Designed by Carl Mortenson and The King's Engineering Fellowship to be well-suited for missionary work from remote locations around the world, it is a low-wing cantilever monoplane with a retractable tricycle undercarriage and eight seats.

The design is largely conventional, with the exception that the engine nacelles are mounted on top of the wings in a pusher configuration.

The first flight took place on 13 January 1984, and FAA type certification was achieved on 20 October 1992.

The first Chinese example was substantially completed in May 2016 before the Hubei local government financed a manufacturing plant.

[2] On 14 December 2019, an Angel 44 crashed into a field of corn near the airport at Mareeba, Queensland, Australia at 11.15am during what is believed to be a training flight.