Beechcraft Baron
 Beechcraft Baron. Photo: San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
| |
| Make | Beechcraft |
|---|---|
| Model | Beechcraft Baron |
| Type | Civil utility aircraft |
| Country |  United States
|
| First flight | February 29, 1960 |
| Built | 1961–present |
| Status | In production |
| Number built | 7,011 (at end of 2025) |
| Registered in the US | 2,988 (FAA register, October 30, 2026) |
| Seats | 1, 6 passengers |
| Engine | 2 × Continental IO-470-L, 260 hp |
| Cruise speed | 180 kn (B55) |
| Range | 942 nmi (B55) |
| Service ceiling | 19,700 ft (B55) |
| Max weight | 5,100 lb (B55) |
| Developed from | Beechcraft Travel Air |
| More aircraft · For sale | |
The Beechcraft Baron is a light twin-engine piston airplane with a low wing, introduced by Beechcraft in 1961 and developed from the Beechcraft Travel Air. It was a success and stayed in production for decades.[1] In the U.S. there are 2,988 with a valid registration.[2]
In November 2025 Textron Aviation, Beechcraft's owner, announced that production of the Baron and the related Beechcraft Bonanza would end once current orders were filled, and that it plans to support the Baron with parts indefinitely.[1]
History
The Baron's direct predecessor was the Beechcraft 95 Travel Air, which used the Bonanza's fuselage and the tail surfaces of the T-34 Mentor military trainer. To make the Baron, Beechcraft gave the Travel Air the tail of the Beechcraft Debonair, streamlined the engine nacelles and fitted six-cylinder engines. It answered the 1960 Piper Aztec, with two 250 hp engines, and Cessna's improved 310.[1]
Three Barons
- Baron 55 (short body): the early 55, A55 and B55 had 260 hp Continental IO-470s, weighed 4,880 to 5,100 lb, and cruised at about 190 knots at 7,000 ft. The B55 stayed on as the basic economy model.[1]
- Baron 56 (short body), the turbocharged 56TC.[1]
- Baron 58 (long body), the most common Baron on the U.S. register.[1][2]
The U.S. Army flew the Baron as the T-42A Cochise trainer (95-B55B).[1]
Registered in the United States
The FAA register lists 2,988 of these airplanes with a valid U.S. registration. Here they are by the model name the FAA uses.[2]
| FAA model name | Registered |
|---|---|
| 58 | 904 |
| 95-B55 (T42A) | 768 |
| 58P | 295 |
| E-55 | 212 |
| G58 | 183 |
| 95-C55 | 157 |
| D55 | 116 |
| 95-A55 | 90 |
| 58TC | 79 |
| 95-B55 | 73 |
| B-55 | 54 |
| 95-55 | 53 |
| 58PA | 3 |
| 58TCA | 1 |
Specifications (B55)
| Item | B55 |
|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
| Passengers / capacity | 6 passengers |
| Length | 28 ft |
| Wingspan | 37 ft 10 in |
| Height | 9 ft 7 in |
| Wing area | 199.2 sq ft |
| Empty weight | 3,156 lb |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 5,100 lb |
| Fuel | 100 USgal usable fuel (normal), 136 USgal with optional tanks |
| Engine | 2 × Continental IO-470-L, 260 hp (air-cooled six-cylinder horizontally opposed engines) |
| Maximum speed | 205 kn |
| Cruise speed | 180 kn |
| Stall speed | 73 kn |
| Range | 942 nmi |
| Service ceiling | 19,700 ft |
| Rate of climb | 1,670 ft/min |
Figures as given in the Wikipedia article and its sources.[1]
Photos
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Beechcraft Baron. Photo: unknown, Public domain -
Beech Baron registered G-BNUN of BMI at Shoreham Airport England. Photo: MilborneOne, CC BY-SA 3.0 -
An almost unaltered cockpit from a 1964 beechcraft Baron 55. Photo: Spartan7W, CC BY-SA 3.0 -
Beechcraft Baron. Photo: USAF, Public domain -
A Baron 56TC in flight. Photo: San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives, Public domain -
Two Beechcraft 55's in flight. Photo: San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives, Public domain -
A 1966 Beechcraft Baron in-flight. Photo: San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives, Public domain -
A Baron 58TC in flight. Photo: San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives, Public domain
All photos are from Wikimedia Commons; click a photo for its full credit and license.
Buying a Beechcraft Baron
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Wikipedia, "Beechcraft Baron", read November 1, 2026. Airplane Wiki's text is written in its own words; facts are checked against this article and its sources.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Federal Aviation Administration, Releasable Aircraft Database, file dated October 30, 2026. Valid registrations of fixed-wing airplanes whose FAA maker and model names belong to this family. Airplane Wiki uses only counts from this file, never owner names or addresses.