Beechcraft Duchess

Developed as Model PD289 (Preliminary Design 289), the prototype was unveiled on November 4, 1974, although it had first flown in September 1974.{{cite book |last1=McDaniel |first1=William H. |title=The History of Beech: Fifty Years of Excellence |date=1982 |publisher=McCormick-Armstrong Co. |location=Wichita, Kansas |isbn=0-911978-00-3}}{{rp|409–410}} The Model 76 was designed as an economical twin-engine trainer for the Beech Aero Centers and to compete with the similar Gulfstream Cougar as well as the Cessna 310.{{cite journal |last1=Phillips |first1=Edward |title=The "Baby Beechcraft" - Part Two |journal=KingAir Magazine |date=8 June 2017 |url=http://www.kingairmagazine.com/article/2465/}}

The first production version flew on 24 May 1977, and the name "Duchess" was chosen through a company competition. Construction of the Duchess was set for a new factory built at the Liberal Division,{{cite journal |title=To provide increased final assembly facilities |journal=Aviation Week & Space Technology |date=20 December 1976 |page=15}} with deliveries beginning early in 1978.{{rp|473}}

Production of the Duchess continued until 1983, with no significant changes.{{cite journal |title=Beech Plans to Close Plant at Liberal, Kan. |journal=Aviation Week & Space Technology |date=18 February 1985 |page=27}} A single example was tested with turbocharged engines in 1979, but did not proceed to production.{{rp|56}}

The Duchess is an all-metal low-wing monoplane with retractable tricycle landing gear and a T-tail. It seats four.{{cite book |last= Frawley|first= Gerard|title=The International Directory of Civil Aircraft, 2003-2004 |year=2003 |publisher=Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd |location= Fyshwick, ACT, Australia |isbn=1-875671-58-7 |page=41 }} The design used components and the bonded wing construction from Beechcraft's single-engined Musketeer line.{{cite book |last1=Phillips |first1=Edward H. |title=Beechcraft: Pursuit of Perfection |date=1992 |publisher=Flying Books |location=Eagan, Minnesota |isbn=0-911139-11-7 |edition=2nd}}{{rp|55}} The basic fuselage and wing structure was adapted from the Model 24 Sierra, a Musketeer variant with retractable landing gear, but the Sierra wing spar was redesigned to support the added weight of the engines.{{cite web|url=https://www.avweb.com/features/beechcraft-duchess/ |title=Beechcraft Duchess |website=avweb.com |author= |date=5 August 2005 |access-date=26 July 2021}} Nose landing gear from the A36 Bonanza was used.

The Model 76 incorporates right and left "handed" Lycoming O-360 engines that rotate in opposing directions to eliminate the critical engine during single engine operation.Plane and Pilot: 1978 Aircraft Directory, page 84. Werner & Werner Corp, Santa Monica CA, 1977. {{ISBN|0-918312-00-0}}

In 1979, a single example was converted to test the turbocharged versions of the engine. The cowlings were reshaped and the exhaust moved to accommodate the aft-mounted turbochargers.{{rp|56}}

The Duchess wing is of aluminum honeycomb construction fastened by bonding, rather than rivets, to reduce cost and produce a smoother aerodynamic surface.

The use of a T-tail on the Model 76 met with mixed critical reception when the aircraft was introduced. Plane & Pilot pronounced: "Outstanding design characteristics of the new Duchess include an aerodynamically advantageous T-tail, which places the horizontal surfaces above the propeller slipstream for better stability and handling.", while Gerald Foster said: "[Beechcraft's] interest in T-tails was perhaps an affectation triggered by their wide use on jet airliners".Montgomery, MR & Gerald Foster: A Field Guide to Airplanes, Second Edition, page 92. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1992. {{ISBN|0-395-62888-1}} AVweb wrote that Beechcraft adopted the T-tail after flight tests revealed that the initially used conventional horizontal stabilizer was too small and suffered from buffeting problems, increasing noise and vibration during flight; moving the horizontal stabilizer out of the propeller slipstream eliminated the buffeting and the need for enlargement while adding only {{convert|15|lb|kg}} of weight. Additionally, the T-tail design moved the stabilizer rearward, increasing its effectiveness and giving the aircraft a broader center of gravity range. The later Piper Seminole also adopted a T-tail.

;Model 76 Duchess

:Four-seat, twin-engine (Lycoming O-360), low-winged trainer with bonded aluminum construction.

;Model 76TC Duchess

:Unofficial designation for single test aircraft using turbocharged Lycoming O-360.

The aircraft remains popular with flight training schools.

• Beechcraft - Tested one Duchess to investigate its spin recovery characteristics in conjunction with NASA.{{cite book |last1=Stowell |first1=Rick |title=The Light Airplane Pilot's Guide to Stall/spin Awareness: Featuring the PARE Spin Recovery Checklsit |date=2007 |publisher=Rich Stowell, Master CFI-A |isbn=9781879425439 |page=447}}
• National Test Pilot School - Operates one Duchess.{{cite web |title=Beech 76A Duchess |url=https://www.ntps.edu/aircraft/beech-76a-duchess.html |website=NTPS |accessdate=25 December 2018}}
• Purdue University - Uses a Duchess modified with air sampling equipment as Airborne Laboratory Atmospheric Research (ALAR).{{cite web |title=Army Instrumentation Facility: Airborne Laboratory Atmospheric Research (ALAR) |url=http://jafci.chem.purdue.edu/projects/alar.html |website=Purdue University |accessdate=25 December 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324183013/http://jafci.chem.purdue.edu/projects/alar.html |archivedate=24 March 2018}}
• Scaled Composites - Uses one Duchess as a test aircraft.{{cite web |title=Rutan Voyager |url=https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/rutan-voyager |website=Smithsonian: National Air and Space Museum |accessdate=25 December 2018 |archive-date=July 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180720215600/https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/rutan-voyager |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |title=Scaled Composites: SpaceShipOne |url=https://spaceflight.nasa.gov/outreach/SignificantIncidents/assets/combined-white-knight---spaceshipone-flight-tests.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229201841/http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/outreach/SignificantIncidents/assets/combined-white-knight---spaceshipone-flight-tests.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 December 2016 |website=National Aeronautics and Space Administration |accessdate=25 December 2018 |page=3}}

File:Beechcraft 76 Duchess C-FDMO instrument panel 01.JPG

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1980–81.Taylor 1980, pp. 268–269.

|prime units?=kts

|genhide=

|crew=1

|capacity=3 passengers

|length sigfig=3

|length m=

|length ft=29

|length in=0+1/2

|span m=

|span ft=38

|span in=0

|height m=

|height ft=9

|height in=6

|wing area sqm=

|wing area sqft=181

|airfoil=NACA 63₂A415

|aspect ratio=7.973:1

|empty weight kg=

|empty weight lb=2460

|gross weight kg=

|max takeoff weight lb=3900

|fuel capacity={{convert|100|USgal|impgal L|abbr=on}}

|eng1 number=2

|eng1 name= Lycoming O-360-A1G6D

|eng1 type=air-cooled flat-four engines

|eng1 kw=

|eng1 hp=180

|prop blade number=2

|prop name=Hartzell HC-M2YR-2C(L)EUF/F(J)C 7666A constant speed propellers

|prop dia m=

|prop dia ft=

|prop dia in=

|perfhide=

|max speed kmh=

|max speed mph=

|max speed kts=

|max speed mach=

|never exceed speed kts=171

|cruise speed kmh=

|cruise speed mph=

|cruise speed kts=158

|cruise speed note=at {{convert|10000|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|stall speed kts=60

|stall speed note=power off, flaps down, IAS

|range km=

|range miles=

|range nmi=780

|range note=at {{convert|12000|ft|m|abbr=on}}, econ cruise

|ceiling m=

|ceiling ft=19650

|climb rate ms=

|climb rate ftmin=1248

|more performance=

|avionics=

}}

{{aircontent

|related=

• Beechcraft Musketeer

|similar aircraft=

• Cessna 310
• Gulfstream American GA-7 Cougar
• Piper Seminole

|see also=

}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John W. R.|title=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1980–81|year=1980|publisher=Jane's Publishing Company|location=London|isbn=0-7106-0705-9|authorlink=John W. R. Taylor}}

{{commons category|Beechcraft Duchess}}

{{Beechcraft}}

Duchess

Category:1970s United States civil trainer aircraft

Category:Low-wing aircraft

Category:T-tail aircraft

Category:Aircraft first flown in 1974

Category:Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft

Category:Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear