Beechcraft is a popular general aviation brand. The company rose to success in the mid-20th century after its introduction of the Beechcraft Bonanza. However, the company later became a major player in the development of several private jet offerings, including the Beechcraft Premier. Beechcraft is also well-known for its production of the King Air series, a twin-engine turboprop plane utilized in the business aviation market.
Beech Aircraft Company was initially founded in 1932 in Wichita, Kansas. Walter Beech, alongside his wife, Olive Ann Beech, Ted Wells, K.K. Shaul, and C.G. Yankey, started designing and developing a biplane called the Model 17 Staggerwing, which first flew in late 1932. Walter Beech initially founded the company after a brief stint with Travel Air and Curtiss-Wright, bringing several employees with him.
Beech Aircraft Company continued production of several aircraft during World War II, mostly securing military contracts for transport aircraft. However, after the war, the Staggerwing was replaced by the Beech Bonanza, which eventually had the longest production run of any airplane.
In 1950, Olive Ann Beech took over as President and CEO of Beechcraft after Walter Beech passed away. The 1950s also brought the introduction of the Model 95 Travel Air, Model 65 Queen Air, and the Model 33, a variant of the Bonanza.
In the 1960s, Beechcraft developed the Baron, a twin-engine piston-powered utility aircraft. The company also developed the Model 90 King Air in 1964. This would later become one of the most versatile utility aircraft, which is still in production today in the form of an upgraded variant.
Beechcraft continued building on early success in the 1970s. The company later developed the Super King Air 200 series in 1974. At the end of the century, Beechcraft was officially sold to Raytheon Company. Also in the 1980s, Beechcraft ended production of the V-tail Bonanza and began producing the Super King Air 300/350 series, which is also still in production in a modernized variant today. Also, in 1985, Beechcraft acquired the Mitsubishi MU-300 Diamond, officially entering the private jet market. The aircraft was later renamed as the Beechjet 400.
In 1994, Beechcraft officially became part of Raytheon Aircraft Company. This officially combined the existing Beechcraft brands under the new company, which included the Bonanza, Baron, and King Air series. The year before, Raytheon had acquired the Hawker production line from British Aerospace. The Beechjet 400 was renamed the Hawker 400 after this acquisition, consolidating all of the company’s private jet production lines.
However, in 2002, Raytheon Aircraft Company decided to revive the Beechcraft brand. Additionally, Beechcraft began producing its own business jet, known as the Beechcraft Premier. This aircraft was introduced in 2001 and manufactured until 2012
In 2006, the company was renamed as Hawker Beechcraft Corporation after being acquired by Goldman Sachs. Shortly after the acquisition, Hawker Beechcraft released an upgraded Bonanza model, the G36 Bonanza, featuring modern avionics and interiors. However, in the late 2000s, the company began to struggle financially due to the global economic downturn. The company officially declared bankruptcy in May 2012. It emerged from bankruptcy in February 2013 and was renamed Beechcraft Corporation. Later that year, Textron purchased Beechcraft for $1.4 billion. The following year, Textron formed Textron Aviation, which combined the Cessna and Beechcraft brands. Since its inception, Textron Aviation has kept the Cessna and Beechcraft brands separate.
Beechcraft is currently only responsible for the production of three aircraft in its King Air series. In recent years, the company produced two of its most popular piston-powered aircraft, the Bonanza and the Baron. However, in late 2025, Textron Aviation ceased production of these popular aircraft series.
| Aircraft Model | Entry Into Service | Aircraft Class | Engines | Capacity | Range |
| King Air 260 | 2021 | Twin-engine turboprop | Pratt & Whitney PT6A | 9 passengers | 1,720 nautical miles |
| King Air 360 | 2020 | Twin-engine turboprop | Pratt & Whitney PT6A | 11 passengers | 1,800 nautical miles |
| King Air 360ER | 2020 | Twin-engine turboprop | Pratt & Whitney PT6A | 15 passengers | 2,690 nautical miles |
Beechcraft is also currently working on certifying a new single-engine turboprop-powered aircraft known as the Denali. This is a clean-sheet design powered by the new General Electric Catalyst turboprop engine. Textron Aviation hoped to enter this aircraft into service in the early 2020s, but it was slowed down due to new FAA requirements and the complexity of certifying a next-generation turboprop. Beechcraft hopes to certify this aircraft by 2026.
Beechcraft was initially founded in the early 1930s, beginning with the production of the Model 17 Staggerwing, its first successful aircraft. This popular biplane was produced until the late 1940s and signaled the company’s entrance into the aviation market.
Beechcraft followed up the Model 17 with the Model 18 Twin Beech. This twin-engine piston-powered aircraft was produced until 1970. Over 9,000 total variants were built, mostly used as a transport aircraft.
In the late 1940s, Beechcraft also introduced the Bonanza. Before its production was halted during the COVID pandemic, this was the longest-running line of aircraft. Due to its extensive production, Beechcraft produced several popular variants, including:
Beechcraft also produced a wide variety of other piston-powered aircraft, including the Baron (1961-2020), Travel Air (1956-1958), Duchess (1978-1983), and the Sundowner and Musketeer series (1963-1983).
In the early 1960s, Beechcraft also introduced the King Air series. This aircraft is still produced in a modern variant, although earlier variants include:
Beyond its turboprop and piston-powered aircraft, Beechcraft also developed several business jets. The company entered the market in 1985 after it acquired the Mitsubishi MU-300 Diamond business jet. Beechcraft began manufacturing the aircraft as its own model, known as the Beechjet 400. In 1993, this aircraft was renamed as the Hawker 400 after Raytheon acquired the Hawker line from British Aerospace. This aircraft was produced until 2009, with several variants including:
Additionally, in the early 2000s, Beechcraft began producing the Beechcraft Premier series, developing one of the fastest aircraft in its class. This aircraft was produced until 2016.
| Founded | 1932 |
| Headquarters | Wichita, KS |
| Manufacturing Locations | – Wichita, KS
– Chihuahua, Mexico |
| Company Type | Textron Aviation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Textron |
| Stock Symbols | New York Stock Exchange (NYSE): $TXT |
| Approximate Employees | 34,000 (2025) (Textron Aviation) |
| 2025 Revenue | $14.8 billion USD (Total Textron) |
| 2025 Net Income | $921 million USD (Total Textron) |
Beechcraft has an extensive history of producing piston-powered and turboprop-powered aircraft. Because of this, its aircraft offerings are typically used by cargo or business operators. Even so, several fractional and charter operators have a history of flying Beechcraft aircraft, including:
