Behind the Scenes with Kevin Allen
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Introduction to AAI and King Air Maintenance
At Aircraft Accessories International (AAI), the King Air landing gear 6-year inspection and overhaul is one of the core jobs (our “bread and butter” if you will) that we’ve built our business on. As an FAA Part 145 repair station, we specialize in landing gear inspection, repair, and overhaul across the entire King Air fleet. We work closely with aircraft owners, A&P mechanics, fleet managers, and maintenance planners who all share the same goal: keeping aircraft safe, compliant, and flying with minimal downtime.
The Beechcraft King Air has been a cornerstone of business and utility aviation since its introduction in the 1960s. Its reputation for ruggedness, reliability, and versatility is well earned. You’ll find King Airs operating in nearly every corner of the world, serving private owners, charter fleets, medevac providers, and even military operators. From our perspective, it’s one of the most well-designed turboprop aircraft ever built – and a big part of that reliability comes down to a robust, well-engineered landing gear system.
This guide is designed to walk you through what a King Air landing gear 6-year inspection really involves, how it differs from an overhaul, what we typically find, and why choosing an experienced landing gear maintenance shop matters.
Overview of King Air Models and Their Unique Features
The King Air family includes several major model groups, each designed for different missions:
- 90 Series – Smaller, lighter aircraft commonly used by private owners and light commercial operators
- 100 Series – A step up in cabin size and capability
- 200 Series – One of the most popular variants, widely used in charter, corporate, and special-mission operations
- 300 Series – Larger, higher-capacity aircraft often seen in fleet and on-demand charter environments
While these aircraft vary in size, payload, and mission profile, they all share a common reality: a complex landing gear system that must be inspected and maintained at regular intervals.
From a maintenance standpoint, the landing gear across the King Air lineup is more similar than different. The designs vary slightly in geometry and attachment points, but the inspection requirements remain the same. No matter which King Air you operate, the landing gear is a critical system that demands close attention.
Inspection and Maintenance Intervals for King Air Landing Gear
Beechcraft mandates that King Air landing gear undergo a major inspection every six years or 8,000 cycles, whichever occurs first. For most operators, the calendar limit comes due well before cycle limits, although high-utilization aircraft can reach both.
This requirement isn’t a quick look or a simple visual check. The six-year / 8,000-cycle event requires:
- Removal of the main landing gear assemblies
- Removal of main gear drag braces
- Removal of the nose landing gear
- Removal of the nose gear drag brace
Once removed, these components must be sent to a qualified repair station for detailed inspection.
Electro-Mechanical Gear Systems
Some older King Air models use an electro-mechanical gear retraction system. For these aircraft, the inspection scope expands to include:
- Actuators
- Motors
- Gearboxes
These components are just as critical to safe operation and are subject to the same deep-level inspection requirements.
What Makes the King Air Landing Gear 6-Year Inspection So In-Depth?
The six-year King Air landing gear inspection goes far beyond routine line maintenance. While there are shorter interval inspections that involve visual checks for corrosion, cracking, or looseness, the six-year inspection is a full teardown event.
At AAI, this includes:
- Complete disassembly of each landing gear assembly
- Removal of all paint and protective coatings
- Detailed visual and dimensional inspection
- Non-destructive testing (NDT) where required
- Review of applicable service bulletins and ADs
Only after this level of inspection can hidden issues like subsurface corrosion, worn bores, or out-of-tolerance dimensions be identified and addressed.
Understanding King Air OEM Maintenance Instructions and Repair Strategies
One advantage of working on the King Air platform is that OEM maintenance instructions are readily available. Beechcraft provides detailed guidance on:
- Disassembly procedures
- Inspection criteria
- Reassembly and testing requirements
In addition, the Structural Repair Manual (SRM) outlines approved repair limits for certain conditions, such as oversized bushings or bolt holes.
Where OEM Guidance Falls Short
The challenge is that much of the King Air fleet is aging. In many cases, OEM repair limits simply don’t go far enough to address real-world wear.
That’s where experience and engineering come into play.
At AAI, when a component exceeds OEM limits, our first question is always:
“Can this be safely repaired instead of replaced?”
We work closely with engineers to develop approved repair solutions that:
- Extend component life
- Reduce replacement costs
- Minimize aircraft downtime
This mindset helps protect both the operator’s budget and their maintenance schedule.
Why In-House Capabilities Matter
Early on, we realized we couldn’t rely on outside vendors to support complex landing gear repairs. Lead times, quality control, and availability all impact aircraft downtime.
That’s why AAI has invested heavily in:
- An in-house machine shop
- Specialized tooling for landing gear repairs
- Capabilities like oversized bushing fabrication
By keeping these processes under one roof, we control quality, shorten turn times, and eliminate unnecessary delays.
King Air Landing Gear Reliability and Durability
Beechcraft deserves credit for designing a landing gear system that holds up exceptionally well under demanding conditions. In most cases, King Air landing gear makes it to the six-year inspection interval without early failure.
Early removals typically happen due to:
- Ground handling incidents
- Over-steering during towing
- Hard landings
Even then, catastrophic failures are rare. What we usually see is normal wear and environmental damage from heavy use, not design flaws.
Inspection vs. Overhaul: What’s the Difference?
This is one of the most common questions we hear.
From a regulatory standpoint, an overhaul requires that a component be:
- Disassembled
- Cleaned
- Inspected
- Repaired as necessary
- Reassembled
- Tested to approved data
While Beechcraft refers to the six-year event as an “inspection,” the reality is that performing the inspection correctly requires a full overhaul-level process.
At AAI, when a King Air landing gear comes in for a six-year inspection:
- All paint is removed
- All components are fully disassembled
- Hidden corrosion and damage are addressed
The result? The landing gear is returned with an overhauled 8130-3 certificate.
Common Findings During King Air Landing Gear Inspections
Across hundreds of King Air landing gear inspections, certain findings are extremely common:
Wear Items
- Worn bushings
- Out-of-tolerance bores
- High-time bearings
Bushings are designed to wear so that parent components don’t – and replacing them is often straightforward.
Precision measurement is critical. We inspect components down to the thousandth of an inch to ensure continued airworthiness.
Chrome Damage
- Chipped or flaking chrome
- Corrosion under chrome plating
Chrome acts as a sacrificial coating. Re-chroming pistons is often far more cost-effective than replacement.
Corrosion and Cracking
- Environmental corrosion, especially in harsh climates
- Fatigue cracking in high-load areas
Axles, Pistons, and Specialized Repairs
Certain components require specialized handling:
- Axles – Often replaced due to wear; installation involves shrink-fitting and precision drilling
- Pistons – Common candidates for stripping, re-chroming, and regrinding
- Housings and Trunnions – May require engineered oversized bushing repairs
These repairs highlight the value of an experienced shop with deep King Air-specific knowledge.
Timelines and Coordination for King Air Maintenance
At AAI, we target a 20–30 day turnaround time on a typical King Air landing gear six-year inspection, depending on findings.
Our process includes:
- Rapid teardown and inspection
- Inspection report completion within the early phase
- Early communication of findings and repair options
This allows operators to coordinate landing gear work with:
- Engine overhauls
- Propeller overhauls
- Paint, avionics, or interior upgrades
Downtime planning is critical, and we work hard not to be the bottleneck.
Spare Parts Inventory and Exchange Options
To further reduce downtime, AAI maintains a large inventory of King Air landing gear components, including:
- Bushings
- Axles
- Pistons
- Trunnions
- Complete landing gear ship sets
When needed, we can offer exchange options, allowing operators to get back in the air while we assume the repair downtime.
8130 Airworthiness Certification and Why It Matters
Every King Air landing gear assembly returned from AAI is accompanied by an FAA Form 8130-3.
This documentation assures the installing mechanic that the component:
- Was processed under a certified quality system
- Meets approved data requirements
- Is safe and airworthy for return to service
For six-year inspections, that 8130 reflects an overhauled component, not just a cursory inspection.
AAI’s Experience and Capabilities in King Air Maintenance
King Air landing gear inspection and overhaul is one of the core jobs we do day in and day out. We’ve seen the problems, developed the repairs, and invested in the tooling and training to best support the needs of our customers.
Whether you’re sending in:
- A complete landing gear ship set
- A single drag brace
- A component another shop couldn’t finish
AAI can step in as a resource and a solution.
Choosing the right landing gear repair station matters. Experience matters. And when it comes to King Air landing gear, having a partner who understands both the airplane and the realities of aircraft ownership can make all the difference.
Need help planning your next King Air 6-year landing gear inspection or overhaul?
AAI is here to help you find the problems, solve them efficiently, and get your aircraft back in the air – safely and confidently.