A descendant of both the Beechcraft Bonanza (Debonair) and Travel Air, the Beechcraft Baron retains most of the “classic” features found on a Beechcraft, whilst also incorporating elements into a popular combo.
Introduced in 1961, the Baron has remained continuously in production until the present day, making it one of the longest and most produced aircraft in history, with over 7,000 built to date.
Background
During WWII, Beechcraft (then known as Beech Aircraft Corporation) ramped up production to help the war effort, producing their now-famed Beechcraft Model 18 transport and trainer.
When the war ended and all its military contracts were cancelled, Beechcraft pivoted away from twin-engine military aircraft and towards the burgeoning general aviation market.
You see, though the war had ended and wartime pilots returned home to find
Development
Operational History
General Aviation
Corporate
Military
Airline
Charter
Price
Despite having entered production in 1961, the Baron remains in production (and surprisingly popular at that too) meaning that if you had the money and desire to, you could easily purchase a brand new Baron straight from Beechcraft.
When the Baron first hit the market, it had a price tag of $58,250 ($538,840 adjusted for inflation). Obviously, inflation and the introduction of newer variants have raised the price of a new Baron to $1.48 million as of 2019.
But its being in production for so long means that acquiring a brand new Baron isn’t your only option – you can acquire one used on the secondary market. Thankfully, there are dozens for you to choose from.
On the low end, an older Beechcraft Baron 55 with more than 5,000 hours on the fuselage will often go for anywhere in the $75,000-$100,000 range, whilst those with around 3,000 hours can go for around $150,000.
By contrast, an “old” Baron 58 – usually one from the 1970’s/early 1980’s and/or with more than 5,000 hours on the fuselage – will go for anywhere from $200,000 to $250,000 depending on specifics.
At the higher end, anything built from the late 1980’s until today can go for literally anything. Some can go for as “little” as $350,000, whilst others go for $1 million or more!
Acquisition costs, however important, are only one half of the true costs of owning a Beechcraft Baron: the other is the cost of actually operating it.
Based on the assumption that you’re operating it for 450 hours per year, you’d be looking at paying roughly $406.42 and $412.47 per hour to operate the Baron 55 and Baron 58 respectively.
However, this figure may not be entirely accurate for older Barons. Due to their advancing age, parts break more easily and need replacing more often, thus lending to higher maintenance costs (often the second largest factor in operating costs after fuel).
Specifications
| Specifications | Beechcraft Baron 55 |
|---|---|
| Length | 28 ft (8.53 m) |
| Wingspan | 37 ft 10 in (11.53 m) |
| Height | 9 ft 7 in (2.92 m) |
| Crew | 1 |
| Passengers | 5 |
| Cruise Speed | 330 km/h (210 mph; 180 kn) |
| Range | 1,745 km (1,084 mi; 942 nmi) |
| Service Ceiling | 19,700 ft (6,000 m) |
| MTOW | 5,100 lb (2,313 kg) |
How Safe is The Beechcraft Baron?
Perspective
What do you think about the Beechcraft Baron? Have you ever flown it? Tell me in the comments!
Featured image courtesy of Airwolfhound via Flickr.