EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016: Boeing Centennial Plaza - NOAA Beechcraft King Air

Fred Harl and Carmelo Turdo

The Aero Experience continues our year-round coverage of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016, sponsored by Air Associates, with a look at another aircraft on display in Boeing Centennial Plaza - the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Beechcraft B300 (350CER) King Air.  We captured our photos on an overcast Thursday morning and again later on the weekend under better natural light.

The NOAA King Air is employed on mapping and emergency response missions for the National Geodetic Survey Remote Sensing Division.  The aircraft carries remote sensing systems, including cameras and a variety of sensors, in two downward-pointing ports.  Data from the missions are used to update airport approach procedures and obstruction charts, contribute to shoreline management and support the National Airspace System.  The crew of 4-5 pilots and sensor operators can remain airborne for up to 8 hours in a pressurized or unpressurized environment.  The mature King Air design provides a low-risk, reliable multi-mission platform for these less glamorous, yet essential data-gathering missions.  

NOAA was one of several federal government agencies represented at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016.  We will feature the others in the next few posts in the series.