Editing Beechcraft

{{Short description|Aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of Textron}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Beechcraft Corporation
| logo = Beechcraft_logo.svg
| caption = 
| trading_name = <!-- d/b/a/, doing business as - if different from legal name above -->
| former type = 
| type = [[Subsidiary]]
| traded_as = 
| industry = [[General aviation]]
| genre = <!-- Only used with media and publishing companies -->
| fate = 
| predecessor = 
| successor = 
| foundation = {{start date and age|1932}} <!-- City, Country ({{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}}) -->
| founders = [[Walter Herschel Beech|Walter Beech]]<br/>[[Olive Ann Beech]]<br/>[[Ted A. Wells]]
| defunct = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| location_city = [[Wichita, Kansas]]
| location_country = United States
| area_served = 
| key_people = 
| products = [[List of Beechcraft models|List of models]]
| production = 
| services = 
| revenue = 
| operating_income = 
| net_income = 
| aum = <!-- Only used with financial services companies -->
| assets = 
| equity = 
| owner = 
| num_employees = 
| parent = {{Unbulleted list|[[Raytheon Company]]<br/>(1980–2007)|[[Goldman Sachs]]<br/>(2007–2014)|[[Textron Aviation]]<br/>(2014–present)}}
| divisions = 
| subsid = 
| homepage = {{URL|http://beechcraft.txtav.com/en}}
| footnotes = 
| intl = 
| bodystyle = 
}}

'''Beechcraft''' is an American brand of [[civil aviation]] and [[Military aircraft|military]] aircraft owned by [[Textron Aviation]] since 2014,<ref name="textron">{{cite web|url=http://investor.textron.com/newsroom/news-releases/press-release-details/2014/Textron-Completes-Acquisition-of-Beechcraft/default.aspx|title=Textron Completes Acquisition of Beechcraft|date=March 14, 2014|publisher=[[Textron]]}}</ref> headquartered in [[Wichita, Kansas]]. Originally, it was a brand of '''Beech Aircraft Corporation''', an American manufacturer of [[general aviation]], [[commercial aircraft|commercial]], and [[military aircraft]], ranging from [[light aircraft|light]] single-engined aircraft to twin-engined [[turboprop]] transports, [[business jets]], and military [[trainer aircraft|trainers]].<ref name="perfection">[[Edward H. Phillips|Phillips, Edward H.]], aviation historian, BOOK:  [https://books.google.com/books/about/Beechcraft_Pursuit_of_Perfection.html?id=ejE3NQAACAAJ "Beechcraft: Pursuit of Perfection: A History of Beechcraft Airplanes,"] 1992, Flying Books, {{ISBN|0911139117}}, 9780911139112, retrieved May 16, 2017</ref><ref name="1987book">Green, William, Gordon Swainborough, and John Mowinski, BOOK: [https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0517633698 "Modern Commercial Aircraft,"] 1987, Portland House, New York, {{ISBN|0-517-63369-8}}</ref> 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, Kansas|Wichita]] rival, [[Cessna Aircraft Company]]). It remains a brand of Textron Aviation.<ref name="Niles19Feb13">{{Cite news|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/news/Beechcraft_Emerges_Bankruptcy_208191-1.html|title = Beechcraft Corporation Emerges From Bankruptcy |access-date = February 19, 2013|last = Niles|first = Russ|date = February 19, 2013| work = AVweb}}</ref><ref name="textron_deal">Ostrower, Jon and John Kell, [https://www.wsj.com/articles/textron-in-14-billion-deal-to-acquire-beechcraft-1388105811 "Textron in $1.4 Billion Deal to Acquire Beechcraft: Deal Would Combine Small Plane Maker Into Industrial Conglomerate,"] updated December 26, 2013, ''Wall Street Journal,'' retrieved May 16, 2017</ref><ref name="buys">McMillin, Molly, aviation reporter, [http://www.kansas.com/news/business/aviation/article1130416.html "Textron buys Beechcraft in $1.4 billion deal,"] December 26, 2013, ''Wichita Eagle,'' retrieved May 16, 2017</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Beech Aircraft Corporation Plant 1.png|thumb|Main Beechcraft plant in [[Wichita, Kansas]], circa 1956]]
[[Image:beech.staggerwing.750pix.jpg|thumb|[[Beechcraft Staggerwing|Beech D17S Staggerwing]]]]

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.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Phillips|first1=Edward H.|title=The staggerwing story : a history of the Beechcraft model 17|date=1996|publisher=Flying Books International|location=Eagan, Minn.|isbn=9780911139273}}</ref> The company began operations in an idle [[Cessna]] factory. With designer Ted Wells, they developed the first aircraft under 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]]<ref>United States Air Force Statistical Digest World War II, p.113</ref> 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 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 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).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Akery |first=Tom |title=Beechcraft Aircraft Corporation |url=https://freeflightarchive.com/index.php/our-staff/95-walk-around-aircraft-in-detail/168-beechcraft-aircraft-corporation |access-date=2022-08-11 |website=Free Flight Archives |language=en-gb |archive-date=July 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706042805/https://freeflightarchive.com/index.php/our-staff/95-walk-around-aircraft-in-detail/168-beechcraft-aircraft-corporation |url-status=dead }}</ref>

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 the value of [[World War II]] military production contracts.<ref>[[Whiz Kids (Department of Defense)|Peck, Merton J.]] & [[Frederic M. Scherer|Scherer, Frederic M.]] ''The Weapons Acquisition Process: An Economic Analysis'' (1962) [[Harvard Business School]] p.619</ref>

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.<ref name="PL"/> The Bonanza has had the longest production run of any airplane, past or present, in the world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amtonline.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=1&id=3901 |title=Hawker Beechcraft Corporation Celebrates Beechcraft 75th Anniversary, American Management Technology |date=July 8, 2008 |access-date=February 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930065152/http://www.amtonline.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=1&id=3901 |archive-date=September 30, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Other important Beech aircraft are the [[Beechcraft King Air|King Air]] and [[Beechcraft Super King Air|Super King Air]] line of twin-engined turboprops, in production since 1964,<ref name="PL">[http://www.hawkerbeechcraft.com/service_support/pubs/docs/nontechnical/serializationList.pdf Hawker Beechcraft production lists, 1945 – present] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090411082140/http://www.hawkerbeechcraft.com/service_support/pubs/docs/nontechnical/serializationList.pdf |date=April 11, 2009 }} retrieved November 29, 2008.</ref> the [[Beechcraft Baron|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.

[[File:beech.bonanza.arp.750pix.jpg|thumb|1978 [[Beechcraft Bonanza|Beech Bonanza F33C]]]]

In 1950, Olive Ann Beech was installed as president and CEO of the company, after 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|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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://napoleon130.tripod.com/id882.html|title=Beech Aircraft Corporation, Wichita|website=napoleon130.tripod.com|access-date=2017-10-31}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://medallicartcollector.com/carl-paul-jennewein_medals.html|title=Artist Page|website=medallicartcollector.com|access-date=2017-10-31}}</ref>

Throughout much of the mid-to-late 20th century, Beechcraft was considered one of the "Big Three" in 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 the home of chief competitor Cessna, the birthplace of [[Learjet]] and of [[Stearman Aircraft|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 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.<ref name="Niles19Feb13" /><ref name="Pew03May12">{{Cite news|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/hawker_beechcraft_bankruptcy_restructuring_wichita_court_debt_layoff_206639-1.html|title = Bankruptcy For Hawker Beechcraft |access-date = February 19, 2013|last = Pew|first = Glenn|date = May 3, 2012| work = AVweb}}</ref>

By October 2013, the company, now financially turned around, was up for sale.<ref name="Niles17Oct13">{{cite news|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Beechcraft-For-Sale-Report220802-1.html|title = Beechcraft For Sale|access-date = October 18, 2013|last = Niles|first = Russ|date = October 17, 2013| work = AVweb}}</ref>

On December 26, 2013, [[Textron]] agreed to purchase Beechcraft, including 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.<ref name="avweb1">{{cite web|last=AVweb Staff |url=http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Textron-Confirms-Beech-Acquisition-Updated221180-1.html |title=Textron Confirms Beech Acquisition |publisher=Avweb |date=December 26, 2013 |access-date=December 27, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Niles30Dec13">{{cite news|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Textron-Fleshes-Out-Beech-Deal221194-1.html|title = Textron Fleshes Out Beech Deal|access-date = December 30, 2013|last = Niles|first = Russ|date = December 30, 2013| work = AVweb}}</ref><ref>[http://www.kansas.com/2013/12/26/3197897/textron-buys-beechcraft-in-14.html Textron buys Beechcraft in $1.4 billion deal] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227172111/http://www.kansas.com/2013/12/26/3197897/textron-buys-beechcraft-in-14.html |date=December 27, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/textron-to-buy-beechcraft-parent-for-14bn/112043.article|title=Textron to buy Beechcraft parent for $1.4bn|first=Greg|last=Waldron|date=2013-12-27|website=Flight Global}}</ref> Textron has kept both the Beechcraft and Cessna names as separate brands.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/bav_01_06_2014_p01-01-651001.xml|title=Textron Looks To Keep Beechcraft As Separate Brand|access-date=January 8, 2014|archive-date=February 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209175335/http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/bav_01_06_2014_p01-01-651001.xml|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Products==
[[Image:NASA-2000Starship.jpg|thumb|[[Beechcraft Starship|Beechcraft Model 2000 Starship]]]]
[[Image:Air Labrador Beech 1900D.jpg|thumb|[[Beechcraft 1900]]D]]
{{Main|List of Beechcraft models}}

As of July 2019, Textron Aviation was producing the following models under the Beechcraft brand name:

* [[Beechcraft Bonanza|Beechcraft Bonanza series]] – single-engined piston general aviation aircraft
* [[Beechcraft Baron]] – twin-engined piston utility aircraft
* [[Beechcraft Denali]] 
* [[Beechcraft Super King Air|(Super) King Air]]
**[[C-12 Huron]] (military version)
* [[Beechcraft T-6 Texan II|Beechcraft T-6 Texan II/CT-156 Harvard II]] – single-engined turboprop military trainer, based on [[Pilatus PC-9]]

==Facilities==

* [[Beech Factory Airport]] – houses Beechcraft's head office, manufacturing facility, and runway for test flights

==See also==
* [[Beech Aircraft Corp. v. Rainey]]

==References==
===Notes===
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
{{Refbegin}}
* {{citation |title=Beechcraft: Twenty-Five Years of Progress |magazine=Naval Aviation News |date=November 1957 |pages=18–19 |url=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b2865497&seq=465 |access-date=26 February 2021}}
* {{citation |title=From Basic Research to Line Production... At Beech It's All "Under One Roof"! |magazine=Air Force Magazine |date=April 1969 |pages=17–20 |url=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435062368121&seq=377 |access-date=26 February 2021}}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Beechcraft}}
* [http://beechcraft.txtav.com/en Beechcraft website]
* [http://www.beechcraftheritagemuseum.org/ Beechcraft Heritage Museum]
* [http://aerofiles.com/_beech.html Aerofiles – Beechcraft model information]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080504075743/http://www.aircraft-info.net/aircraft/propellor_aircraft/beechcraft/ Aircraft-Info.net – Beechcraft]

{{Beechcraft}}
{{Textron}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Beechcraft| ]]
[[Category:Aircraft manufacturers of the United States]]
[[Category:Companies based in Wichita, Kansas]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Kansas]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1932]]
[[Category:1932 establishments in Kansas]]
[[Category:Textron]]
[[Category:2014 mergers and acquisitions]]
[[Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2012]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1932]]
[[Category:American brands]]