Beechcraft Bonanza

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beechcraft_Bonanza

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 production longer than any other airplane in history. More than
17,000 Bonanzas of all variants have been built, produced in both distinctive
V-tail and conventional tail configurations.

At the end of World War II, two all-metal light aircraft emerged, the Model 35
Bonanza and the Cessna 195, that represented very different approaches to the
premium end of the postwar civil-aviation market. With its high-wing,
seven-cylinder radial engine, fixed tailwheel undercarriage, and roll-down side
windows, the Cessna 195 was little more than a continuation of prewar
technology; the 35 Bonanza, however, was more like the fighters developed during
the war, featuring an easier-to-manage, horizontally opposed, six-cylinder
engine, a rakishly streamlined shape, retractable tricycle undercarriage
(although the nosewheel initially was not steerable, but castering) and low-wing
configuration.

Designed by a team led by Ralph Harmon, the model 35 Bonanza was a relatively
fast, low-wing monoplane at a time when most light aircraft were still made of
wood and fabric. The Model 35 featured retractable landing gear, and its
signature V-tail (equipped with a combination elevator-rudder called a
"ruddervator"), which made it both efficient and the most distinctive private
aircraft in the sky. The prototype 35 Bonanza made its first flight on December
22, 1945, with the first production aircraft debuting as 1947 models. The first
30–40 Bonanzas produced had fabric-covered flaps and ailerons, after which,
those surfaces were covered with magnesium alloy sheet. The V-tail design gained
a reputation as the "forked-tail doctor killer", due to crashes by overconfident
amateur pilots with high-level skills outside aviation, fatal accidents, and
inflight breakups. "Doctor killer" has sometimes been used to describe the
conventional-tailed version, as well.

Three aircraft eventually comprised the Bonanza family:

Model 35 Bonanza (1947–1982; V-tail)
Model 33 Debonair (1959–1995; later renamed Bonanza, a Model 35 with a
conventional tail)
Model 36 Bonanza (1968–present; a stretched Model 33)

In 1982, the production of the V-tail Bonanza stopped but the conventional-tail
Model 33 continued in production until 1995. Still built today is the Model 36
Bonanza, a longer-bodied, straight-tail variant of the original design,
introduced in 1968.

All Bonanzas share an unusual featu The yoke and rudder pedals are
interconnected by a system of bungee cords that assist in keeping the airplane
in coordinated flight during turns. The bungee system allows the pilot to make
coordinated turns using the yoke alone, or with minimal rudder input, during
cruise flight. Increased right-rudder pressure is still required on takeoff to
overcome engine torque and P-factor. In the landing phase, the bungee system
must be overridden by the pilot when making crosswind landings, which require
cross-controlled inputs to keep the nose of the airplane aligned with the runway
centerline without drifting left or right. This feature started with the V-tail
and persists on the current production model.

The twin-engined variant of the Bonanza is called the Baron, whereas the Twin
Bonanza is a different design not based on the original single-engined Bonanza
fuselage.

In January 2012, the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority issued an
airworthiness directive grounding all Bonanzas, Twin Bonanzas, and Debonairs
equipped with a single pole-style yoke and that have forward elevator control
cables that are more than 15 years old until they could be inspected. The AD was
issued based on two aircraft found to have frayed cables, one of which suffered
a cable failure just prior to takeoff and resulting concerns about the age of
the cables in fleet aircraft of this age. At the time of the grounding, some
Bonanzas had reached 64 years in service. Aircraft with frayed cables were
grounded until the cables were replaced and those that passed inspection were
required to have their cables replaced within 60 days regardless. The AD
affected only Australian aircraft and was not adopted by the airworthiness
authority responsible for the type certificate, the US Federal Aviation
Administration. The FAA instead opted to issue a Special Airworthiness
Information Bulletin requesting that the elevator control cables be inspected
during the annual inspection.

Role
Civil utility aircraft

National origin
United States

Manufacturer
Beechcraft

First flight
December 22, 1945

Introduction
1947

Status
In service

Produced
1947–present

Number built
17,000

Unit cost

US$815,000 (G36, 2017)

Variants
Beechcraft Travel Air
Bay Super V
Beechcraft T-34 Mentor
RTAF-2

Specifications (2011 model G36)

General characteristics
Crew: one
Capacity: five passengers
Length: 27 ft 6 in (8.38 m)
Wingspan: 33 ft 6 in (10.21 m)
Height: 8 ft 7 in (2.62 m)
Empty weight: 2,517 lb (1,142 kg)
Gross weight: 3,650 lb (1,656 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Continental IO-550-B , 300 hp (220 kW)
Propellers: three-bladed Hartzell Propeller, 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) diameter

Performance
Cruise speed: 176 kn (203 mph; 326 km/h)
Range: 716 nmi (824 mi; 1,326 km) with full passenger load
Ferry range: 930 nmi (1,070 mi; 1,722 km)
Service ceiling: 18,500 ft (5,600 m)
Rate of climb: 1,230 ft/min (6.2 m/s)

Avionics

Garmin G1000




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In article , DAN says...

Thanks for the series, Miloch

Definitely thought I'd a comment about the Bonanzas...coincidentally saw a
V-tail yesterday. Since they stopped V-tail production in '82, it was fairly
old but gratifying to see someone still flying it.

There were a staggering number of variations...39 of them...way to numerous to
list & explain!




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A Bonanza with a sting:

"Miloch" wrote in message news
In article , DAN says...

Thanks for the series, Miloch

Definitely thought I'd a comment about the Bonanzas...coincidentally saw a
V-tail yesterday.

Don't forget the Fouga Magister: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHfVlfUR_jg

For $120K you can have one of your own: https://tinyurl.com/yc6szs38

On Thu, 14 Dec 2017 19:02:40 +0100, DAN wrote:

Thanks for the series, Miloch


A Bonanza with a cause: Serving with the IDF/AF, where it was called Hofit
(sandpiper)

Neat!