 in Africa?

The King Air 250 is chartered as a whole aircraft, not per seat. Planning rates start around US$3,300 per occupied flight hour before airport, handling and navigation charges. On most African sectors the larger variable is positioning: if no King Air 250 is sitting at your departure airport, the empty leg flown in to collect you is priced into the quote, which is why a short hop can cost more than its flight time suggests. Every route page on this site shows the all-in estimate rather than the bare hourly rate.

How many passengers can the King Air 250 carry?

Up to 8 passengers in the cabin layout typically offered for charter in Africa. Operators configure individual aircraft differently, so the usable seat count on the specific tail allocated to your trip is confirmed at quote stage, along with baggage allowance, which is usually the binding limit on safari and golf trips rather than seats.

What is the range of the King Air 250?

The King Air 250 plans to roughly 1,300 nautical miles (about 2,408 km) with normal reserves. From its Johannesburg base that reaches scheduled airports in 15 African countries without a fuel stop. Hot and high departures, strong headwinds and a full cabin all reduce that figure, so longer sectors are planned with a technical stop where needed.

Which African airports can the King Air 250 use?

It needs roughly 3,300 ft of paved runway at typical charter weights. On our airport data that covers 362 of the 394 African airports with scheduled service, before allowing for elevation, temperature and runway condition on the day. Its short-field performance also opens up regional and bush strips that jets cannot use, which is what makes it the workhorse for safari and remote-site flying.

Where is the King Air 250 based in Africa?

King Air 250 aircraft in our fleet data are based at Entebbe, Gaborone, Johannesburg, Lusaka, Nairobi. Departing from or near one of those cities keeps positioning cost down, because the aircraft does not have to fly an empty leg to reach you.

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