Beechcraft
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 1932 in Wichita, Kansas, United States |
| Founder | Walter Beech, Olive Ann Beech, Ted A. Wells, K. K. Shaul, C. G. Yankey |
| Headquarters | Wichita , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Civilian and military aircraft including Bonanza, Baron, Denali, King Air series, T-6 Texan II |
| Owner | Textron Aviation (since 2014) |
| Parent | Textron Aviation |
Beechcraft is a prominent American manufacturer of civilian and military aircraft, currently owned by Textron Aviation since 2014 and based in Wichita, Kansas. Initially established as part of the Beech Aircraft Corporation, the company produced a range of aircraft including light single-engine planes, twin-engine turboprop transports, business jets, and military trainers. Over time, Beechcraft became a division within Raytheon, later transitioning to Hawker Beechcraft, until its assets were acquired by Textron through a bankruptcy sale. Textron is also the parent company of Beechcraft’s long-time local competitor, Cessna Aircraft Company. Today, Beechcraft remains a vital brand within the Textron Aviation portfolio.
History
The Beech Aircraft Company was founded in 1932 in Wichita, Kansas by Walter Beech, who served as president; his wife Olive Ann Beech took on the role of secretary. Other key founders included Ted A. Wells as vice president of engineering, K. K. Shaul as treasurer, and investor C. G. Yankey as vice president. The company initially operated out of an unused factory formerly owned by Cessna. With designer Ted Wells leading development, their first aircraft—the Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing—made its maiden flight in November 1932. More than 750 Staggerwings were produced, with 352 serving in the United States Army Air Forces and 67 in the United States Navy during World War II.
Prior to founding Beechcraft, Walter Beech had co-established Travel Air in 1924 and held executive positions at Curtiss-Wright after Travel Air was acquired. Seeking closer involvement with manufacturing, he left to create Beechcraft, bringing aboard many former Travel Air employees. Early aircraft models before series 11/11000 were marketed under the "Travel Air" brand.
In 1942, Beechcraft earned its first Army-Navy "E" Award for excellence in production efficiency, particularly noted for the twin-engine Model 18 Expeditor, an aircraft that has maintained extensive global use.
Following World War II, the Staggerwing was replaced by the single-engine Bonanza monoplane, recognizable by its unique V-tail. Introduced in 1947, the Bonanza boasts the longest continuous production span of any aircraft model. Other significant products include the twin-turboprop King Air and Super King Air series (in production since 1964), the twin-engine Baron variant derived from the Bonanza, and ongoing manufacture of the Model 18 Expeditor.
After Walter Beech passed away in 1950, Olive Ann Beech assumed leadership as president and CEO, guiding the company until its acquisition by Raytheon Company in 1980. Herbert Rawdon succeeded Ted Wells as chief engineer until his retirement in the early 1960s.
In 1973, Beechcraft founded the Beechcraft Heritage Museum to safeguard its historical aircraft legacy.
Raytheon merged Beechcraft with its Hawker product line—acquired from British Aerospace in 1993—to establish Raytheon Aircraft Company in 1994. The Beechcraft name was reinstated in 2002 for aircraft manufactured in Wichita. In 2006, Raytheon sold this division to Goldman Sachs, which formed Hawker Beechcraft. Throughout its existence, Beechcraft has shared Wichita headquarters with competitors like Cessna and Learjet and has been recognized as part of general aviation’s "Big Three" alongside Cessna and Piper.
Following Hawker Beechcraft’s bankruptcy filing on May 3, 2012, it restructured and reappeared on February 16, 2013, as Beechcraft Corporation—dropping the Hawker Beechcraft designation. The reorganized company concentrated on producing King Air models, T-6/AT-6 military trainer/attack aircraft, and both single-engine Bonanza and twin-engine Baron planes while ceasing jet production but continuing support for existing jet customers.
By October 2013, after regaining financial stability, Beechcraft was placed on the market.
On December 26, 2013, Textron purchased Beechcraft—including the discontinued Hawker jet line—for $1.4 billion; following government approval, the acquisition closed mid-2014. Textron merged Beechcraft with Cessna under Textron Aviation, anticipating annual cost savings between $65 million and $85 million compared to operating separately. Both brands continue to operate independently within Textron’s corporate framework.
Products
As of July 2019, the Beechcraft brand under Textron Aviation offers the following aircraft:
- Beechcraft Bonanza series – a line of single-engine piston-powered general aviation planes
- Beechcraft Baron – twin-engine piston aircraft designed for utility purposes
- Beechcraft Denali – a turboprop business aircraft model
- (Super) King Air series – including the military variant known as the C-12 Huron
- Beechcraft T-6 Texan II/CT-156 Harvard II – a single-engine turboprop trainer used by the military, derived from the Pilatus PC-9
This portfolio highlights Beechcraft’s commitment to serving both civilian and defense markets, enabling diverse income sources and preserving a strong position in general aviation and military sectors.
Facilities
- Beech Factory Airport – serves as Beechcraft’s main headquarters and manufacturing hub, equipped with combined production operations and an on-site runway dedicated to test flights, enhancing efficiency and quality assurance.