HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Beechcraft Baron is a
light Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that can be perceived by the human eye. Visible light is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400–700 nanometres (nm), corresponding to frequencies of 750–420 te ...
twin-engined
piston A piston is a component of reciprocating engines, reciprocating pumps, gas compressors, hydraulic cylinders and pneumatic cylinders, among other similar mechanisms. It is the moving component that is contained by a cylinder and is made gas- ...
aircraft designed and produced by
Beechcraft Beechcraft is an American brand of civil aviation and military aircraft owned by Textron Aviation since 2014, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas. Originally, it was a brand of Beech Aircraft Corporation, an American manufacturer of general avi ...
. The aircraft was introduced in 1961. A low-wing monoplane developed from the Travel Air, it remains in production.


Design and development

The direct predecessor of the Baron was the Beechcraft 95 Travel Air, which incorporated the fuselage of the Bonanza and the tail control surfaces of the
T-34 Mentor The Beechcraft T-34 Mentor is an American propeller-driven, single-engined, military trainer aircraft derived from the Beechcraft Bonanza, Beechcraft Model 35 Bonanza. The earlier versions of the T-34, dating from around the late 1940s to the ...
military trainer. To create the new airplane, the Travel Air's tail was replaced with that of the
Beechcraft Debonair The Beechcraft Bonanza is an American general aviation aircraft introduced in 1947 by Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. The six-seater, single-engined aircraft is still being produced by Beechcraft and has been in continuous prod ...
, the engine nacelles were streamlined, six-cylinder engines were added, and the aircraft's name was changed. In 1960, the Piper Aztec was introduced, using two 250 hp
Lycoming O-540 The Lycoming O-540 is a family of air-cooled six-cylinder, horizontally opposed fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter engines of displacement, manufactured by Lycoming Engines. The engine is a six-cylinder version of the four-cylinder Lycoming ...
engines; Cessna too had improved its 310 with two Continental IO-470 D, producing 260 hp. Meanwhile, Beechcraft's
Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on ...
had been improved with a Continental IO-470-N. But the answer to competition was to make a true twin-engined variant of the Bonanza. The first model, the 55, was powered by two six-cylinder IO-470-L engines producing 260 hp at 2,625rpm each; it was introduced in 1961. The first Baron included the fully-swept vertical stabilizer of the Debonair while still retaining the four to four+five place seating of the Travel Air.


Variants

Barons come in three basic types: the Baron 55 (short body), Baron 56 (short body) and Baron 58 (long body), with several sub-variants each.


Baron 55

The early Baron 55, A55 and B55 were fitted with Continental IO-470 engines and had gross weights of 4880 to 5100 lb (2,200 to 2,300 kg). These had a typical cruise speed of 190
knot A knot is an intentional complication in Rope, cordage which may be practical or decorative, or both. Practical knots are classified by function, including List of hitch knots, hitches, List of bend knots, bends, List of loop knots, loop knots, ...
s (350 km/h) at 7000 ft (2100 m), and came with 116 or 136 US gallon (440 or 515 L) fuel tanks. Although its performance was eclipsed by the later variants, the B55 continued to be offered as the basic economy model until the end of the Baron 55 model run, and it would ultimately capture about half of total 55-series sales. The C55, D55 and E55 models used Continental IO-520 engines, increasing cruise speed to . Gross weight increased to and the forward
fuselage The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraft t ...
was lengthened by to increase baggage space in the nose. 136, 142, or 166 US gallon (515 or 628 L) fuel tanks were offered. The Baron 55 was sold with four seats in two rows as standard equipment; a third-row fifth seat was optional initially, and a sixth seat became optional on the A55. However, the lack of a rear passenger door or a second-row pass-through hampers access to the third-row seats, and adults often find the rear fuselage taper confining. Additionally, the aircraft tend to exceed the aft center of gravity (CG) limit with all six seats occupied and no baggage in the nose compartment to act as counterbalance. Owners often remove the third-row seats and use the rear fuselage as additional baggage space. Model 55 Barons were produced from 1961 to 1983, with 3,651 manufactured. All use the ICAO aircraft type designator ''BE55''. ;Model 95-55 Baron: Baron prototype. ;55: Introduced 1961. Four to five seat, twin engined transport, powered by two 260-hp Continental IO-470-l six cylinder piston engines. 190 units built. Priced at $58,250. ;A55: Built 1962 through 1963. Four to five seats. Improvements were a new instrument panel, interior, and exterior paint scheme. Priced at $58,950. ;B55: Introduced in 1964, run through 1982. Four to six-seats. New exterior scheme and interior design. A increase in gross weight to . Priced at $59,950 (1964), $177,500 (1982). ;C55: Built 1966 through 1967. Four to six seats. Powered by two, 285-hp Continental IO-520-C piston engines. Increased performance over the B55. Nose lengthened to accommodate more baggage or equipment, and to improve weight and balance. Crack-prone engine air intake box design changed. Alternators changed from belt driven to gear driven. 451 aircraft built. Priced at $68,350 in 1966. ;D55: Built 1968 through 1969. Four to six seats. Introduced new paint scheme and 'speed-slope' windshield. Changed to three blade props and a different flap configuration. 316 aircraft built. Priced at $73,950 in 1968. ;E55: Introduced in 1970, run through 1982. Four to six seats. Incorporated new paint scheme and interior design. Improved avionics and panel. Wing-tip lights and rotating beacon made flush; new entrance step. Also added were 172 US gallon (166 usable) interconnected tanks with one fill cap per wing became an option in 1976. 433 built. Priced at $83,950 in 1970, $219,500 in 1982.


Baron 56TC

In 1967, Beechcraft had begun development of a faster, pressurized twin, the Model 60 Duke; the Duke was to go head-to-head with Cessna's 320 Skyknight. The Duke was to use two turbocharged 380-hp Lycoming TIO-541-E1A4 engines, therefore, Beech wanted experience working with, and flying the new engine. The engine was fitted to a modified Baron C55, becoming the 56TC (that prototype, EG-1, was later retired after certification). The results of the 56TC were as planned, it proved a good testbed and experience building model for the Duke's development. However, it was a noticeably loud airplane, especially so for a Beechcraft. Along with its increased noise, the 56TC had an increase in structural strength and thus empty weight to compensate for the higher power. When introduced in 1967, it was the fastest Beech aircraft, rivaling even the early King Airs sold at the time. 93 Baron 56TC aircraft were built between 1967 and 1971 and all use the ICAO type designator ''BE56''. ;56TC: Introduced in 1967, built until the 1969 model year. Four to six seats. Power came from two 380-hp (283-kW) Lycoming TIO-540-E1B4 turbocharged piston engines. Priced at $89,950 in 1967. 82 aircraft sold. ;A56TC: Introduced 1970, built until 1971. Only model change throughout the 56 production. Featured new exterior paint scheme and interior design, new instrument panel, smooth rotating beacon and navigation lights, nose wheel light. Priced at $101,750 in 1970. 11 manufactured.


Baron 58

Introduced for the model year 1969,Ball 1994, p.246. the larger, more powerful Baron 58 was developed from the Baron 55, with an increased gross weight of 5,400 lbs. Depending on the variant, the Baron 58 is fitted with either Continental IO-520 or IO-550 300-hp engine. The Baron 58 can cruise at 200 knots (370 km/h) at 7000 ft (2100 m). The most significant change was a fuselage stretch of and the introduction of double rear fuselage doors and reversible club seats in the center row, eliminating the need for passengers to climb over the center seats or through the rear baggage door to access the rear seats. The entire fuselage was repositioned forward on the wing to address the aft CG issue that plagued the short-body models. The longer 58 fuselage has four side windows while the 55 and 56 fuselages have three. The larger fuselage and improved rear-cabin access have made the 58 far more popular with commercial
air charter Air charter is the business of renting an entire aircraft (i.e., chartering) as opposed to individual aircraft seats (i.e., purchasing a ticket through a traditional airline). Regulation Charter – also called air taxi or ad hoc – flight ...
and cargo operators than the smaller 55 and 56. ICAO type designator of all versions is ''BE58''. In 1976, the turbocharged Baron 58TC and pressurized Baron 58P were introduced. These variants were powered by turbocharged Continental TIO-520s of 310–325 hp (230–240 kW), had an increased 6100–6200 lb (about 2800 kg) gross weight, and were certified under FAR23 with a new type certificate. The Baron 58P/58TC models were capable of cruising at 200 knots (370 km/h) at 8000 ft (2400 m) and 220 knots (410 km/h) at 20000 ft (6100 m), and were typically equipped with 190 US gallon (719 L) fuel tanks. In 1984, the instrument panel was redesigned to eliminate the large central control column and engine controls mounted high on the instrument panel to clear it. In pre-1984 aircraft with the optional dual control yokes, the arm to the right-hand yoke partially blocks the radios and some cockpit switchgear. The redesign provides a more industry-standard control arrangement and increases instrument panel space, but the aircraft lost the option of having a single yoke, which enhanced comfort for a passenger or relief pilot in the right-hand seat. Although the turbocharged 58TC/58P variants were discontinued in 1984 and 1985, respectively, the normally aspirated Baron 58 was still in production as of 2021. The current production version is the G58, featuring a
glass cockpit A glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit that features electronic (digital) flight instrument displays, typically large LCD screens, rather than the traditional style of analog dials and gauges. While a traditional cockpit relies on numerous mec ...
, improved passenger cabin and changes to selected airframe details. ;58 Baron: Original variant, introduced in 1969 and run through 2004 (production continued as G58). Four to six seats. Powered by two 285-hp Continental IO-520-C or Continental IO-550-C piston engines. 2,124 aircraft built. ;58P Baron: Introduced 1976, run through 1985. Pressurized cabin, powered by two Continental TSIO-520-L turbocharged piston engines. Priced at $200,750 in 1976. 495 produced. ;58TC Baron: Introduced in 1976, run through 1984. Turbocharged engines, powered by 310 hp Continental TSIO-520-L engines. First flew October 31, 1975. Priced at $170,750 in 1976. 151 aircraft sold. ;G58 Baron: Introduced in 2005, currently in production. Version of 58 Baron with Garmin G1000 glass cockpit avionics. ;G58 Baron ISR: Introduced in 2013, Beechcraft developed a low cost ISTAR aircraft for Fuerzas Unidas de Rapida Acción (FURA), an agency within the Puerto Rico Police Department. In 2014, the aircraft was upgraded with a
FLIR Forward-looking infrared (FLIR) cameras, typically used on military and civilian aircraft, use a thermographic camera that senses infrared radiation. The sensors installed in forward-looking infrared cameras, as well as those of other thermal ...
230-HD electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) camera system, operator's console that housed the mapping/mission management computer, a recorder, a multi-band communications radio system and data link for special mission operators.


T-42A Cochise (95-B55B)

The T-42A Cochise is a military version of the Baron 95-B55 for use by the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
as an instrument training aircraft. The Army Aviation School took delivery of 65 aircraft, a further five were bought for delivery to the Turkish Army.Harding 1990, pp. 17–18. By 1993, the Army's remaining T-42 aircraft had been transferred to the Army Reserve and the National Guard and were no longer in standard use.


SFERMA SF-60A Marquis

A twin Astazou X turboprop modification of the Baron first flown in 1961 developed from SFERMA's 1960 Astazou IIA turboprop conversion of a Model 95 Travel Air (SFERMA PD-146 Marquis). At least ten converted to follow on from eight converted Travel Airs.


Operators


Government operators

; : * Presidential Flight – One Baron 55 temporarily transferred during 1989 from the ''Junta Nacional de Carnes''.


Military operators

; : *
Argentine Army The Argentine Army ( es, Ejército Argentino, EA) is the land force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of Argentina. Under the Argentine Constitution, the president of Argentina is the command ...
– One Baron 55 and one 58. Retired in 1983. ; *
Bolivian Air Force The Bolivian Air Force ( es, Fuerza Aérea Boliviana or 'FAB') is the air force of Bolivia and branch of the Bolivian Armed Forces. History By 1938 the Bolivian air force consisted of about 60 aircraft (Curtiss Hawk fighters, Curtiss T-32 Co ...
– One,Hoyle ''Flight International'' December 4–10, 2018, p. 40. crashed 2 May 2020 ; : * Haiti Air CorpsWheeler ''Flight International'' August 4, 1979, p. 357. ; *
Indonesian Navy The Indonesian Navy ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Laut, , Indonesian National Military-Naval Force, TNI-AL) is the naval branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. It was founded on 10 September 1945 and has a role to patrol In ...
– 2x G58 Baron in 2015 ; : * Mexican Air ForceWheeler ''Flight International'' August 4, 1979, p. 366. * Mexican Naval Aviation ; : *
Rhodesian Air Force The Rhodesian Air Force (RhAF) was an air force based in Salisbury (now Harare) which represented several entities under various names between 1935 and 1980: originally serving the British self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia, it was the ...
– One aircraft only.Wheeler ''Flight International'' August 4, 1979, p. 386. ; : *
Spanish Air Force , colours = , colours_label = , march = Spanish Air and Space Force Anthem , mascot = , anniversaries = 10 December , equipment ...
Wheeler ''Flight International'' August 4, 1979, pp. 378–379. ; : *
Turkish Air Force The Turkish Air Force ( tr, ) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces. The Turkish Air Force can trace its origins back to June 1911 when it was founded by the Ottoman Empire, however, the air force as it is known t ...
Wheeler ''Flight International'' August 4, 1979, p. 382. * Turkish Army ; : *
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
; * Uruguayan Air Force


Accidents and incidents

The Beechcraft Baron has been involved in the following notable accidents and incidents. *On 20 July 1973,
land art Land art, variously known as Earth art, environmental art, and Earthworks, is an art movement that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, largely associated with Great Britain and the United StatesArt in the modern era: A guide to styles, schools, & mov ...
ist
Robert Smithson Robert Smithson (January 2, 1938 – July 20, 1973) was an American artist known for sculpture and land art who often used drawing and photography in relation to the spatial arts. His work has been internationally exhibited in galleries and mu ...
, a photographer, and the pilot died in the crash of a Baron E55,
aircraft registration An aircraft registration is a code unique to a single aircraft, required by international convention to be marked on the exterior of every civil aircraft. The registration indicates the aircraft's country of registration, and functions much lik ...
number ''N814T'', while inspecting the site of Smithson's earthwork ''Amarillo Ramp'' on the ranch of Stanley Marsh 3 near
Amarillo, Texas Amarillo ( ; Spanish for " yellow") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Potter County. It is the 14th-most populous city in Texas and the largest city in the Texas Panhandle. A portion of the city extends into Randall Co ...
. The
National Transportation Safety Board The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and inci ...
(NTSB) attributed the accident to the pilot's failure to maintain
airspeed In aviation, airspeed is the speed of an aircraft relative to the air. Among the common conventions for qualifying airspeed are: * Indicated airspeed ("IAS"), what is read on an airspeed gauge connected to a Pitot-static system; * Calib ...
, with distraction being a contributing factor. *On 3 August 1976,
Jerry Litton Jerry Lon Litton (May 12, 1937 – August 3, 1976) was an American politician from Missouri who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives representing Missouri's 6th congressional district from 1973 until his death in ...
, U.S. Representative from
Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
, his wife and two children, and two others died when their Baron 58, registration number ''N1553W'', crashed shortly after takeoff from
Chillicothe Municipal Airport Chillicothe may refer to: *Chillicothe, Ohio **Chillicothe Turnpike, a highway **Chillicothe Paints, a collegiate summer baseball team *Chillicothe, Illinois *Chillicothe, Iowa *Chillicothe, Missouri *Chillicothe, Texas *Chillicothe (film), a 1999 ...
in
Chillicothe, Missouri Chillicothe is a city in the state of Missouri and the county seat of Livingston County, Missouri, United States. The population was 9,107 at the 2020 census. The name "Chillicothe" is Shawnee for "big town", and was named after their ''Chillico ...
, on the same day that Litton had won the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...
primary for the
1976 United States Senate election in Missouri The 1976 United States Senate election in Missouri took place on November 2, 1976. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Stuart Symington decided to retire, instead of seeking a fifth term. Republican John Danforth won the open seat, defeating Democr ...
. The NTSB attributed the accident to an engine failure caused by breakage of the crankshaft; the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed and raise the
landing gear Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for takeoff or landing. For aircraft it is generally needed for both. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, such as the Glenn L. Marti ...
were contributing factors. *On 5 January 1977, in the Connellan air disaster, fired
Connellan Airways Connellan Airways (later Connair) was an airline headquartered in Alice Springs, Australia. It operated scheduled flights as well other air transport services throughout the Northern Territory from 1939 to 1980. History The company was fo ...
pilot Colin Richard Forman deliberately crashed a stolen Baron 58, registration ''VH-ENA'', into the Connellan Airways complex at Alice Springs Airport, killing himself, his former manager and three other Connellan employees, and injuring four others. *On 23 November 1982,
Southern Baptist The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination, and the largest Protestant and second-largest Christian denomination in the United States. The wo ...
religious humorist, television personality and author Grady Nutt and two
air charter Air charter is the business of renting an entire aircraft (i.e., chartering) as opposed to individual aircraft seats (i.e., purchasing a ticket through a traditional airline). Regulation Charter – also called air taxi or ad hoc – flight ...
pilots died in the near-vertical crash of a Baron 95-B55, registration number ''N18411'', shortly after takeoff from
Folsom Field Folsom Field is an outdoor college football stadium in the Western United States, western United States, located on the campus of the University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado, Boulder. It is the home field ...
in Cullman, Alabama under nighttime instrument meteorological conditions. The NTSB was unable to conclusively determine the cause of the crash, but bad weather and poor visibility were thought to be contributing factors. *On 14 February 2000,
Champ Car Champ Car World Series (CCWS) was the series sanctioned by Open-Wheel Racing Series Inc., or Champ Car, a sanctioning body for American open-wheel car racing that operated from 2004 to 2008. It was the successor to Championship Auto Racing Team ...
racing team owner and 11-time
Indianapolis 500 The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly called the Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of India ...
driver
Tony Bettenhausen Jr. Tony Lee Bettenhausen Jr. (October 30, 1951 – February 14, 2000) was a Champ Car team owner and driver who died in a 2000 plane crash. He was the son of former 14-time Indianapolis 500 competitor Tony Bettenhausen and the brother of 21-time Indy ...
, his wife and two others were killed when the Baron 58 piloted by Bettenhausen, registration number ''N875JC'', crashed in
Cynthiana, Kentucky Cynthiana is a home rule-class city in Harrison County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 6,402 at the 2010 census. It is the seat of its county. History The settlement developed on both sides of the South Fork of the Lickin ...
. The aircraft had flown into known icing conditions and was properly equipped and certified to do so, but the NTSB found that Bettenhausen had allowed airspeed to decay below the certified minimum in icing conditions, causing the aircraft to rapidly lose altitude. *On 26 July 2018,
Luis Gneiting Luis Roberto Gneiting Dichtiar (22 February 1968 – 25 July 2018) was a Paraguayan politician. His parents were Miguel Gneiting and Irene Dichtiar. Prior to his political career, Luis Gneiting was a veterinarian. The younger Gneiting succeeded ...
, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of
Paraguay Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...
, the vice minister and the two pilots were killed when their Baron crashed shortly after takeoff from
Juan de Ayolas Airport Juan de Ayolas Airport is a small airport that serves the city of Ayolas, in the Misiones Department of Paraguay. The airport is named after Juan de Ayolas. It is operated by both Argentine and Paraguayan authorities. It's located 20 km from the ...
. *On 24 January 2021, a Baron 95-B55, registration ''PT-LYG'', belonging to the Palmas Futebol e Regatas
association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is t ...
team,
crashed "Crashed" is the third U.S. rock single, (the fifth overall), from the band Daughtry's debut album. It was released only to U.S. rock stations on September 5, 2007. Upon its release the song got adds at those stations, along with some Alternativ ...
shortly after departing Palmas–Brigadeiro Lysias Rodrigues Airport, killing all six people on board: four members of the football team, the team's owner, and the pilot.


Specifications (B55)


See also


Notes


References


Bibliography

* ''Baron G58 Pilots Operating Handbook'', Doc. No. 58-590000-67, Revision A12 May 27, 2015. Wichita: Beechcraft Corporation * Andrade, John. ''Militair 1982''. London: Aviation Press Limited, 1982. * Ball, Larry A: ''From Travel Air to Baron...How Beech Created a Classic'', Ball Publications, 1994. * Chillon, J., Dubois, J-P., & Wegg, J. ''French Post-War Transport Aircraft''. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1980. . * Harding, Stephen. ''U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947''. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1990. . * Hoyle, Craig. "World Air Forces Directory". ''Flight International'', December 4–10, 2018. Vol. 194, No. 5665. pp. 32–60. . * Taylor, John W. R. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77''. London: Jane's Yearbooks, 1976, . * Wheeler, Barry C
"World's Air Forces 1979"
''
Flight International ''Flight International'' is a monthly magazine focused on aerospace. Published in the United Kingdom and founded in 1909 as "A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport", it is the world's olde ...
'', August 4, 1979. Vol. 116, No. 3672. pp. 333–386.


External links


Official Beechcraft Baron site


{{Authority control Baron 1960s United States civil utility aircraft Low-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1960 Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft