29-538: The Beechcraft Queen Air is a twin-engined light aircraft produced by Beechcraft in numerous versions from 1960 to 1978. Based upon the Twin Bonanza , with which it shared key components such as wings, engines, and tail surfaces, it had a larger fuselage, and served as the basis for the highly successful King Air series of turboprop aircraft. Its primary uses have been as a private aircraft, utility, and small commuter airliner . Production ran for 17 years. With
58-469: A brand of Textron Aviation. Beech Aircraft Company was founded in Wichita, Kansas , in 1932 by Walter Beech as president, his wife Olive Ann Beech as secretary, Ted A. Wells as vice president of engineering, K. K. Shaul as treasurer, and investor C. G. Yankey as vice president. The company began operations in an idle Cessna factory. With designer Ted Wells, they developed the first aircraft under
87-450: A new, longer wing, increasing wingspan from 45 feet 10 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (13.98 m) to 50 feet 3 inches (15.32 m). Other major changes included a redesign of the aircraft nose, an increase in fuel capacity, and a 500-pound increase in takeoff weight to 8,500 lb (3,900 kg) gross. 121 built between 1964 and 1966. Introduced in 1966, the B80 became
116-521: A straight unswept tail. It had a gross weight of 7,700 lb (3,500 kg). Usually referred to as a "straight 65". 316 built from 1959 to 1967. First produced in 1967, the A65 is very similar to the straight 65. The major change was the addition of a swept tail with a dorsal fin. Available fuel was also increased, with a maximum capacity of 264 US gal (220 imp gal; 1,000 L) when auxiliary tanks are fitted. A dedicated airliner version,
145-488: A substantially complete investigation of compliance with the applicable regulations will be required. Some civil aviation authorities also issue Limited or LSTCs that are only applicable to a single aircraft or small number of specific serial numbers. The United States regulations for STCs are found at 14 CFR 21.111. The European Union regulations for STCs are found Commission Regulation (EU) No 748/2012 of 3 August 2012 as amended, Part-21, Subpart E et seq. In 2010 at
174-590: Is under the purview of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The determination of whether a proposed change in design, power, thrust, or weight to an existing type certified aircraft, engine, or propeller is acceptable under a STC is proposed by the design holder, and subjected to the approval of the FAA. If the FAA finds that the proposed changes are too substantial, a new type certificate will be required under 14 CFR 21.19. In this case,
203-635: The King Air and Super King Air line of twin-engined turboprops, in production since 1964, the Baron , a twin-engined variant of the Bonanza, and the Beechcraft Model 18, originally a business transport and commuter airliner from the late 1930s through the 1960s, which remains in active service as a cargo transport. In 1950, Olive Ann Beech was installed as president and CEO of the company, after
232-627: The "Travel Air" name, while Curtiss-Wright built the CW-12, 14, 15, and 16 as well as previous successful Travel Air models (mostly the model 4). In 1942 Beech won its first Army-Navy "E" Award production award and became one of the elite five percent of war contracting firms in the country to win five straight awards for production efficiency, mostly for the production of the Beechcraft Model 18 which remains in widespread use worldwide. Beechcraft ranked 69th among United States corporations in
261-515: The 88 look quite similar to a 90 series King Air. The first two models of the King Air's official designation were 65-90 and 65-A90 owing to its Queen Air heritage. Th Excalibur is an up-engined aftermarket modification to the 65 performed by supplemental type certificates (STC). It replaced the six-cylinder Lycoming IGSO-480 and Lycoming IGSO-540 with the far more robust eight-cylinder 400 hp (300 kW) Lycoming IO-720 . This eliminated
290-551: The A65-8200 Queen Airliner was available with an increased gross weight of 8,200 lb (3,700 kg). A total of 96 A65s were built between 1967 and 1970. Introduced in 1968, the 70 is essentially an A65 with the B80 wing. This allows the 70 to have a greater lifting ability than the 65 but a lower fuel burn and operating cost than the 80. It. Its gross weight is 8,200 lb (3,700 kg). A total of 35 were built between 1969 and 1971. The 80 (also known as
319-668: The Beechcraft name, the classic Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing , which first flew in November 1932. Over 750 Staggerwings were built, with 352 manufactured for the United States Army Air Forces and 67 for the United States Navy during World War II . Beechcraft was not Beech's first company, as he had previously formed Travel Air in 1924 and the design numbers used at Beechcraft followed
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#1732779663629348-526: The Model 65-80) was the first of the Queen Airs to have the swept tail, although it retained the short wings of the Model 65. First flown on June 22, 1961, and certified on February 20, 1962, it was powered by 380 hp (280 kW) Lycoming IGSO-540 and had a gross weight of 8,000 lb (3,600 kg). 148 built from 1962 to 1963. The A80 (also known as the Model 65-A80) was introduced in 1964 with
377-507: The T-6 and AT-6 military trainer/attack aircraft, as well as the piston-powered single-engined Bonanza and twin-engined Baron aircraft. The jet line was discontinued, but the new company continues to support the aircraft already produced with parts, plus engineering and airworthiness documentation. By October 2013, the company, now financially turned around, was up for sale. On December 26, 2013, Textron agreed to purchase Beechcraft, including
406-642: The United States Army, which had been a customer of the Twin Bonanza (designated the L-23 Seminole), ordered 68 aircraft under the designation L-23F . The prototype Beech 65 first flew on August 28, 1958, with the production model receiving a Federal Aviation Authority type certificate on February 4, 1959; initial deliveries were made soon after. On February 8, 1960, a Queen Air achieved a new height record of 34,862 feet. The basic Model 65
435-591: The company's popular Twin Bonanza reaching its limits of development, Beechcraft decided to develop a design based on it but with a larger fuselage and new tail. The result was the Beech 65, the first of the Queen Air series, a twin-engined nine-seat low-wing cantilever cabin monoplane with retractable tricycle landing gear. It was initially powered by two 340 hp (250 kW) Lycoming IGSO-480 six-cylinder, horizontally opposed piston engines. Early in development
464-538: The discontinued Hawker jet line, for $ 1.4 billion. The sale was concluded in the first half of 2014, with government approval. Textron CEO Scott Donnelly indicated that Beechcraft and Cessna would be combined to form a new light aircraft manufacturing concern, Textron Aviation , that would result in US$ 65M–$ 85M in annual savings over keeping the companies separate. Textron has kept both the Beechcraft and Cessna names as separate brands. As of July 2019, Textron Aviation
493-700: The field of general aviation manufacturing, along with Cessna and Piper Aircraft . In 1973, Beechcraft found Beechcraft Heritage Museum to host its historical aircraft. In 1994, Raytheon merged Beechcraft with the Hawker product line it had acquired in 1993 from British Aerospace , forming Raytheon Aircraft Company . In 2002, the Beechcraft brand was revived to again designate the Wichita-produced aircraft. In 2006, Raytheon sold Raytheon Aircraft to Goldman Sachs creating Hawker Beechcraft . Since its inception Beechcraft has resided in Wichita, Kansas , also
522-405: The final Queen Air and had by far the longest production run in the series, some 12 years. Available with either 380 hp Lycoming IGSO-540-A1A or 360 hp (270 kW) Lycoming IGSO-540-A1D engines, its major improvement was the increased gross weight to a 8,800 lb (4,000 kg). 242 built from 1966 to 1977. A single Model 85D was built with construction number LN-1. It later became
551-491: The home of chief competitor Cessna, the birthplace of Learjet and of Stearman , whose trainers were used in large numbers during WW II. The entry into bankruptcy of Hawker Beechcraft on May 3, 2012, ended with its emergence on February 16, 2013, as a new entity, Beechcraft Corporation, with the Hawker Beechcraft name being retired. The new and much smaller company produce the King Air line of aircraft as well as
580-509: The need for a gearbox or superchargers and their associated maintenance and potential reliability problems, at the expense of being limited to a cruising altitude below fifteen thousand feet. Gross weights increased to 8,000 lb (3,600 kg) for all short-wing aircraft (65, A65, 80), 8,200 lb (3,700 kg) for the 70, and 8800 for the other long-wing aircraft (A80, B80, 88). The US Army National Guard installed this modification on some of their aircraft. The Excalibur can be recognized by
609-428: The noticeably smaller engine cowlings and lower-set engines. It was originally designed and produced by Ed Swearingen, who was well known for his work on the Twin Bonanza, Queen Air, and later Merlin and Metro Swearingen aircraft. The ownership of the pictured aircraft changed hands many times over the years, and was Bemidji Aviation , an operator of Excalibur Queen Airs as well as other charter and freight aircraft in
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#1732779663629638-416: The prototype for the Model 65-88. First flown on 2 July 1965, the Model 88 was introduced later that year. The only pressurized Queen Air, it shares the engines and long wing of the B80. Sales were slack due to its higher sales price and lower useful load as compared to the B80, and ended in 1969. Only 47 examples were produced, of which two were converted to King Air standard. Its round cabin windows make
667-463: The sequence started at Travel Air, and were then continued at Curtiss-Wright, after Travel Air had been absorbed into the much larger company in 1929. Beech had become president of Curtiss-Wright's airplane division and VP of sales, but was dissatisfied with being so far removed from aircraft production. He quit to form Beechcraft, using the original Travel Air facilities and employing many of the same people. Model numbers prior to 11/11000 were built under
696-406: The sudden death of her husband from a heart attack on November 29 of that year. She continued as CEO until Beech was purchased by Raytheon Company on February 8, 1980. Ted Wells had been replaced as chief engineer by Herbert Rawdon, who remained at the post until his retirement in the early 1960s. Throughout much of the mid-to-late 20th century, Beechcraft was considered one of the "Big Three" in
725-580: The upper mid-west of the United States, at the time of the photo in 2011. Production numbers of Beechcraft Queen Airs by variant: Data from Janes's All The World's Aircraft 1976-77 . General characteristics Performance Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Beechcraft Beechcraft is an American brand of civil aviation and military aircraft owned by Textron Aviation since 2014, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas . Originally, it
754-486: The value of World War II military production contracts. After the war, the Staggerwing was replaced by the revolutionary Beechcraft Bonanza with a distinctive V-tail . Perhaps the best known Beech aircraft, the single-engined Bonanza has been manufactured in various models since 1947. The Bonanza has had the longest production run of any airplane, past or present, in the world. Other important Beech aircraft are
783-497: Was a brand of Beech Aircraft Corporation , an American manufacturer of general aviation , commercial , and military aircraft , ranging from light single-engined aircraft to twin-engined turboprop transports, business jets , and military trainers . Beech later became a division of Raytheon and then Hawker Beechcraft before a bankruptcy sale turned its assets over to Textron (parent company of Beech's historical cross-town Wichita rival, Cessna Aircraft Company ). It remains
812-488: Was in production until 1967, overlapped by the introduction of other variants, and was followed by improved Model A65 with a swept rather than vertical tail. Variants introduced a longer wing in some models, as well as pressurization in one. The Queen Air series ended in 1978. This is the initial version of the Queen Air, powered by two 340 hp (250 kW) Lycoming IGSO-480s . Fitted with short span ( 45 feet 10 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (13.98 m)) wings and
841-409: Was producing the following models under the Beechcraft brand name: Supplemental type certificate A supplemental type certificate ( STC ) is a civil aviation authority -approved major modification or repair to an existing type certified aircraft, engine or propeller. As it adds to the existing type certificate , it is deemed "supplemental". In the United States issuance of such certificates
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