Tthe Statek kosmiczny Beechcraft to dwuturbośmigłowy, sześcio- do ośmioosobowy, ciśnieniowy samolot biznesowy produkowany przez Beech Aircraft Corporation. Znany ze swojej niezwykłej konstrukcji canard i szerokiego wykorzystania kompozytu z włókna węglowego, nie sprzedał się w wielu egzemplarzach, a produkcja zakończyła się w 1995 roku, zaledwie sześć lat po pierwszym locie Starshipa.
The Beechcraft Starship was a radical, twin-turboprop business aircraft developed in the 1980s. Designed by Burt Rutan’s Scaled Composites, it was groundbreaking for its all-composite airframe, rear-mounted pusher propellers, and forward canard wings, though it was a commercial failure.
Property
Value (2000A Production Model)
Roli
Executive/Corporate Transport
Producent
Beechcraft (Raytheon)
First Flight (Prototype)
August 1983
Załogi
1 or 2 pilots
Pojemność
6–8 passengers
Rozpiętość
16.6 m (54 ft 4 in)
Max Takeoff Weight
6,580 kg (14,500 lb)
Design and Powerplant
Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67 turboprop engines.
Power Output: 932 kW (1,250 hp) each (flat rated to 1,000 hp for takeoff).
Propellers: Five-bladed Hartzell pusher propellers located behind the wing.
Fuselage/Structure: The airframe was almost entirely constructed of advanced carbon fiber composite materials—one of the largest civilian aircraft of its time to use this technology.
Canard Design: Features a forward canard wing with winglets, making it a very stable and stall-resistant design. The main wing has a significant sweep.
Key Difference (2000A): This variant incorporated several improvements over the initial 2000 model, including higher cruise speeds and increased gross weight.
Performance and History
Maximum Cruise Speed: 620 km/h (385 mph, 335 knots) at 30,000 ft.
Maximum Range: Approximately 2,800 km (1,740 miles).
Service Ceiling: 12,500 m (41,000 ft).
Cockpit: Featured a “glass cockpit,” using the Collins EFIS-86 system, which was very advanced for a business aircraft of the late 1980s.
Commercial Status: Only 53 Starships were ever built, making it a major commercial disappointment for Beechcraft due to its high development cost, long gestation period, and complexity.
End of Life: Most Starships were repurchased by the manufacturer in the early 2000s and scrapped to reduce liability and maintenance costs, though a small handful remain in private hands.