The Beechcraft Baron is a light, twin-engined piston aircraft developed by Beechcraft. The Baron is a variant of the Travel Air, and was introduced in 1961.
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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 military trainer. To create the new airplane, the Travel Air's tail was replaced with that of the Beechcraft Debonair, the engine nacelles were streamlined, six-cylinder engines were added, and the aircraft's name was changed. In 1960, the Piper Aztec was introduced, utilizing two, 250 hp Lycoming O-540 engines; Cessna too had improved their 310 with two Continental IO-470 D, producing 260 hp. Meanwhile, Beechcraft's Bonanza had been improved with a Continental IO-470-N, but the answer to competition was to make a true Twin Bonanza. The first model, the 55, was powered by two, six-cylinder IO-470-L engines, producing 260 hp at 2,625rpm; it was introduced in 1961. It included the fully swept vertical stabilizer of the Debonair, while still retaining the four to four+five place seating of the Travel Air.
Since its inception, the Baron has always been near the top of the light airplane hierarchy. In 2008 a new Baron costs roughly $1,040,000. As expensive to operate as it is to buy, the 'next step up' from a Baron is a very big one. Faster aircraft, with greater range and more load-carrying capability are generally turbine-powered and far more expensive. The older Baron variants, mainly the 55 series, have dropped little in value, with their fair market prices numerically equal to that of their original pricing, in today's dollars.
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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 260 hp (194 kW) 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 knots (350 km/h) at 7000 ft (2100 m), and came with 116 or 136 US gallon (440 or 515 L) fuel tanks.
The C55, D55 and E55 models had an increased cruise speed of 200 knots (370 km/h) due to the 285 hp (213 kW) Continental IO520s. The gross weights of these later models increased to 5300 lb (2400 kg). They were about a foot (0.3 m) longer than the B55 Barons, and came with 136, 142, or 166 US gallon (515 or 628 L) fuel tanks.
Model 55 Barons were produced from 1961 to 1983, and 3651 were produced.
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 the 380-hp Lycoming TIO-540-E1B4, Beech produced in limited quantities, 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. The Baron 56TC was built between 1967 and 1971 with 93 aircraft produced, production ending due to Duke sales and from the Baron 58, which was introduced in 1970.
Baron 58
Introduced for the model year 1969, the larger, more powerful Baron 58 was developed from the Baron 55, introducing club seating, double aft baggage doors, and new gross weight of 5,400 lbs. Depending on the variant, the Baron 58 is fitted with either the 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 lengthening of the fuselage increased rear baggage space, as well as providing more comfortable six-place seating over the Baron 55 and 56TC.
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.
A big change in panel/system layout on 58/58TC/58P occurred in 1984, including relocating throttle, gear, flap, propeller and mixture controls to industry-standard positions.
Although the turbocharged 58TC/58P variants were discontinued in 1984 and 1985, respectively, the normally aspirated Baron 58 was still in production as of 2015.
The current production version is the G58, featuring a glass cockpit, improved passenger cabin and changes to selected airframe details.
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 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.
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-60 Marquis
A Twin 530 hp Astazou X turboprop modification first flown in 1961, developed from SFERMA's 1960 Twin Bonanza Astazou IIA turboprop conversion (SFERMA PD-146 Marquis).
Operators
Military operators
- Argentine Army - One Baron 55 and one 58. Retired in 1983.
- Armed Forces of Haiti
- Mexican Air Force
- Mexican Naval Aviation
- Rhodesian Air Force - One aircraft only.
- Spanish Air Force
- Turkish Air Force
- Turkish Army
- United States Army
Specifications (B55)
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976-77
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Capacity: 5
- Length: 28 ft 0 in (8.53 m)
- Wingspan: 37 ft 10 in (11.53 m)
- Height: 9 ft 7 in (2.92 m)
- Wing area: 199.2 ft² (18.50 m²)
- Airfoil: NACA 23016.5 at root, NACA 23010.5 at tip
- Empty weight: 3,156 lb (1,431 kg)
- Max. takeoff weight: 5,100 lb (2,313 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Continental IO-470-L air-cooled six-cylinder horizontally opposed piston engine, 260 hp (194 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 205 knots (380 km/h, 236 mph) at sea level
- Cruise speed: 180 knots (333 km/h, 207 mph) 55% power at 12,000 ft (3,660 m)
- Stall speed: 73 knots (135.5 km/h, 84 mph) IAS, power off, wheels and flaps down
- Range: 942 nmi (1,746 km, 1,085 miles) 65% power at 10,500 ft (3,200 m), 45 min reserves
- Service ceiling: 19,700 ft (6,000 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,670 ft/min (8.5 m/s)
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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