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Fishing enthusiast casts roomy King Air B200GT in star role
Fishing enthusiast Jimmy Jack has landed his dream aircraft - a new King Air B200GT. After building a transport company from scratch into a multi-million enterprise, he now runs the Carron Rod & Case Company which produces bespoke salmon fly rods, salmon and trout fly lines and leather sporting accessories.

Fishing enthusiast Jimmy Jack has landed his dream aircraft - a new King Air B200GT. After building a transport company from scratch into a multi-million enterprise, he now runs the Carron Rod & Case Company which produces bespoke salmon fly rods, salmon and trout fly lines and leather sporting accessories.

"My wife and I created the Carron Spey casting team to promote the company's specialised rods and lines," he says. "The team has won numerous casting championships and has broken world distance casting records. Carron rods and Carron Jetstream lines are now known all over the world."

Jimmy Jack, a qualified pilot, decided in 2008 that he was ready to acquire and pilot a turbine powered aircraft. "I was very impressed with the TBM 850. It is very fast, comfortable and great to fly. But I also took demonstration flights in every King Air model including the 90GT and B200GT. Then I hired a 350 to take our nine-strong casting team and equipment to Norway," he says.

"The added advantage of having the Raisbeck wing lockers for carrying long items such as fishing rods was fantastic." Lengthy discussions with King Air owners convinced him to opt for a B200GT with Raisbeck high flotation gear doors and wing lockers. "It is the first factory new B200GT to be certified with every Raisbeck product for this model. The package has enhanced performance leading edges, dual aft body strakes, high flotation gear doors and nacelle wing lockers. It also maximises the performance of the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-52 engines by including Raisbeck/Hartzell quiet turbofan propellers and the ram recovery system."

Jimmy Jack, who previously flew a Beechcraft Baron for 24 years, says: "The B200GT is a pleasure to fly and a reliable workhorse. Hawker Beechcraft, especially Howard Povey and his team, have been a pleasure to deal with and helpful with issues such as purchase, training and engineering."

A truck driver before he launched his own company in 1970 which focused on cargo handling, transport and crane hire, Jimmy Jack had to make time to gain a private pilot's certificate and build hours and experience. One day he was invited to fly right seat in a King Air. "That trip left a lasting impression on me. It became my dream that one day I might manage to own one."

When his transport, warehousing and crane hire activity steadily expanded into handling oil pipes and equipment destined for the North Sea, he acquired a 50 per cent interest in an A36 Bonanza. "But I needed to make water crossings to visit Norway, Sweden and Germany. So I decided to purchase a Baron B55. It was a beautiful, low-time twin with de-ice equipment, which was an important requirement for my extended missions around Scotland and the North Sea."

Jack continues to own and fly his B55 Baron using it for short hops with two or three passengers. But the B200GT is now his preferred aircraft. "I've made a number of trips in it including a skiing holiday. The skis nestle in those roomy lockers, so carrying five passengers on board plus luggage is easy. The B200 is an honest, reliable aircraft, and it's roomy, quiet and very comfortable."

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